Help! 1986 2.2Ltr Td Auto smoking!!

Hey guys, i have just recently bought a 1986 Hiace 2.2ltr td auto....when i took it out for a test drive it was fine, today however i took it out for a drive and it has started smoking pretty badly. i have taken it to a mate who doesn't seem to think its the pistons or rings because it holds its revs & sounds quite smooth. We changed the air filter and discovered the old one had some oil on it....would this have anything to do with it? Another suggestion given was that there could be a problem with the turbo. It smokes when excelerating, when at a constant speed it seems ok but it seems that after it has done some work it will also smoke while idling.

if it is the turbo is it a big job to sort out?

cheers for any help!

Might just be an oil seal on the turbo?......

Great thanks for that...how do i get to the turbo do i have to get the van up on a ramp?

never done it...have no turbo..........the driver seat unbolts quickly to reveal a panel under it though if need be

What colour smoke and what does it smell of?

Blue = oil and could be turbo related.

Black = unburnt fuel, many reason could be turbo related.

White = steam or unburnt fuel, you don't to go there!

Thanks Clive! Its is kind of a mixture of the three...I have spoken to 3 different people here and have got 3 possibilities...turbo, injectors or timing - out of those 3 which in your opinion would be better to be going wrong?

likely turbo, could be a gelled diesel pump, an old Pajero of mine started smoking and teh pump was gelled. Ifits minor then some diesel clener may help, but oil in the filter says turbo problem to me... Sorry !!!

I've leaning to turbo But have to ask first.

Before you go changing the turbo, make sure the engine breather system is ok - check for collapsed hoses......................

i took it to a garage to get it checked out and they have done a compression test and it turns out the 4th cylinder is down to 220 psi and they said there is "blow by"...I have been quoted (worst case) around 5000 kiwi dollars to get it sorted....hmmm i'm thinking i'd rather set fire to it!!

220 is low but did they do a "wet" test? a few squirts of clean engine oil down the bores temporarily "seals" the bores and another compression test should show a higher pressure reading - the norm for an indirect diesel is around 350/370 psi.
If the reading is still low after a wet test then the problem is in the valves - a least expensive option!