Large puff of smoke and no pull from turbo

[rynaqui]

I'm going to explain this in detail so as to make sure I've given all information for you all to help me out

I've topped up the oil in my S2 today (10w50) and started the engine, let it warm and then took it out for a drive. For the first 15 minutes I let it run up to temperature before booting it, always changing before 3-4,000 rpm. I gave it WOT in second, into third and no pull at all from the turbo.

5 minutes later, I pulled again WOT in second into third and was not giving me much boost and then proceeded to produce clouds of grey smoke out the back (There was a lot for at least a minute!), I pulled to the side up ahead and the smoke started to dissipate slowly.

I decided to head back home and let it drive for a bit, if I don't give it much throttle at all but still enough to pull me along nicely, it runs fine..I gave it WOT once more in 2nd and boosted just fine to 6,500 rpm into third (no longer on WOT) and it started producing clouds of smoke a few seconds later and was a little lumpy for a few seconds then back to normal..

Advice is much appreciated, please help me out!

[newsh]

Check the oil again and tell us if it's dropped in level since this afternoon.

Have you got a boost leak test kit?

Vagcom?

ABY or 3B?

[rynaqui]

Check the oil again and tell us if it's dropped in level since this afternoon.

Have you got a boost leak test kit?

Vagcom?

ABY or 3B?

I topped up oil about 2 hours ago and took it out an hour later, I used about 3 litres of oil, it's an ABY

I will check the oil again and report back, doesn't seem like a boost leak as it seemed to boost ok in 2nd but then just all of a sudden lacks power , also driving along without booting it with about 1/4 -1/2 throttle it boosted ok it seemed. One thing to note is that my intercooler had the typical "pulley marks" on the back of it, could that be a potential cause and it's not holding pressure?

And no vagcom

[rynaqui]

Checked the oil and the level is as it was..

[Rocco]

Check your compressor wheel...

Welcome to the s2 world

[rynaqui]

Check your compressor wheel...

Welcome to the s2 world

Need it at the garage as I'm no mechanic for that

[nip]

Need it at the garage as I'm no mechanic for that

its easy, take the hose off that goes to the front of the turbo, when my comp wheel went I shot over a litre of oil through the exhaust, does the grey smoke smell of oil?

[rynaqui]

its easy, take the hose off that goes to the front of the turbo, when my comp wheel went I shot over a litre of oil through the exhaust, does the grey smoke smell of oil?

Yes it is an oily smell, I think I will try have it in the garage as soon as possible for a diagnosis, there is no smoking around the turbo so that's a good thing right?

[newsh]

Ok, so hopefully fuel smoke. I'd say very likely there's a boost leak, really you need to pressure test it. In the absence of an air line and the test kit you can at least have a look arounf the pipework for leaks, if you have the stock breather system on the car (PCV) then there will be an oily residue where it's leaking, usual suspects are the Michelin man hose, the IC O ring (opposite end of IC from Turbo) Throttle Body (TB) hose and of course that pulley mark on the back of the IC.
When it's trying to boost, do you hear and more wooshing or whistling noises than usual?

[AndyP]

I topped up oil about 2 hours ago and took it out an hour later, I used about 3 litres of oil, it's an ABY

You used 3 litres of oil just to top it up??

I only use 4.5litres for an oil change. Sounds like it's overfilled to me.

[rynaqui]

Ok, so hopefully fuel smoke. I'd say very likely there's a boost leak, really you need to pressure test it. In the absence of an air line and the test kit you can at least have a look arounf the pipework for leaks, if you have the stock breather system on the car (PCV) then there will be an oily residue where it's leaking, usual suspects are the Michelin man hose, the IC O ring (opposite end of IC from Turbo) Throttle Body (TB) hose and of course that pulley mark on the back of the IC.
When it's trying to boost, do you hear and more wooshing or whistling noises than usual?

Thanks for all the help, I have somewhere to start with

You used 3 litres of oil just to top it up??

I only use 4.5litres for an oil change. Sounds like it's overfilled to me.

It was actually around 2.5 (half of a 5 litre can). Could overfilling cause this? Oil level was very low.

[nip]

Yes it is an oily smell, I think I will try have it in the garage as soon as possible for a diagnosis, there is no smoking around the turbo so that's a good thing right?

im not too sure about the smoke around the turbo, I would say its a good sign when mine let go it smoked that bad u couldn't see anything out the mirror, it smelt for miles , if I was you take the pipe off and check the shaft.
Or as andy said you could have just overfilled it

[Monkeymagic]

There is a litre between min and max on dipstick. So unless it was at very bottom of dipstick you have put way too mufh oil in and its found. The weakest seal and blown it.

[rynaqui]

It was on the "add" part of this image

http://www.2pass.co.uk/oil.gif

Will check the dipstick level once it's cooled down..hoping I've not made a numpty of myself

[newsh]

Or it was really low on oil.

Just read the other posts while I was typing. Of course it could well be the turbo oil seals have gone. If you take the headlight out it's quite easy to get to the front of th turbo and pull the MAF to turbo hose off, then you can try wiggling the compessor wheel and see if you have any play.