[Tomholius]

Hello saabers, this is my first post, and im afraid its not a nice one. My 1990 9000 turbo just started blowing out a lot of white smoke from the exhaust. It doesnt do it when i first start up, so i kinda ruled out the turbo, but once it warms up for about 5 minutes the white smoke pours out. The coolant is clean with absolutely no oil in it, the oil is also perfectly good, so I dont think its the head gasket. The oil level is going down slowly so it may be burning oil, but where and how can i fix it? Help is much apreciated, thx.

Tommy

 

[Tomholius]

Hi again, I just drove it and I realized that the thick white smoke only happens after idling for about 5 minutes, it doesnt happen when im driving at reasonably high speeds.

 

[djtaylor]

Sounds like an oil seal gone such that oil is pooling while idling and then getting burnt when at speed.

David.

 

[Marrk]

Take the intake flexible off the turbo and check for end float, there shouldn't be very much movement. This is a classic symptom of turbo oil seals passing and all you can do is replace the turbo. Check out ebay for cheap 2nd hand jobs.

 

[winddance]

White smoke is water. Blue smoke is oil. Black can be carbon or oil. I think transmission fluid on some cars comes out white - But it has a hard time getting into the combustion cycle. Since water is a bi-product of internal combustion engines it could be the weather in the cold country causing water to condense as it leaves the pipe. Has your gas mileage gone down? If that isn't it your anitfreeze must be getting lower due to a leak into the combustion chamber. It doesn't take much. Try some of the GM pellets or Bars Leak for a cheap, easy and probably permanent fix.

 

[Marrk]

White smoke is water

Go and get a red hot piece of metal, dip the tip or pour oil over it, then come back and tell me the smoke generated isn't white. Oil vapourises in the exhaust and is white and I've had enough failed turbo oil seals to have complete faith in my diagnosis....and my ability to quench hot metals in oil and spot the colour of the smoke generated.:roll:

 

[SaabKen]

Tommy - take your car to Graeme at North Shore Morrey Mazda (ex-Morrey Saab) for a lookie. He's your nearest and best (only) Saab guy over there.

Hi again, I just drove it and I realized that the thick white smoke only happens after idling for about 5 minutes, it doesnt happen when im driving at reasonably high speeds.

 

[djtaylor]

Oil vapourises in the exhaust and is white

Fun reading http://www.ainonline.com/Publications/asian/asian_04/d3_aerialp28.html

If you want to know how the Red Arrows do it:-

"The smoke trails left by the team are made by releasing diesel into the exhaust, this oxides straight away, leaving a white smoke trail. Dyes can be added to produce the different colours. The diesel is stored in the pod on the under side on the plane, origionally designed to carry a 30mm Aden cannon, it now houses 3 tanks, one 50 gallon tank of pure diesel and two 10 gallon tanks of blue and re dyed diesel. The smoke system uses 10 gallons per minute, therefore each plane can trail smoke for a total of 7 minutes."

David.