2002 1.8T smoking white

[QuattroAlex]

Hello all!

I bought a used Audi this week and I have a little problem that has got me scratching my head. It all started when I checked the oil. I pulled the dipstick: nothing! I also noticed that the dipstick funnel was broken (a common issue I learned) so I replaced the funnel with a brand new one and added oil until it was at the full mark (about 1.5 liters). 10 seconds after I started driving away, I looked in the mirror. There was a cloud of white smoke with a blueish tint so thick I could not tell if there was a car behind me. I pulled in a parking lot and let it idle while I checked to see if the oil pressure light would come on while I revved the engine. It smoked for about 5 minutes until I drove away where it smoked some more until it stopped smoking completely. Once I was home, the rear bumper was coated in engine oil and the tail pipes were dripping oil. I looked at the oil level again: barely any oil on the tip of the dipstick.

I had to travel this week and I did no less than 300 km without a trace of smoke until the low oil level light came on. I added 1 liter of oil and once again, the smoke cloud appeared but not as long as before.

I had some time to work on it this weekend and the first thing I did was remove the charge pipe going to the intake manifold. The throttle body and pipe were dripping in oil. This led me to believe that oil is entering the manifold and going through the engine. A little more searching and the PCV system was the next place I looked. What I thought was happening was that a check valve was blocked and that the engine crank case was under vacuum all the time and was pulling oil into the manifold.

2 hoses were also cut but I decided to remove the entire system for my testing. The rubber ''Y'' that is connected to the valve cover is completely removed and venting to atmosphere. I then removed the plastic pipe that is held in place by a clip and connected to the engine block. The plastic piece is also broken and will need to be replaced. The block and cylinder head are now venting to atmosphere. I added oil until the level on the dipstick was at the full mark and sure enough, the infamous white cloud was back. When it stopped smoking, barely a drop of oil on the dipstick.

Somehow, a lot of oil is enterring either the intake manifold or exhaust system and I have no idea how.

Here is what I think it is not:

-engine coolant: this is obviously oil. I know coolant burns white and oil burns blue but if oil is dumped directly into the exhaust, it does not burn and smokes white. The smoke smeels like burned oil too.

-head gasket: the car idles perfectly at 900 rpm. It would not if the head gasket was bad.

-turbo seals: the turbo was replaced by a brand new OEM turbo 6 months ago. Also, if the seals were bad, shouldn't it smoke all the time?

-pistons and rings: why would it only smoke when the oil level is at the high mark?

-valve seals: it should smoke all the time and the amount of oil that goes through bad valve seals is not enough to make a cloud of smoke like it does.

-SAI system: the hose that goes to the pump and is connected to the valve cover is disconnected so no oil can go through there.

Could this have something to do with the EGR valve? I know there is a vacuum line that goes from the valve and is connected to the intake manifold. Could it be sucking oil through there or could oil be dumped right in the exhaust when the level is high?

Somehow the car smokes but only when the oil level is at the maximum.

Any ideas are welcome.

[dunzo]

Whatever the issue may be with the dipstick and oil light, ultimately you are overfilling the engine oil. When you overfill the pressure will force the oil out of the gaskets and it will leak into the exhaust manifold, causing a plume of blue/white smoke out of the exhaust. My guess is when you got it, it was already at correct levels but the dipstick is giving you a false reading. You then attempted to compensate and overfilled it, and have been doing so ever since.

So stop filling it with oil, it's full. You have an issue with the dipstick and the same issue is likely causing a false read on the oil light. I'd focus your attention on that.

[QuattroAlex]

When you overfill the pressure will force the oil out of the gaskets and it will leak into the exhaust manifold

What gaskets are you talking about? The exhaust manifold gaskets seal no oil passasge. Also, there should be no extra pressure in the block even when over filled because the engine is venting to atmosphere. The actual oil pressure is regulated the same way regarless of oil level.

My guess is when you got it, it was already at correct levels but the dipstick is giving you a false reading. You then attempted to compensate and overfilled it, and have been doing so ever since.

I forgot to mention that I replaced the dipstick funnel and the dipstick itself, as the hook on the end where you pull was broken too. The dipstick funnel is also clipped in all the way so I do not believe it is giving me a lower reading. The old and new dipstick are the same length.

