Compression Test results good, but white smoke

[Glliw]

hey guys, just completed compression test, results are:
1: 180
2: 170
3: 180
4: 180

But it smokes a good deal of white smoke when I shifted into 5th this morning and leaving school. This was after taking it to about 4k or so just getting to speed not outrageously fast, and leveling out around 55mph. What could be causing the smoking?\

Thanks, Will

 

[diablos991]

Check the turbo for shaftplay. There should be NO in-and-out play and a little side-to-side play is acceptable as long as the compressor wheel isn't touching the compressor housing.

Are you mixing coolant and oil? Check the overflow resivoir and the dipstick.
What does the smoke smell like?

 

[Glliw]

mmm didn't stick my nose in there...since I was in the car . I can check tomorrow after school though.

 

[Glliw]

I checked the shaftplay. It has practically none side to side but a lil less or right at 1mm worth in and out shaft play.

 

[fwdeclipse]

I checked the shaftplay. It has practically none side to side but a lil less or right at 1mm worth in and out shaft play.

If your having some in and out play that is bad.Is there any oil in your lower innercooler piping?

 

[Glliw]

I checked the lower intercooler piping at the lowest point and there was no oil in there.

 

[grnchevyz]

White smoke usually means coolant. Pull the throttle body elbow off...check for coolant in there, if there is, the o-ring for your FIAV is dead...it happened to me.

 

[Glliw]

Damn I hate taking that thing off . Guess I will get to that tomorrow then.

 

[crazy_quick]

valve stem seals.

 

[Old Mitsu Tech]

White is definitely coolant. You can pressure test you cooling system to see how fast it drops. If you don't have comp loss, then one of the above possiblites exist. Sometimes a cracked head can manifest a coolant leak without a compression loss. Depending on where and how bad. I'd for sure check out the other options first. Save that one for last.

Good Luck

 

[Glliw]

Yeah, I know white is coolant. How do I test the valve stem seals?

Edit:
I just went over to the local big10 tires and had them pressure test the system. The only leak they could find was a pinhole spot on the top of the radiator. Surely this wouldn't cause the exhaust to puff white smoke would it?

 

[Old Mitsu Tech]

Number 1. Valve stem seals do "NOT" cause a coolant burning situation. Period. Coolant burning can only be from head, head gasket, turbo, etc. If your compression is good, you might check your turbo first. If it passes, then you might have to pull the head and have it professionally tested in a machine shop. You cannot do the test yourself. That is unless you have a test bench in your garage. Sometimes you have to do it the hard way. While we try to give advice that helps quickly and hopefully cheaply, it cannot always be the case. Even as much as we wish it to be.

Good Luck

 

[crazy_quick]

if the valve stem seals are bad it will burn oil, and there will be white smoke coming out of your tail pipe.

how many miles does your car have?

 

[Glliw]

123k miles. But if it was burning oil through the valve stem seals, I would lose compression right? Also, I thought blue smoke was oil, is this an exception to the rule?

 

[1990talon]

Wait you said in the morning how cold was it and was you car completely warm does it do it warm?

 

[1990talon]

Also it is very hard to tell the diffarence between blue and white smoke through the mirror.

 

[AuntiesTSI]

123k miles. But if it was burning oil through the valve stem seals, I would lose compression right? Also, I thought blue smoke was oil, is this an exception to the rule?

Blue smoke is oil, and like previously stated valve stem seals will not burn white smoke. You wouldnt necessarily lose compression if it were the valve stem seals because they are basically for keeping the oil out of the combustion chamber instead of lettin it run through your guides.

 

[Dark_Horse]

Have you done a leakdown test yet?

Since the turbo is fine and the cooling system is fine too, the only other options left are cracked head, cracked block or blown head gasket.

Is there any oil in your overflow tank? Is there any coolant in your oil?

 

[Glliw]

No there is no oil in coolant or vice versa, it is not the head gasket, the compression test confirms that. There are no cracks on the block or head that I can find. It smokes almost every time shifting into 5th in the morning. It is between 50-65 degrees. It has done it when it is 85 degrees leaving school though. I was under the impression that that bit of in-out shaftplay makes the turbo a major culprit of this.

EDIT: Just to clarify, it only smokes inbetween shifts, I don't remember if i said that or not.