Cam belt snapped at 62870, only a month after I purchased the vehicle. (In hindsight, I should of replaced it immediately upon purchase)
Oil rings are starting to show wear on startup.
This is my second Sierra, my previous 1984 model, lasted from 1996 till 2001, which I gave away to a friend - now stolen!!!
The Sapphire is in fairness, (my other car is a Jaguar) an excellent good looking vehicle which in its final guise doesn't stand badly next to more expensive exotica.
As a first car or second or third "runabout town" it si tremendous value!
If the engine is smoking on start up it's probably the valve stem seals gone brittle rather than worn rings. What happens is that when the engine is switched off, any oil that settles around the valve spring area seeps down past the seals and into the cylinders. This is burnt off on start up which shows as an initial puff of blue smoke for the first couple of seconds running, and then all appearing well afterwards. Another tell tale sign is that it only happens when the car has been stood for a few hours or overnight rather than every time you start it.
Valve stem seals are a common CVH weakness, to the extent that the replacements are modified to last longer. The good news is, valve stem seals are easier and cheaper to replace (both in terms of parts and labour) than rings and do not require major engine dismantling. The seals themselves cost pennies.
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