Blue Smoke!?!

[IainR]

I was wondering if someone can tell me what this might mean in a turbo car?

Driving up a steep hill yesterday, I nailed it at around 2000rpm until about 4300, the turbo seemed to scream & spool up beyond anything I've heard so far. "Aha!" I cried, "Is this the Fabled Overboost?" I glanced in the rearview as I up-shifted & saw a large cloud of blue smoke as I dumped the clutch!!
I don't think there was any smoke until I changed gear.

Only a couple of miles from home, I crawled her back at about 35mph in 6th, no sign of any more smoke under light acceleration.

She's going to Bahnstorm on Friday anyway, but don't know if it's a good idea to drive her (7 miles), or have her transported?

Any ideas as to what the problem is? I've never had a turbo car before.

Burning excess oil / a seal gone somewhere would be my usual guess, but worried that the turbo may be about to disintegrate or something!

I checked the engine oil (very low), which, like a complete numpty I hadn't done since I bought her last Wednesday/250 miles ago.....yes I know, I know, idiot!!

Cheers, Iain

[Jamo]

Blue smoke is likely oil, could be the cam gaskets have perished around the spark plugs.

Should be o.k to take it easy to the garage

[URSIMPO]

your brake drums are shot, and you need a new transmission.

not really, but it's a line from a Jim Carrey film The Mask.

[IainR]

"your brake drums are shot, and you need a new transmission."

Thought you were mad for a moment there!! Brake drums!?!

Nice avatar, speaking of movie quotes, "It was somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert, when....." :mischeif:

Thanks Jamo, doesn't sound too worrying!

Does my description of the turbos behaviour sound like the overboost kicking in? it was a considerable increase in volume/rpm over the usual low whine. In the heat/smoke of the moment I can't remember if the acceleration was any stronger.

Cheers, Iain

[terrybullwon]

Do you normally drive your car hard?

[IainR]

Terry,
I've only had the S2 for a week. I took it easy for the first hundred miles or so, making sure there wasn't anything dodgy going on underneath.
I've mostly had my daughter aboard over the weekend, so continued taking it easy, bar a few straightline bursts up to around 4200 rpm max.
Yesterday I was alone & decided to give her a good workout, prompted by a cretin tailgating me on the back-roads I was driving on (I hate that above all things!).
I didn't really want to go too mad 'til she'd been checked over properly, I don't usually hammer my cars unless I'm confident they can take it, & usually I keep a sharp lookout on fluid levels etc. & I don't drive like that all the time.
I can't speak for the previous owner, he'd only had her for a few months & there's minimal service history or receipts for stuff he may've done himself.
What's your train of thought?
Cheers, Iain

[prj]

I had the same.
Car ran perfect but blue smoke when changing gears at 7000 rpm.
My piston rings were seized and valve guides worn...

Turbo was fine though.

[LSG]

Blue smoke

Blue smoke could be a couple of things. It could be piston ring wear, Check this by compression testing motor throttle full open then crank untill needel stops.Then put oil down the bore,s and do test again.If compression go,s up on second test your ring,s are ok.Could be valve seal,s worn but that said you would usually see this on start up. It could be over filled oil. Have a look at some of the things i sugested. Good luck.