2021 Ducato - smoke blowing out dipstick hole …

[danielf]

Hi All

An odd question …

Just been to France in my van and all was well. Noted that the oil level dropped a little while away and today it had dropped more.

Van has 7,000 miles on it , 2.3 140 Ducato 9 speed auto

Checked the dipstick and then happened to pull it out while the engine was running and I have a stream of white smoke very faintly coming out ….

My local Fiat professional dealer are looking at it next week , but is this normaI for this engine, does anyone else get this ? I don’t think it is ….

In old engines I know this means blow by …

Thanks

Daniel.

 

[Larrynwin]

Not sure why oil level should noticeably drop but removing dipstick with engine running will release a tiny amount of vapour from crankcase pressure which is normally released from breather tube.

 

[danielf]

Thanks Larrynwin

I would expect a tiny bit maybe but not a stream …. Maybe I am panicing and it is normal in this engine.

Daniel.

 

[Phill D]

I would be slightly more concerned by the oil level change.
You probably only did a few k miles in that time.

 

[Badknee]

Your oil is either leaking (drip) or burning (smoke) black smoke out of the exhaust is usually unburnt fuel and white/blue is burnt oil. Must be blow by up the dipstick tube I would have thought?
Good luck with the result from the garage.

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[danielf]

I agree Phill D

When I went out just now then level has dropped to two blobs on the display although my drive slopes …. But it was at 5 blobs …. Even on my drive pre my trip.

Daniel.

 

[Reallyretired]

Something leaking where it shouldnt, piston rings broken possibly. Is it running rough as if one cylinder not functioning fully?
Smoke blowing from filler or dipstick hole is usually bsd news. If you run the engine is there smoke from the oil filler or just the dipstick?

 

[danielf]

Badknee

I know these engine do use a bit on the first several thousand miles as others have said , but there is zero visible smoke in the exhaust.

And no leaks either on the engine having just gone over it.

A new van was supposed to be worry free ! What with the paint defects and now a squeaky habitation floor …. And now this !

Daniel.

 

[Wildbill]

Blocked breather possibly
Bill

 

[danielf]

Thanks all.

Reallyretired there is some from oil filer as well , not as visible but a little there.


It is under warranty as it is not a year old yet so if it is duff it will be getting sorted…..

Doesn’t remove the worry though.

I wonder is anyone who has the same engine gets the same and it is normal ?


Daniel.

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[Stealaway]

It's not unusual to use up a litre of oil in the first 7000 miles It will probably use half litre in the next 7000 miles.
Oil fumes will always blow out the dipstick hole and out the oil filler cap that why they have O ring seals.
All perfectly normal.

 

[Jake Royd]

It's not unusual to use up a litre of oil in the first 7000 miles It will probably use half litre in the next 7000 miles.
Oil fumes will always blow out the dipstick hole and out the oil filler cap that why they have O ring seals.
All perfectly normal.

I would agree , it sounds normal and also not unusual for high oil consumption to be happening in the early life of the engine.
It probably is not a problem with the level change with the dipstick removed. Depends on how it is sensed.

 

[gus-lopez]

Smoke blowing from filler or dipstick hole is usually bsd news.

Not necessarily on the filler . It depends how the injectors are mounted. On transits they ho through the cam shaft assembly and cylinder head . If the copper washers leak then you get blow by in to the rocker cover ,which vents via breather in yo the intake in front of the turbo.
Might be ducato s are fitted similarly?

 

[chaser]

No help but just to lighten things a bit, we have tractors here that will blow the dipstick out if it's not fully pushed in, but they just keep going

 

[danielf]

Thanks all for the thoughts on this. Overnight it went on the drive back up a little ….

It is going to Fiat anyway for a panting issue at the same time so they can give thief opinion.

Now for a second mortgage for the oil top it needs !

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[danielf]

Hi all

As an update I visited the Fiat professional dealer today to look at this and a paintwork issues I have as well.

The oil use is ok as per most on here and I am fine with this even though the oil is pretty expensive.

The smoke blowing out of the dipstick is apparently normal, these engine run with a. Pressurised crankcase for some reason. They did show me two other brand new Ducato’s that were exactly the same as mine

Daniel.