Blown Turbo?? Whit'ish smoke

[scottsee]

I hope this is the right location for this thread. I didn't notice a "Problem" area.

I went to the track last firday and discoverd an unbelievable amount of smoke was poring out from under my muffler, and out of my tail pipe while slowing down after reaching the 1/4 mile mark. I had somone run my car down the track while i watched what was going in another car in the other lane. Every time the car shifts a little puff of smoke came out. And sure enough when my car reached the 1/4 mark and he let off the acceleratior and started to cost a HUGGGEEE cloud of smoke pored out of the exhasut side of my car. I went home from the track, everything was cool, i knew somthing was wrong but wasnt seeming to affect anything yet. Boost feilt just as good as before I went out!. I didnt have time to do anything about it untell today after work.

So on my way home from work I noticed my oil pressure was extreamly low. like 5-9psi at idle and 25psi under boost!I live only 3 miles from work so I got it off the road fairly quick. I checked the oil, and the dip stick was dry. so i put a quart of oil in, and the oil level was below the low line. Started the car up, oil pressure 25 at idle, reved it to 4k, went to 50+. Ok their. Vac stays at 10 at idle.

I did a compression check on my car. All the cylinders were at 150psi. but all the spark pulg tips were crusty brown. and their was dark brown residew in the sparkplug threads. preaty gunky shit. No oil in the LICP. No oil leaks. i park in the same spot every day at work and at home.

Also thought i'd check my turbo sence that what my original guess. I've never checked shaft play, so i dont know what i was looking for. but i spent a good 3-5 min's playing with the compressor wheel. i couldn't get my fingertips to do anything with the blades, but i could grab ahold of the shaft that comes out of the center. i could wiggle the shaft in-out-up-down about the thickness of a quarter.

If that makes sence to anyone, please respond. Thanks.

__________________

 

[jltcat]

that is a lot of play for the turbo. Also the blades should spin freely in your fingertips.

 

[scottsee]

Well. Thats what I need to know. thats the first time I've check Shaft play, I don't know whats acceptable. It does spin freely. I was watching the Shaft spin when i was playing with the fins. It wobles out of center ever so slightly. There is just so much spin you can put on a t-25 compressor. ####ing thing is to small to get you hand in there, let alone doing it while holding a flashlight in the other hand to see whats going on!

One thing I will also point out is the Radiator Fulid is Wonderfully green with no oil residew. If that helps with the Diag! Thanks for the Reply Man. Any experienced help, helps.

Scott

 

[jltcat]

its a whitish blue smoke for oil. pure white is coolant.

 

[scottsee]

Well if i'm 150psi on all 4 cylinders, and the collant is at perfect level with no oil residew. I might have to go out on a limb, but it might be oil.

If i had a better idea of how oil gets burnt in a turbo, and why it would only casue smoke durring shifts and after heavy acceleration life would be easyer. But shit, what would i need you guys for then

 

[dalatinromeo]

if there is no shaftplay or oil in there then your turbo should be fine. i would have to say it would be coolant problem, if it is a pure white color smoke.

 

[scottsee]

Wouldn't i be low?

 

[GSX4LIFE]

Doesnt sound like the turo. A blown turbo will dump smoke on boost. If your getting smoke between shifts and cruising, I would wager either your oil rings(just because you have good compression doesnt mean the oil control ring isnt frozen). Or, and especially if it smokes alot at idle, the most likely cause are the valve seals.

oh, and on a side note. Anything being burned in large quantities in the exhaust is pure white. If oil comes out the turbine seal and burns in the exhaust it is white. Coolant is always white. And a sick amount of raw fuel being dumped is white.

 

[Attack Eagle]

Well if i'm 150psi on all 4 cylinders, and the collant is at perfect level with no oil residew. I might have to go out on a limb, but it might be oil.

If i had a better idea of how oil gets burnt in a turbo, and why it would only casue smoke durring shifts and after heavy acceleration life would be easyer. But shit, what would i need you guys for then

Seals are letting oil push out under boost or the shaft slides back after boosting and dumps oil? Dunno but both my 25's did that when they died. That seems to be the typical t25 failure mode of most of my friends's 25s and 28s also.

 

[oldman]

Are both pcv and breather valve routed back to stock locations or to a catch can?

 

[scottsee]

Doesnt sound like the turo. A blown turbo will dump smoke on boost. If your getting smoke between shifts and cruising, I would wager either your oil rings(just because you have good compression doesnt mean the oil control ring isnt frozen). Or, and especially if it smokes alot at idle, the most likely cause are the valve seals.

There is no smoke at all at idle, crusing, or under acceleration. If puffs a very small amount of white smoke when i shift. The major concern is why it looks like a smoke bomb when i let off the gass after a pass on the track!!

I use a catch can for the valve that draws air from my intake so oil dosn't get shot into my turbo. I've had it for 4-5 months.

I did take off the LICP today and noticed oil resedew lining the pipe, so i took off my Dejontool UICP and also saw small amounts of oil residew. I cleaned my sidemount intercooler 5000 miles ago when i pur the UICP on. So..... Oil's getting in there some how.

 

[scottsee]

If i went under my car and took off the downpipe, would i see oil residew in the 02 housing, or would it have burnt away? Even if thats the case, shouldn't their be some reminents of burnt oil in their? What should i look for?

 

[killakev805]

That amount of shaft play you described is too much, I can not remember the exact tolerance amount, but it equals about the thickness of a sheet of paper. So I would say your turbo seals are bad. Also make sure that the engine is warmed up when you check for shaft play. You need to make sure there is oil in the turbo, if you check it when it is dry it may appear to have more shaft play then there really is.

 

[scottsee]

I did try to check for shaft play when the car was hot, but it kept burning my fingers! i suppose a pair on needle nose pliars to gip the center shaft and wiggle it would do the trick.

I took off my downpipe about 2 hours ago. I didnt see anything abnormal in the o2 housing. The o2 sensor was white, wich tells me oil hasn't been on it. and the downpipe was clean. I didn't see any oil what-so-ever. At least I spent a half hour and grounded my electric oil pressure sending unit to the fire wall so i could feel like I accomplished somthing! Damn it!

If i were burrning oil in the exhaust system wouldn't the o2 sensor be black, or have some oil on it? I dont know what else their is to check!! I guess i'll just warm the car up, then check the shaft agian. i dont know

 

[Attack Eagle]

I know it is hard to do scott, but trust me on this one. It's the turbo bleeding the oil. Get a new turbo and the problem will diappear.

 

[airmail96]

My car did the samething when my t25 blew except it was accompanied by that winding sound and the compresser blades looked like a head of lettuce after a rabbit got to it. No smoke at idle but give her gas and let off its a little puff then starts pouring out, replaced it with a S16g no more smokie.