[dunzo]

Yes, oil can definitely leak into the exhaust manifold when overfilled, it may also be simply leaking into the combustion chamber. You are burning oil out of the exhaust, that's the only explanation for blue smoke. Burning oil = blue smoke. So the only two possibilities in my mind is a false read from the dipstick or you have a major oil pressure issue, which could be due to sludge (something these cars are notorious for). Either way, stop filling it because you can destroy your cat, cause serious engine damage or it can even start a fire.

[seanf86]

a little bit of oil in the charge pipes are normal. when you say brand new oem turbo you mean another k03 made by borg warner and bought from audi or is it a chinese replacement. My turbo seal on the exhaust side is starting to go, it only starts smoking after idling for 30seconds or more and goes away when I get on the gas. If you are indeed burning off oil from over filling I would say it wouldnt start until high rpm operation, I'd look into the turbo, see if you can find a bore scope and pull the front 02 sensor and see if theres a line of oil running down from the exhaust wheel in the exhaust housing.

[QuattroAlex]

when you say brand new oem turbo you mean another k03 made by borg warner and bought from audi or is it a chinese replacement.

Brand new KO3 from Audi replaced by the previous owner (I saw the receipt, it was purchased and replaced at an Audi dealer)

My turbo seal on the exhaust side is starting to go, it only starts smoking after idling for 30seconds or more and goes away when I get on the gas.

This is why I doubt it is the turbo.

If you are indeed burning off oil from over filling I would say it wouldnt start until high rpm operation,

Even if it was overfilled, how could the extra oil be burned off? It can't just appear in the exhaust manifold. It's as if instead of putting the oil in the engine, I was dumping it directly in the intake/exhaust manifold. The smoke is that thick.

I'd look into the turbo, see if you can find a bore scope and pull the front 02 sensor and see if theres a line of oil running down from the exhaust wheel in the exhaust housing.

If the oil is not leaking from the turbo, the wheel/compressor housing would be filled with oil anyways as the oil would coat them while going through. I'm thinking the only way to make sure it is not the turbo is to fill it up with oil again and run the engine after having completely removed the turbo.

[seanf86]

Maybe try pulling the breather elbow off the oil filter housing while its running and see if oil comes overflowing out there

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

[QuattroAlex]

Maybe try pulling the breather elbow off the oil filter housing while its running and see if oil comes overflowing out there

As explained in my first post, that hose and elbow are now completely removed. No oil comes out of it while the engine is running, only fumes.

[QuattroAlex]

The issue has been found. The turbocharger will need to be replaced. The oil seals have been bad in it for a long time but it was only smoking when the oil level was at maximum.

[QuattroAlex]

Yes, oil can definitely leak into the exhaust manifold when overfilled, it may also be simply leaking into the combustion chamber.

You have no idea what you are talking about.

[dunzo]

gfy buddy

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

[Quattro kev]

You have no idea what you are talking about.

LOL you took the words right out of my mouth..

[Mister]

I'm having this exact same issue right now, minus the dipstick. When I'm at max oil I'm burning it out the tail like crazy at higher rpms. Like literally I have oil in my tailpipe. Sitting idle and low boost I get nothing. Anyway there goes my cat, plugs and so forth. And it's way too cold out to do anything about it. #audiproblems

[jacobsen]

I just recently had my turbo poo oil into my intake too with a giant smoke screen behind me. I emptied a quart of oil out of my intake piping. Car is running like hell, no power and it sounds like duh duh duh duh duh instead of smooth. I've also got an oil leak from the base of the dipstick tube where it connects to the block. I assume that is from too much crank case pressure? I'm missing the intake cam cover so perhaps that has something to do with it since it might be spraying more oil into the pcv than normal. The PCV was full of oil as well. I've also got a leaking intake came seal.

[Nickcortinaa]

I'm having a similar problem except I accidently overfilled my oil and now it smokes (white blueish) smoke out the tail pipe on startup and runs fine and hits boost well but smokes like crazy while boosting. So safe to say it's the turbo seals? Turbo was red hot also, I never noticed that it got that hot before so I'm thinking it's from the overfill and the seals went. Can someone help?