1.8t, is smoking bad for your health?

[Arrkon]

Hey guys, cars just started doing this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CputqtG5TV4

Starts about a minute after a cold start, it's not piston rings, as I have good compression across all 4 cylinders. Get a good bit of smoke at full chat too...

Now I'm wondering is it Stem seals or the Turbo that's on it's way out? Any way to tell which it is?

Thanks

 

[Arrkon]

Nobody?

 

[aragorn]

Unfortunately its a bit difficult to test the turbo or stem seals independently.

The stem seals would typically give a puff of blue on cold start, and also if you left the engine idling for perhaps a minute, then gave it a rev it would often pour out blue smoke.

Issue is the turbo could smoke at similar points!

 

[Broken Byzan]

I have the same issue, and am hoping mine is head related. cos the wife will torch it if the turbo is fubar.You can disconnect the oil feed to the turbo, hold the shaft steady with some mole grips so it doesn't turn. Then start the engine and see if it still does it. Obviously you need a steady handed assistant that trusts you to hold the mole grips while you rev it up

 

[Arrkon]

I have the same issue, and am hoping mine is head related. cos the wife will torch it if the turbo is fubar.You can disconnect the oil feed to the turbo, hold the shaft steady with some mole grips so it doesn't turn. Then start the engine and see if it still does it. Obviously you need a steady handed assistant that trusts you to hold the mole grips while you rev it up

If I disconnect the oil feed, how could I block it? else oil will go everywhere surely? should the wastgate be manually opened too?

 

[Broken Byzan]

you block it by putting something in its place, usually at the filter housing end. Why open the WG, you only need to know if the oil is pushing past the seals by eliminating the turbo feed. If it still smokes with shaft held, its not the turbo

 

[Arrkon]

Was just thinking of limiting the amount of pressure against the turbine was all... will give it a try tomorrow...

 

[Broken Byzan]

if you blank the feed off at the housing end and have the pipe off in your hand, there will be no pressure on it,lol You dont need to rev it, just run it up holding the shaft tight to stop it turning for long enough to see if it still smokes.

 

[aragorn]

The issue with that, is that there will almost certainly be oil residue left hanging around the turbo housing and in the exhaust etc, so it might still smoke anyway!

The only way to be sure, is to remove the manifold and have a look in the exhaust ports. If its coming from the engine, there will be signs of oil in the exhaust ports. If the exhaust ports are dry, then its most likely the turbo.

 

[Arrkon]

Thinking its the turbo at the mo, noticed a sound akin to a dentist drill on spool and have quite a bit of oil residue inside the MAF housing and upper TIP...

 

[aragorn]

have you done the simple test of checking for thrust play in the shaft?

 

[Arrkon]

last time I had the TIP off, there was a little in/out and a little side to side play...

 

[aragorn]

side to side is normal, in/out is not!

 

[Arrkon]

Yep. Thought as much, at least if that is the culprit it is already in plan to be replaced anyway.