Smoke! Smoke!

[Alistair C]

Headed back from the folk's place today - should have been a 50 minute journey.......

Twenty minutes later, we smelt burning so pulled over and popped the bonnet to be greeted by smoke coming from the engine (EM side) - right in the middle, between the head and the wastegate heat shield (either side of the main pressure pipe).

Couldn't see much in the way of an oil leak - so removed the pressure pipe. Perhaps a slight seep from the rocker gasket - but certainly not gushing.

Again, slight weeping from the front / rear but nothing significant. Let it cool for a few hours and cleaned up the area before trying again. Got another 15 minutes before smoke returned. No lack in oil pressure, no severe oil / water temps. No significant oil loss.


Are there any likely suspects around this area (perhaps lower down which I couldn't see) which could cause the smoking / leaking??

Yet AGAIN, I can't drive this so88ing car. It's really getting me down now. Added up the bills & I've spent out £3.5k already since June .....

[quattronutter]

may be a leaking turbo oil feed/return pipe...

[DJones]

Headed back from the folk's place today - should have been a 50 minute journey.......

Twenty minutes later, we smelt burning so pulled over and popped the bonnet to be greeted by smoke coming from the engine (EM side) - right in the middle, between the head and the wastegate heat shield (either side of the main pressure pipe).

Couldn't see much in the way of an oil leak - so removed the pressure pipe. Perhaps a slight seep from the rocker gasket - but certainly not gushing.

Again, slight weeping from the front / rear but nothing significant. Let it cool for a few hours and cleaned up the area before trying again. Got another 15 minutes before smoke returned. No lack in oil pressure, no severe oil / water temps. No significant oil loss.

Are there any likely suspects around this area (perhaps lower down which I couldn't see) which could cause the smoking / leaking??


Yet AGAIN, I can't drive this so88ing car. It's really getting me down now. Added up the bills & I've spent out £3.5k already since June .....

You know it will be worth it in the end........ just never know where it is

[newsh]

Maybe take the airbox out, only a 10 min job and you can run it with the MAF on the pipe and use a mirror and torch to have a look for the leak?

[newsh]

Just a thought, have a look round the front of the cam cover, when that little valve went west in my breather system the boost pressure blew the gasket out the front and the wind blew the oil round the side onto the manifold..

[Alistair C]

Just a thought, have a look round the front of the cam cover, when that little valve went west in my breather system the boost pressure blew the gasket out the front and the wind blew the oil round the side onto the manifold..

hmm - sounds plausible as the leading edge does seem to have fresher oil beneath it. I'd just have expected to see smoke from cyl 1 ex manifold and back if that were the case.......

I'll get it up on stands tomorrow and have a look at the turbo's oil feed&rtn pipes. How can I best get the oil pressure up (to squirting point!) with the car stationary?

[newsh]

hmm - sounds plausible as the leading edge does seem to have fresher oil beneath it. I'd just have expected to see smoke from cyl 1 ex manifold and back if that were the case.......

I'll get it up on stands tomorrow and have a look at the turbo's oil feed&rtn pipes. How can I best get the oil pressure up (to squirting point!) with the car stationary?

Just run the engine at tickover, pressure will be normal, or if you feel nervous about being under it running then get someone to crank it over with the ECU fuses out?

[Doug_RS2]

pull the cam hall sensor ( in front of the injector rail) and it won't fire

[Alistair C]

Well - I was hoping it was just the cam cover weeping. As such, I've replaced said gasket and that little valve in the breather system Newsh laid blame on for his own leak.

Went on a 1/2 hour drive yesterday and all seemed peachy.

So went to the supermarket today and when parking up, noticed that smell again. Popped the hood & saw a little puff of smoke again.

It got me home again without any further smoke.
So, removed airbox and all heat shields, got the car up on stilts and gave it all a good going over. There just doesn't seem to be ANYTHING leaking.?!? Had the car idling and revving for a good 35 minutes and saw no sign of a leak or smoke.

EDIT: Eventually put this incident down to burning off residue. Took the car to QSTuning for a check and they seemed content that the rocker gasket had fixed the issue as they couldn't repeat the smoking there.

[Alistair C]

And the smoke is back. Pulled up at work yesterday after a slightly delayed journey, and the smell / smoke was back for a whisp.

So the rocker cover has been done (OEM parts) and torqued down.
And the turbo pipes appear to not be at fault (They would have to squirt oil about 4" in an upward direction in order for smoke to come out from that side of the heat shield)

So is the ANYTHING I might have missed?

[quattronutter]

weeping head gasket?

[Alistair C]

weeping head gasket?

Could be I suppose - I've not looked specifically for that one. But would this still be able to get oil up onto the ex manifold?

[Greg_S]

Its also worth checking the rubber bungs on the back for the head for the cam cover and the rubber gasket for the cam cover.

Also check your turbo oil pipes arent leaking any oil

[Alistair C]

Its also worth checking the rubber bungs on the back for the head for the cam cover and the rubber gasket for the cam cover.

Also check your turbo oil pipes arent leaking any oil

yup - replaced those bungs with the head gasket & showed no signs of weep.
The turbo oil pipes seem mucky but without any indication of a leak. Certainly no fresh oil sitting on the pipes & none emerging whilst the engine is running.

Can't see me making the garage meet with this problem ongoing.......

[Greg_S]

What about the oil breather pipe for the crank case ventilation or around where the oil filter screws on