White smoke.... Not Losing Coolant. Turbo time?

[Danaldson]

Hey everyone,

More issues with my car [headbang].

Ever since i fixed my oil consumption issue, I've been noticing a lot of white smoke out my exhaust, instead of blue.

Thinking that it was burning coolant... I've been monitoring the coolant level for the past week, and it hasn't moved at all. Does this point to my turbo?

Only 78,000 miles on my car. But, i have had a UM stage 1 tune on my car for 8 months. my k03 Peaks at 24 psi holds at 21.

[MacFady]

You might be burning some amount of coolant without noticing much of a change on the reservoir over the course of a week, depending on mileage driven, versus having a coolant "leak" if you know what I mean (hose/flange etc.). Have you had a look at your plugs at all as an indicator? What does the exhaust smell like?

[Danaldson]

You might be burning some amount of coolant without noticing much of a change on the reservoir over the course of a week, depending on mileage driven, versus having a coolant "leak" if you know what I mean (hose/flange etc.). Have you had a look at your plugs at all as an indicator? What does the exhaust smell like?

oh interesting, Well it seems like whenever i come to a stop I see a TON of white smoke pouring out the the exhaust. (friends see white smoke when i pull away aggressively too) So i thought i would have seen a decrease forsure. Fill up my tank about once a week, so that tells you how much I'm driving.

spark plugs/coilpacks were done at about 110,00kms (68,000 miles). I recently replaced my valve cover (with gasket/hardware) the coil packs looked fine, but didn't pull out the spark plugs.

Exhaust kinda just smells normal, stinky because of the test pipe.

[kocjo612]

oh interesting, Well it seems like whenever i come to a stop I see a TON of white smoke pouring out the the exhaust. (friends see white smoke when i pull away aggressively too) So i thought i would have seen a decrease forsure. Fill up my tank about once a week, so that tells you how much I'm driving.

spark plugs/coilpacks were done at about 110,00kms (68,000 miles). I recently replaced my valve cover (with gasket/hardware) the coil packs looked fine, but didn't pull out the spark plugs.

Exhaust kinda just smells normal, stinky because of the test pipe.

Every fourth tank - befour you fueling, put in 1dcl of motor oil to lubrificate the whole system. About the white smoke, maybe the DPF need to be cleaned. Start the engine, live the engine to get to the working temperature, rev it up to clean it, wait and repeat.

I had the same problem with my 2.0 tdi stage 2 (+200 hp).

You can drive it around but you never push it the whole time.

[Audibot]

Do you have a catch can? If so, double-check to make sure it's not full. Otherwise, not entirely sure except maybe PCV...

[Danaldson]

Do you have a catch can? If so, double-check to make sure it's not full. Otherwise, not entirely sure except maybe PCV...

I dont have a catch can, something that i do want to pickup eventually though. Pcv was just replaced a month ago so that should be fine. breather and diverter valve was done too.

[mtroxel]

Just about has to be coolant. Fuel and oil don't make white smoke. That leaves coolant from somewhere....

[Danaldson]

Every fourth tank - befour you fueling, put in 1dcl of motor oil to lubrificate the whole system. About the white smoke, maybe the DPF need to be cleaned. Start the engine, live the engine to get to the working temperature, rev it up to clean it, wait and repeat.

I had the same problem with my 2.0 tdi stage 2 (+200 hp).

You can drive it around but you never push it the whole time.

thats what i thought too.... But there has been plenty of white smoke for a week, and coolant level hasn't moved. i would think that at least some would have had to been lost.

[KJack]

Before spending money on a new turbo, check the underside of your valve cover for cracks. My car was releasing huge plumes of white/gray smoke during aggressive take offs. It would make a bit of a rattle too as the smoke came out. Turns out that a crack in the valve cover was sending oil into my turbo intake and causing the problem. Replaced the cover and it's been fine ever since.

[Danaldson]

Before spending money on a new turbo, check the underside of your valve cover for cracks. My car was releasing huge plumes of white/gray smoke during aggressive take offs. It would make a bit of a rattle too as the smoke came out. Turns out that a crack in the valve cover was sending oil into my turbo intake and causing the problem. Replaced the cover and it's been fine ever since.

lol i literally just went through the same thing. I have a brand new valve cover on. IM not sure how this would be causing white smoke though? mine was blue smoke before i replaced the valve cover.

burnt oil shows blue smoke, not white.

