Stabiliser link or rubber bump stopper may be faulty

Q1: Why is my Proton Iswara rear axle still emitting noise although I have replaced all the bushes? The car also has rough idling in the morning with blue smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe.

KC
Kuala Lumpur

Check the following for noise-related problem: stabiliser link, rubber bump stopper (rubber insulation of shock absorber) and differential fluid (if the noise is coming from your rear axle differential housing).

Your engine is probably burning motor oil in the mix, hence the blue smoke. Normally this is caused by a wide end gap at the piston ring or a significant gap between the piston and cylinder wall. This in turn causes the engine oil to seep past the uppermost part of the piston into the combustion chamber.

Send your car to a reputable workshop for compression testing to determine if something is wrong with your engine's internal parts.


Q2: I want to remove and clean the intake manifold. How do I do it? It is necessary to remove the straps and the fuel pump? If I take off my belt, will it be as easy to put it back?  The car is an Alfa Romeo 166.

Kassim
Penang

If your intake manifold cannot be accessed without removing those components then it will be necessary for you to remove the straps and pump first.

If you are going to disconnect the fuel lines, relieve the pressure off the fuel lines first by removing the fuel pump fuse and start the engine until it stalls.

The belt can be reused as long as it is has no damage, cracks or not soaked with oil. Kindly refer to your car service manual or seek the assistance of a technician familiar with your car.


Q3:  I'm using a 2004 Kancil 660 manual. The problem is the engine oil will drop to lower than minimum level within 2-3 months times after service. I have to top up the engine oil from time to time. I have noticed that there are thick residue at the end of exhaust pipe.

Also, it is difficult to shift from gear 1 to 2 when the engine is cold, i.e. when the car just started.

What can be done to fix the problem?

Yaw
Kuala Lumpur

Did your engine experience overheating before? Have you used additives for your engine oil before?

If you have experienced overheating before, some engine internal parts like your piston rings are partially worn out. A piston ring seals the upper part of your piston to prevent oil from getting into the combustion chamber. The solution is to open your cylinder head for visual inspection. This can be done with top overhaul only or during a general overhaul.

If you are also using or have used engine oil additives, these chemicals cause fast deterioration to your engine internal parts especially when you are using multi-grade engine oil + additives. The increased thickness of oil viscosity could force the oil clearances to expand or be damaged. 

Note: Check also for clogged air filters. Clogged air filter causes much engine oil vapour in the cylinder head to be sucked via breather hose into the intake manifold.

Difficulty in shifting gears is another problem altogether. It could be that your clutch lining is already worn out or you do not have enough clutch fluid in the reservoir. Have those items checked first before doing any replacement.

Lastly, your car needing topping up oil at such regular intervals is an indication that your car has major problem in the engine internally. Have it checked at once by your mechanic.