Huge amounts of smoke

[mitsi511]

Hi all,

I think my wife has just blown up my car! As she got on the motorway yesterday she accelerated to overtake someone and she noticed a huge plume of smoke from our car. She continued along the motorway with no problems. She said the car ran very well, no noticeable difference in performance, no noise, no smoke.

When she decelerated significantly to get off the motorway the huge plumes of smoke started again and there was hesitation in the performance for a short while on the 'off ramp'. Then the performance of the car was ok but with huge plumes of smoke. It seems there was more smoke when the engine was backed off or idling.

Smoke is white. No water lost at all. Oil low. Smelly smoke/mild aroma of burning. Plugs all ok and clean.

If you start the car and leave it about 10 or so seconds the engine begins hunting. i.e trys to stall and then the ECM picks up the revs. It then trys to stall again and once again the ECM picks it up.

Any ideas????

[Saaber95er]

Start by checking all vacuum line connections; if all the fluids look good.

[MacNoob]

'01 LPT? Turbo time....

[valv]

Originally Posted by MacNoob

'01 LPT? Turbo time....

Cha-ching... Turbo time... Do it fast before she blows completely

[mitsi511]

Thanks for the advise. I had a nasty feeling it might be the turbo but was worried that the colour of the smoke was not blue. I think I'll check the vacuum pipes first before changing out the turbo.

Has anyone experienced an intercooler failing and causing the billowing smoke?

[MacNoob]

Intercooler won't cause smoke. Pull off the lower intercooler hose (under the car where it goes up to the throttle body) and see if a bunch of oil falls in your face. That's a good sign of failed turbo. Then remove the downpipe at the turbo to get access to the turbine and see if the turbine shaft has lots of play in it - both are signs of bad turbo.

[mitsi511]

Yep. You were all right. Took off the inlet pipe to the trubo, small amounts of oil. Took the exhaust down pipe off and lots of oil. Turbo is now off and the mini turbine inside is flopping about all over the place. Dead as a dodo.

I suppose its been going for a while. For the past 18 months there have been blue puffs of smoke when the car is left for a while.

Got a new one on the way.

Thankyou all

[valv]

Don't forget to take intercooler and piping off and have it cleaned. Your smoke will not clear for a while unless you do that. Mine took a good 2 days driving, then almost plugged the cat. Now you can't stand behind car when it runs, it stinks of rotten eggs like crazy.