Transit Custom 2015 2.2 Serious engine shake and blue smoke

[sugz2022]

Hi guys,

new to the forum. Am a mobile mechanic but not the most technical. Great with R&I parts, servicing etc but not very experienced with engine management or heavy engine issues. So after opinions.

Serviced a transit for a guy last week. no issues. It had oil only just registering on dipstick to begin with, it has leaking power steering pipes and brakes metal to metal and grooves in discs (young driver, everywhere 100mph in and out of the van)

Ive ordered parts to replace and was due to do that soon.

Got a call from him, engine service required message, lacking power and oil has forced its way out of filler cap and sprayed engine bay then smoking as it touched cylinder head.

I've been round to see it, hope from hope ive cleaned engine bay, replaced oil filler cap for new (in case faulty filler cap was the issue, gasket gone or whatever, which isnt unheard of on these) in the hopes that this and oil topup (because now showing low again) may be all it needs.

However, on restarting it there is no further warning message on dash, but has a SERIOUS engine shake at idle. Removed airbox but left MAF plugged in and spongey engine rocker cover removed. Im talking about 20cm back and forth rocking at idle. it is also blowing blue smoke.

The revs are reluctant to go up, however vibration smooths right out at about 2000rpm, closer i get to 3000 rpm you start hearing diesel knock and it gets more excessive higher the revs and obviously smokes a lot more blue smoke at higher revs.

Also, turbo isn't that old, but is leaking oil from compressor side, not excessive, but too much to be comfortable with. the compressor wheel has slight play, i'd say more than acceptable but also not excessive enough to suggest a failed turbine shaft or journal bearing. (That said i've only inspected compressor side, not exhaust side so bear in mind smoke etc)

when running engine with crankcase breather and oil filler cap off, getting a lot of vapour smoke from engine.

Last bit of the story, i asked the customer straight, how was it being driven before the engine message and lack of power? The answer was overtaking a vehicle at 75-80mph high revs, then braking sharply for a roundabout.

Now my thoughts are, each individual symptom could suggest things like, blow by from excessive crankcase pressure causing vapour smoke from engine, or injector fault causing smoke and shake (although wouldnt be this excessive,) engine mount failure causing shake, or turbo causing rough idle and smoke due to leaking and combusting oil in inlet.

However put them all together, i can only assume this is a bent con rod, causing oil to leak into combustion chamber causing this array of symptoms.

I have advised him of such and that as a mobile mechanic such a repair would be beyond me on a driveway. That he's looking at either engine strip and con rod replace (labour cost intensive) or engine replacement (parts cost intensive) but both reaching 4 figures and give or take same cost. Although i doubt it, if he feels brave he can spend out to take it to a garage and get a firm diagnosis, they may tell him its just the turbo or whatever or they may confirm what ive said.

So just wanted to get a fresh set of eyes and get your opinions on whether im barking up the right tree, and is there anything i havent thought that stands out.

THANKS IN ADVANCE

[BHM]

For me that's injectors out and a simple leak-down test.

Cracked pistons are not unknown.

BHM

[Vale]

Hi there, I've just joined the forum,
Just wondered if you got to the bottom of the issue, blue smoke and engine shaking...as I broke down yesterday with exactly the same issues...I've a custom 2.2, on a 15 plate, 58k miles,
Cheers vale