HELP!!! Oil on top of all the Pistons and blue smoke after engine rebuild!!!

Any ideas where to start looking, happened as soon as I started driving off only got to the end of the street and smoke was everywhere so turned round and parked back up.

Took plugs out and there was oil on the top of all the Pistons, compression tested it and got

160
170
169
162

Sprayed carb cleaner down the bores, cranked over for 30 seconds until they were dry then did another compression test and got

162
172
171
166

Put it all back together and took it for a 1 mile drive down the dual carriageway still smoked and once again had oil on the Pistons

Hope it's not a strip down again

Check and see if valve stem seals are pushed all the way down or even fitted. How much oil pressure is it showing

Cheers, the oil pressure was about 5 on cold start up, 2 on hot idle rising to 4 with some revs.

How do I check the valve stem seals?

Pulled the exhaust manifold forward and all the ports were bone dry, took some photos of the valves the best i could with the USB boroscope camera sorry for the quality.

Any ideas where to look next????

Compression is good which rules out rings,
That only leaves,
Intake valve seals (unlikely),
Head Gasket failure,
Blown turbo seals,
I cant think of any other leak paths,

It don't rule out assembly or other issue with oil control rings .
What you done to engine during rebuild ?
was it bored honed and to what clearance?
new rings?
valve assembly checked or new valves, guides, seats cut, new seals fitted ?
being oil in all 4 cylinders it hopeful it more likely coming from turbo or perhaps a breather system issue !
Have a look at inlet manifold for oil & track back & see if intercooler got oil in it .
Valve seals are easily fitted badly but to do all 4 cylinders badly seem unlikely but is possible, also some after market seals are poor fitting and troublesome .
Not a good start but hopefully will not be major build issue :-S

From them pictures id say the valve stems are dry & not leaking. My rebuilt engine was the same. Id also be looking at cylinder to piston wall clearance & ring gaps. 
Any problems getting the piston into the cylinder as the oil control rings are extreamly delicate

Have you blocked the breathers on rocker cover?

After chatting with Bob on the phone he suggested checking the turbo before stripping anything off the engine and guess what he was right

Even though there was minimal movement when I checked before refitting it, it had quite a bit of play when I removed it???

Had a spare rebuilt CHRA so swapped all the parts over and refitted it and hey presto smoke screen gone.

Still got a little bit of smoke at idle and the oil is still on the Pistons, but probably needs a good couple of hundred miles running in first then see if it stops?

Going to book an MOT tomorrow and fingers crossed it passes then I can get run in.

We mentioned that in replies above, generally easy see oil residue on inlet pipes even if turbo bearings feel OK and one of first checks to do when burning oil, clean out you intercooler too as that probably full of oil as must of been throwing out fair bit of oil if could see wet oily postons. Was favourable chance seems all 4 cylinders getting oily and way simpler than engine build errors so happy days hopefully...

Mr B wrote:We mentioned that in replies above, generally easy see oil residue on inlet pipes even if turbo bearings feel OK and one of first checks to do when burning oil, clean out you intercooler too as that probably full of oil as must of been throwing out fair bit of oil if could see wet oily postons. Was favourable chance seems all 4 cylinders getting oily and way simpler than engine build errors so happy days hopefully...

Sorry B, didn't see the posts until after Bob had called me back but thanks for all the advice it's really appreciated

Passed the MOT on retest due to the horn not working and excess smoke, changed the horn and took it for another 10 mile blast and the smoke was minimal so it passed. Now taxed and had a 40 mile drive and all seems good now (fingers crossed)

^ main thing is was simple resolve and engine build ok . Nothing worse than issues on rebuilt engine but nice when don't turn out be super serious problem :-D have fun running it in ...

Wasn't happy with the smoking so had my spare turbo rebuilt






All good now and no smoke, time to carry on running her in now

Good news mate
How much was the rebuild on turbo and is it a standard t28?

Great news

Cheers fellas, did 250 miles on mineral oil and changed the oil and filter topped back up with fresh mineral for the next 250 miles then will change to Fuchs Titan Pro 10-50.

Here's the invoice standard turbo with 360 bearing upgrade.

I got my shaft balanced by them, very quick turn around, defo use them again in the future.

I think thats a very reasonable price

Yeah they are great had a core off them a while back was spot on.

Very interesting and informative read for a Sunday morning