Think I have a big problem

sidewaysted · January 24, 2011, 01:05:35 PM

Ok, Here\'s the problem. Every time I take the fc out for a drive, I get back and loads of white smoke ....es out the exhaust. After a while I stops. The car could be lay up for a week or two without being drove. I know this means its burning water. I check the water level in the rad and its only lost a small amount, nothing in comparison to the smoke that comes out of it. Has anybody experienced this same problem and if so what is the problem.

Thanks in advance
Thomas

Prof · January 24, 2011, 01:27:17 PM

Turbo or NA ?

sidewaysted · January 24, 2011, 01:46:07 PM

Sorry should of mentioned that. Its a series 5 turbo.

pdtaylor18 · January 24, 2011, 02:02:23 PM

White smoke could be water being burnt or even the turbo. if your car is not using water then hopefully it will be the turbo. if it is then you can rebuild it yourself as it uses T3 internals and fairly straight forward to service yourself.
You can always get a compression check done as this will generally show up any water seal failure.
Do you use your car often? I have had exhausts that have had water in them, especially the stainless ones. Give the car a good run and get it nice and hot to see if the problem gets any worse or goes away.

Prof · January 24, 2011, 02:06:07 PM

I was thinking turbo as well, but it could still be water seal failure. It won\'t take a lot of water, but the one interesting point you make is the smoke occurs after you park up from a run, and then stops some time later?

How fresh is the oil?

sidewaysted · January 24, 2011, 02:16:48 PM

It wouldn\'t be drove too much, every fortnight or so for a few miles. Ill have to get my hand on a compression tester. I believe you need a special one for the rotary?

The oil is fairly fresh. Couple of hundred miles.

Is there any tests I can do to the turbo to find out if its that?

Grizzly · January 24, 2011, 02:53:56 PM

Do the water pipes get hard 30seconds after cold starting? if you take the overflow pipe off the rad do you notice any water getting past the cap?

My old Turbo2 used to white smoke quite bad when it was cold (allot worse than my daily runner anyway) but my water pipes only went properly hard when my plates coolant seal groove failed, i was told lots of reasons why is white smoked but i put it down to a mixture of No cat,Running mega rich on cold start,stainless exhaust and moisture in the air (was always worse when cold and damp winter months)

Prof · January 24, 2011, 04:26:13 PM

Quote from: sidewaysted;738580It wouldn\'t be drove too much, every fortnight or so for a few miles. Ill have to get my hand on a compression tester. I believe you need a special one for the rotary?

The oil is fairly fresh. Couple of hundred miles.

Is there any tests I can do to the turbo to find out if its that?

You can do a comparative compression test with the standard compression tester - but it\'s not 100%. You will need 2 people:

Warm up the engine normally, and then shut down.
Remove the EGI fuse from the main fuse bank in the engine bay
Remove the bottom plug from the housing you are testing (front or back)
Put the compression tester in the plug hole
Whilst someone cranks the engine and floors the accelerator...
...hold the button in on the compression tester and watch for 3 even bounces on the needle.

It will probably move too quickly to get the highest peak reading - in theory you can let go of the button on the tester and see where it ends up for the max compression (but it will be a max from all 3 rotors).

Ideally you want to be cranking at 250 rpm on the starter, so if it feels slow (low battery) then you\'re readings will be low

The proper tester will give you all 3 readings (one for each rotor face) and correct for engine rpm on the test. Most of the engine builders / tuners on here can do the test for you - it\'s not mega bucks.

As for the Turbo - if the seals are going it may be consuming a lot more oil - rear seals tend to show up as a cloud of bluey smoke in your rear view mirror when you floor it, but there is always a bit of this anyway

)

If the compressor side seals are gone, there may be evidence of a film of fresh oil on the inside of the pipe to the intercooler after a hard run. There is often a slight oily film here, as the engine vents excess crank pressure back through the intake, but if it\'s excessive then it may indicate seals are going.

If you take the pipe off the front of the turbo, you can feel for the turbine wheel - it should rotate freely and without noise, and with a little side to side play, but no front to back play. Whilst you\'ve got the pipe off - check the inside of it - if it\'s not oily, but the outlet of the compressor side is - then the compressor oil seals are going/gone.

sidewaysted · January 25, 2011, 05:07:53 PM

Thanks for the knowledge Prof. I have a standard tester so will give it a try.

Ricco_04 · January 31, 2011, 06:06:54 PM

Quote from: pdtaylor18;738570If your car is not using water then hopefully it will be the turbo. if it is then you can rebuild it yourself as it uses T3 internals and fairly straight forward to service yourself.

Hope you dont mind me jumping in here :spank

Pete, I remember you telling me about these rebuild kit\'s. Where do you buy yours from?

sidewaysted · February 02, 2011, 10:16:01 PM

No prob man. Yea think ill be needing to find out as well. There was a little film of oil in the air intake but not much. Its defo oil that the smoke is cause took her out again and you could see all the oil on the back bumper. Doesn\'t do it when its drove easy. Only when i\'m doing circles and the like.