[Mk2] [Turbo] smoke on hot idle

[Race Idiot]

Hi Guys

It seems like my car has started to smoke, only on idle and only once warmed up. The first time was at bedford, which pretty much stopped as soon as it was driven around slowly a bit. This was after losing about 1/4 of the dipstick due to an oil leak, which was sorted and topped up after going back on track.

The car was then fine all day and fine all the way home. Also it didnt have any problems when I took it out for a drive over the weekend.

Today I was driving around slowly looking for a place to park and pretty much as soon as I came to a stop got a load of whiteish acrid smoke out the back. Also the idle seems to be a bit wierd and has a bit of a wierd breathy sound to it. Before this the car boosted fine, but I decided to drive it sedately back home with no smoking even after letting it sit idling for a while.

Now the car has been using a bit of oil over the last few months, not much usualy but at most 1/2 on the dipstick when ive checked. The car usualy only gets driven around once a week. I just put it down to not being used much. So I pretty much always check the oil and coolant before I use the car anyway and only use it if its going to get up to temp properly.

The car doesnt appear to be overheating, coolant temp seems to be a steady 90c, a bit higher on track. The oil usualy low 90s 80s although it was into the 100s on track. The oil had only just been changed which I always use fully synth 5w40.

To be fair this motor/turbo has 200,000km on it but according to my recipts it has had a full head rebuild and new hg by the previous owner. The car drove as well as my old one which had a much lower mileage motor, well up until recently

I'm hoping it might just be the turbo seals on their way out but i've never noticed any smoke on boost. Anyone got any ideas?

[Peter Gidden]

Turbo seals would be my first guess. Turbos will most likely smoke on idle and overrun.

[Race Idiot]

Turbo seals would be my first guess. Turbos will most likely smoke on idle and overrun.

I always thought that smoke caused by failing turbos would be a bit darker, although I cant remember what the smoke looked like when I shattered an exhaust blade on my old ct26 hybrid.

I do hope its just that, because I have a replacement turbo anyway

I just thought whiteish smoke was usualy coolant, but there still seems to be plenty of coolant every time I check.

[madmr2man]

Your symptoms so identical to mine when my ct26 started dropping oil into the exhaust.

I believe that the oil pressure acts on the seal lip.
So if the seal is tired then it is most likely to leak in low pressure conditions, like idle.
It stopped smoking as soon as I pulled off

I switched in a ct20 and problem solved.
Hope it's as easy for you.

This was looking down one of the exhaust ports

[Race Idiot]

Well I have this thing sitting around

[bobhatton]

Hi Guys

It seems like my car has started to smoke, only on idle and only once warmed up. The first time was at bedford, which pretty much stopped as soon as it was driven around slowly a bit. This was after losing about 1/4 of the dipstick due to an oil leak, which was sorted and topped up after going back on track.

The car was then fine all day and fine all the way home. Also it didnt have any problems when I took it out for a drive over the weekend.

Today I was driving around slowly looking for a place to park and pretty much as soon as I came to a stop got a load of whiteish acrid smoke out the back. Also the idle seems to be a bit wierd and has a bit of a wierd breathy sound to it. Before this the car boosted fine, but I decided to drive it sedately back home with no smoking even after letting it sit idling for a while.

Now the car has been using a bit of oil over the last few months, not much usualy but at most 1/2 on the dipstick when ive checked. The car usualy only gets driven around once a week. I just put it down to not being used much. So I pretty much always check the oil and coolant before I use the car anyway and only use it if its going to get up to temp properly.

The car doesnt appear to be overheating, coolant temp seems to be a steady 90c, a bit higher on track. The oil usualy low 90s 80s although it was into the 100s on track. The oil had only just been changed which I always use fully synth 5w40.

To be fair this motor/turbo has 200,000km on it but according to my recipts it has had a full head rebuild and new hg by the previous owner. The car drove as well as my old one which had a much lower mileage motor, well up until recently

I'm hoping it might just be the turbo seals on their way out but i've never noticed any smoke on boost. Anyone got any ideas?

The turbo seals go after the bearings have worn too much

Take the turbo inlet pipe off and see what play you have on the turbo shaft.
It you feel any movment the bearing have wear but I think you will find lots of play.