Smokes when running

D

Donna

Guest
Buying a 1971 VW bug tomorrow for 2000. It runs goos sounds good, the body and interior are in almost mint condition. The only problem is it smokes when the guy started it today. He said it had been 3 weeks since he last started it. Should I be concerned?:love:


Ok guys...I did not buy the 1971. The smoking got worse the longer it ran. I did get a 1970 Pearl White Beetle, 65K original miles. Runs like a charm, Beutifull inside and out, needs a little cosmetic work (not a lot for a 40 year old car). I will post pics of it a litte later. Thanks for all the imput fellas.
 
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It could be just a little smokey because it's running on a carburetor & it needs a tune, but more likely the engine is worn, get a friend to stand behind the car while you press the accelerator, if there's smoke walk away. For peace of mind, you could always get a check carried out by the AA or RAC etc, think it's about £100. A cheaper inspection is to get the car MOT'd (regardless of of what ticket the owner may carry) as this will also highlight many problems.
The golden rule is, 'If in doubt, don't!' There's will always other cars.

Good luck & let us know how you get on. :D
 
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A simple compression test will reveal the condition of the engine. To be honest though if it cleared up when it was running then I wouldn't worry about it. If it happens every start up I might be a little bothered and if it kept smoking all the time I would be extremely concerned.

Check the oil level and that the oil is clean.

I would recommend an AA or RAC check also. They at least give you some basis for haggling down the price.
 
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