[puma]

My car doesn't smoke when i start it and it is cold. It used to do it but i replaced the valve stem seals last year and it cured my problem.

my smoke occurs when i go for a ride, stop the car and take it back a couple hours later. It won't smoke immediatly but after 2-3 minutes, if i come to a stop, it will someke really bad. It will smoke for maybe 5 minutes and then it stops.

I checked the throttle body to see if the turbo was leaking and it was not. I am pretty it can't be the valve stem seals as i did those last year.

could i have oil dropping on the exhaust side of the turbo? My tailpipe also seems to be pretty black. I don't think i am running too rich as my a/f gauge show 15:1 at idle and light throttle.

i checked fuel pressure and it doesn't seem to drop quick so i suppose it ain't an injector.

I did not change anything on the car.

what could it be?

 

[cord4530]

Hmmmm. I'll have to think about that for a bit. Any hints? What color is the smoke? Do you have to add oil to the engine between changes? Is it just smoking out the tailpipe, or from under the hood too?

It is possible to get an oil leak from the turbo out the exhaust side. But I can't think of any reason it would act in the manor you're talking about.

So, after the 5 minutes of smoking, it doesn't ever smoke again until you stop it for a few hours, then run it a few minutes?

 

[puma]

Hmmmm. I'll have to think about that for a bit. Any hints? What color is the smoke? Do you have to add oil to the engine between changes? Is it just smoking out the tailpipe, or from under the hood too?

It is possible to get an oil leak from the turbo out the exhaust side. But I can't think of any reason it would act in the manor you're talking about.

So, after the 5 minutes of smoking, it doesn't ever smoke again until you stop it for a few hours, then run it a few minutes?

yeah exactly.

actually, it started doing it only two days ago so i still don't see any changes in the oil level.

kinda hard to tell the color of the smoke, it is no specific color, just smoke...lol. it does look like oil or fuel, it ain't coolant, i am pretty sure. Only from the tailpipe

would removing the downpipe help me see if the turbo is leaking or is all the oil going to be burnt?

 

[supra400hptt]

Sounds similar to when I had to have my T78 rebuilt. It was leaking oil on the exhaust side and down into the downpipe. It wouldn't smoke until the downpipe was hot enough to start burning the oil. Took 3 to 5 minutes then all of the oil would burn off making a ton of smoke. Once the majority of it was burned then the smoke would be a lot less and burn immediately as it dripped while driving. Easy to confirm if you're single. Undo the DP at the turbo and look inside. If the turbo is leaking you will see the oil.

 

[puma]

wow, that really sounds like what i have.

i will try to remove the downpipe and see what it does.

what was the process for rebuilding the turbo? how much did it cost?

 

[supra400hptt]

I sent the turbo to www.turbochargers.com They quote $275 on the web page, but it turned into $450. They said they had to do some machining. It has been doing ok so far after the rebuild. I had tons of smoke, now none.

 

[cord4530]

would removing the downpipe help me see if the turbo is leaking or is all the oil going to be burnt?

Definitely! If it's coming out the exhaust side of the turbo, pulling the downpipe and looking in should tell you a lot. Pretty easy if you've got a single. If you're on twins, you may be able to look up the exhaust and see if it's coming out of one or the other.

 

[puma]

i am single, i'll try to do that tomorrow

thanks

 

[puma]

well looks like you guys were right

i have some oil in the exhaust side. Not much but i suppose enough to create some smoke. Is it normal to see a little bit of oil in the turbo on the exhaust side?

 

[cord4530]

It's not a ton of oil, but I suppose as supra400hptt said...after it pools up for a few minutes, it probably looks like a lot. It never takes much oil to create a decent smoke screen.

That probably does mean there's a seal going out on the turbo. It's not something that's likely to cause a big failure, but the oil is going to get on the O2 sensors and poison them. May be worth looking in to how much a quick rebuild on your turbo is.

 

[supra400hptt]

Looks like my T78 before rebuild. Decent layer of oil that shouldn't be there.

 

[32333]

Puma I payed a visit to Yves at Turbo Experts he's waiting for you. If mitsu parts arent backordered you will have it before next weekend. Let me know when you go

Chris

 

[32333]

:bigthumb: you owe me now! lol Chris