[KJack]

lol i literally just went through the same thing. I have a brand new valve cover on. IM not sure how this would be causing white smoke though? mine was blue smoke before i replaced the valve cover.

Well, shoot. Since you already tried that I guess I'm out of ideas. Lol.

[thenofjboy]

How long has it been smoking again.....

Check to make sure the VC bolts are tight enough.

[ajdre]

I had the same issue with the smoke and oil consumption. After I replaced the valve cover and pcv valve I also had to drain and clean the intercoolers and piping from all the oil that was dumped in there. Pulled almost a quart out. The oil was sitting there and while driving under boost some oil would suck up into the intake and blast smoke out the tail pipe. I was freaking out until I figured it out. Pain in the ass but now there's no smoke!

[Danaldson]

Okay so update on this. White smoke is still billowing out of the exhaust on what seems like random instances. Oil still burning, coolant levels are fine.

I just did a compression test tonight (although we forgot to push the throttle down while doing this) so we're gonna do it again on the weekend.

Regardless, numbers were:

158, 139.5, 149.5, 149.5

When we pulled the spark plugs out, plug #3 was completely covered in oil. (This picture is after drying it with a rag.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160602/bbbb17631a864e81fe05be61017a1b0f.jpg

I'm not sure exactly sure what these numbers mean, but a friend told me it's not looking good and probly means bottom end work...



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[Okedokey]

means something is making the plug run too hot. Check for problems in your engine's cooling, a lean fuel mixture or incorrect ignition timing

[dalmation53]

OP i'm not quite sure but from the pictures it looks like you need new plugs asap. The gap seems a little high looks like it's gapped at 0.40. And oil in the plugs something with your installation of the VC went wrong.

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[malathion]

Regardless, numbers were:

158, 139.5, 149.5, 149.5



Might just be me but those numbers seem really low, I did compression a few days ago and got 180 175 170 180 and my engine has 215k. I did however do it with WOT, gas pedal fully depressed.

I wonder if you'll get higher numbers doing the same ?

[Sanjman]

Oil on plugs means your valve cover gasket is leaking. First thing first replace that then do a pressure/smoke test from the intake to find any leaks. Verify your PCV is in working order...

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[mtroxel]

Might just be me but those numbers seem really low, I did compression a few days ago and got 180 175 170 180 and my engine has 215k.

Yea those are pretty low. Bentley says 11 bar (159 psi) is the low end. WOT should bring them up some.....

[Danaldson]

Okay. So I'm going to replace the plugs and have them gapped properly to .028. I'm also going to pull off the valve cover to check the gasket, and to check if the new vc has broken...

My pcv is working fine.


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[Theiceman]

also check your lower intercooler pipes for oil ,, I did not see it mentioned here. if they have not been drained in a while then you may be picking up oil here and burning it.

[Danaldson]

also check your lower intercooler pipes for oil ,, I did not see it mentioned here. if they have not been drained in a while then you may be picking up oil here and burning it.

Sorry I've been posting in a few different threads, but Im now going keep all my info in this thread.

I checked my passenger intercooler and pipe last weekend, but here was not much in there. only a bit of residue on the piping, but a small pool in the intercooler:

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160602/5a270078e6a24c901871038544c4a14f.jpg

[KJack]

I checked my passenger intercooler and pipe last weekend, but here was not much in there. only a bit of residue on the piping, but a small pool in the intercooler:

Be sure to check the driver's side intercooler pipe as well. That's where about a half quart of oil collected in my car.

[Danaldson]

Be sure to check the driver's side intercooler pipe as well. That's where about a half quart of oil collected in my car.

Will do forsure. Just didn't have time to check both... something came up and had to get the car off the jacks.

[Danaldson]

Much more oil in the drivers side intercooler.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7379/26953988464_4b780c4868_b.jpg
https://c8.staticflickr.com/8/7422/27563781375_82b17aee83_b.jpg

PLugs have been replaced on sunday, car drove a bit better but I'm still throwing out white/blue smoke out the back. Going to pull the new plugs on the weekend and take a look at them, then re do the compression test.

Can anyone tell me the proper way to do the compression test? when we did it last week we did it dry without touching the throttle. Ive been told by some people to make sure we have the throttle all the way down and also put a little bit of oil in the cylinders. (last weeks numbers were: 158, 139.5, 149.5, 149.5)

[miA4]

you definitely want to have the throttle pressed when doing the test. I've never heard of putting oil in the cylinders though...

[Danaldson]

you definitely want to have the throttle pressed when doing the test. I've never heard of putting oil in the cylinders though...

some people told me to have a bit of oil in there to lube the cylinders apparently? I will just do it dry again. Will doing the test with the throttle down give me significantly different numbers?

[miA4]

Everytime I've done it, I've done it with the gas pedal pressed. I've never done it without it being pressed. Seeing as your numbers were low last time, but you didn't have the gas pedal pressed, let's see how the numbers differ..

[Danaldson]

Everytime I've done it, I've done it with the gas pedal pressed. I've never done it without it being pressed. Seeing as your numbers were low last time, but you didn't have the gas pedal pressed, let's see how the numbers differ..

yeah thats another reason why were re doing the test. Im praying the numbers look much better....

[mtroxel]

When the throttle's closed, it's hard for the pistons to draw air into the cylinders and make good compression.

[Danaldson]

When the throttle's closed, it's hard for the pistons to draw air into the cylinders and make good compression.
hmm okay thats good to know. Ill give it another try and hope for much higher numbers.

[Danaldson]

Okay so the compression test has been done again. But with the throttle open.

178, 180, 178, 175

Numbers are much higher this time and more consistent.

This is what the new plugs look like after a week of driving:
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160612/7b2cec9c3a83a957617cf76a31153004.jpg


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[Okedokey]

Are you still having the problem? Again, look at the temps, that white stuff before is consistent with lean fuel.

[Danaldson]

Are you still having the problem? Again, look at the temps, that white stuff before is consistent with lean fuel.

Yeah im still burning lots of oil. Yeah the white on the plugs don't look great...


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[mtroxel]

I don’t think the oil in your intercooler is out of line. I dump a little out of my driver side intercooler at every oil change. If you’ve never checked yours before, it stands to reason there would be that much in there.

I read the whole thread again from the start. You say your coolant isn’t dropping. But I fixed a BMW 4.4 liter V8 once and that motor has a well known issue with it’s oil separator. Same symptom and I saw it. White smoke at start up and on WOT. Looks like a coolant smoke but it’s oil. Lots of guys swap out the oil separator (it’s on the back of that motor) and the symptom goes away.

The VC has an oil separator in it, and I know you put a new one in. Was it new new, or a new used one? Regardless, at this point you can’t assume that a new part is working perfectly. It happens. And there are a few guys here with pretty good experience with this motor who are talking VC.


And oil in the plugs something with your installation of the VC went wrong.


Verify your PCV is in working order...

I’m not sure what to say about those plugs. Could be lean looking,

Just trying to provide some perspective. I know when I get deep into a problem I can get tunnel vision and need to step back and work it all over again from the start.

[Danaldson]

Thanks info.

The valve cover is new new. But who knows it could be broken. Ill try to pull it off today and take a look.

I've replaced everything in the pcv system except the primary oil separator. Maybe that's what's to replace next


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[mtroxel]

I've replaced everything in the pcv system except the primary oil separator. Maybe that's what's to replace next

Yea there's one behind the oil cooler. Is that right? I've seen it on a drawing of that motor but don't see it in Bentley.

On the Bimmers I've seen, it's a diaphragm that's torn so it should be obvious once you get there. But if you need the car tomorrow, you'd sure hate to get in there without having a new one sitting right beside you.

[Danaldson]

I think it's apart of the oil filter housing? I could be wrong


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[mtroxel]

Yea here’s the drawing I was thinking of.

http://www.bimmerboost.com/images/imported/2011/01/979.jpg

Found it in Bentley…..I think. They call it an oil baffle in the oil filter housing. It’s #13 in this drawing.

http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w473/mtroxel1/OilFilterHousing_zpsxrb7x73m.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/mtroxel1/media/OilFilterHousing_zpsxrb7x73m.jpg.html)

And here’s their only other note on it.

http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w473/mtroxel1/OilBaffle_zpsefr9tyfj.jpg (http://s1077.photobucket.com/user/mtroxel1/media/OilBaffle_zpsefr9tyfj.jpg.html)

[Danaldson]

hmm ok, Ive had a few people tel me its most likely not the oil separator, but the turbo. So its time to look at going K04. . Im going to pull the new OEM valve cover off today and take a look at it. It could be cracked like my old one.

[A4B6scott]

Hi, was this problem resolved?