View Full Version : Turbo going out? Oil smoke question
corkscrew
08-10-2013, 01:31 PM
Just put on a circuit sports catch can last week and it everything was fine. Now right after I'm out of WOT and cruising normally I get a few seconds of oil smoke out of the exhaust. I don't see anything leaking out of the lines of the catch can. It still holds a consistent 8-9psi and doesn't break up or anything and there is no smoke at idle. Are my oil seals going in the turbo, or could it be related to the catch can?
ThatKidWithTheOnevia
08-10-2013, 01:43 PM
Drive it if black smoke comes out when the turbo kicks in then its your seals
corkscrew
08-10-2013, 01:50 PM
There's no smoke when I'm in boost but there's grey smoke that smells like oil immediately after I'm in boost for a few seconds then it goes away
ThatKidWithTheOnevia
08-10-2013, 01:53 PM
Are you drive it easy when this happen or thrashing it?
corkscrew
08-10-2013, 02:23 PM
After thrashing it and coming to a cruise it happens. For example a 1-3 pull then put it in 5th it'll puff out smoke for a few seconds. Or if I'm in 4th of 5th and build it to a few psi and let off a very small amount of smoke will come out for a second. The smoke only happens AFTER I'm hitting it and in boost, no smoke while I'm in boost or WOT
!Zar!
08-10-2013, 03:28 PM
A catch can won't cause your car to smoke.
It sounds like your turbo is on its last leg though.
corkscrew
08-10-2013, 03:34 PM
Even though its fine at idle?
fliprayzin240sx
08-10-2013, 08:15 PM
Do a compression check then check the turbo for shaft play.
ThatKidWithTheOnevia
08-10-2013, 08:44 PM
The turbo isn't boosting on idle, it should boost about 2.5k, If you can check for play
corkscrew
08-10-2013, 09:10 PM
Yeah I'm doing a compression check after the weekend. Ill check for shaft play when I get home
Croustibat
08-11-2013, 04:05 AM
Have someone follow you and tell you if you make smoke puffs when changing gears or when releasing the accelerator pedal.
If the answer is yes, then your valve seals are in need of a change.
corkscrew
08-11-2013, 09:24 AM
When I lift the gas pedal there's a big ass backfire with a big poof of smoke. I normally get small backfires because I'm running rich with a non recirc BOV on stock ECU
ThatKidWithTheOnevia
08-11-2013, 09:28 AM
Just take your turbo off and have a look at it and tell us then it would be alot easier to says what's up, I'm still leaning towards seals though
corkscrew
08-11-2013, 12:05 PM
Haha it's hot out in Florida. Ill do it later today and post back. I'm sure it's the seals though
hypergear
08-12-2013, 08:21 AM
Remove the induction pipe and have a feel of the turbo shaft. There should be around half mm of play side wise but almost none in and out. If there is an abnormal shaft play then it means the turbocharger needs overhaul.
Other wise make sure the drain pipe is not blocked, and oil catch can is not restrictive.
EccentricBro
08-14-2013, 02:30 PM
it's most likely exhaust side turbo seals going. sounds like exactly what's happening to me, although I'm on vacation in Florida atm so car is still sittin home...broke..haha check my post history I've made like 2 threads about it check out what people said in there
also, check coolant levels incase of head gasket (most likely not but double check)
corkscrew
08-24-2013, 11:24 PM
No abnormal shaft play, but the intlet elbow has some gooey oil in it (normal?) Does this mean the exhaust side seals are going bad, as stated above? I don't have any smoking other than decelerating after WOT so I highly doubt my valve seals are bad, and coolant levels are fine.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d29/abc123jason/Mobile%20Uploads/5de6b1e5-9879-4a03-bfed-8d6d3906a5b5_zpsd9025fb2.jpg?t=1377408646
mechanicalmoron
08-24-2013, 11:54 PM
It sounds like it is always dribbling oil, but when you let off WOT everything is hot so it burns when you let off and there's a bit of oil moving slowly through a hot exhaust.
Valve seals would be when, if you first let it idle a few minutes, rapidly giving it a lot of gas (like, stomp it to the floor, but RPMs don't have to race that much, a few K) creates a puff of oil-smelling smoke.
fliprayzin240sx
08-25-2013, 11:12 AM
If this is on an S13 SR, how's the line from the valvecover T hooked up to the intake tract? You said you got an oil catch can. If the T is plumbed back into the intake, oil could be coming from there. If not, then oil is coming from the turbo compressor, seals done.
corkscrew
08-25-2013, 12:40 PM
The front of the T goes to the catch can, the back of the T goes to the block. The passenger side goes directly to the catch can. Catch can has a breather on it as well
fliprayzin240sx
08-25-2013, 07:59 PM
So wait, front of your T and the PCV is routed to the same catch can?
corkscrew
08-25-2013, 08:45 PM
Just like this. Is this incorrect??
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/934/036qx.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r50/clever240sx/IMG_0219.jpg
corkscrew
08-25-2013, 08:52 PM
Those aren't my pictures but I have the same setup. There's no leaking out of my lines though
fliprayzin240sx
08-25-2013, 09:00 PM
No its not supposed to be routed like that. But if yours is routed that way, only thing that would dump oil into your piping is gonna be your turbo.
corkscrew
08-25-2013, 09:02 PM
How should I route it if that isn't right? PCV back into the intake?
hypergear
08-26-2013, 01:42 AM
Probably a restrictive catch can. Remove it and plumb the breathers back to where they came from and see if oil/smoke clears away.
corkscrew
08-26-2013, 07:19 AM
Yeah I'm going to put it back to how it was before I had the catch can and I'll post the results later on
corkscrew
08-26-2013, 09:35 AM
Ok this is my temporary catch can location until I hook up my e-fans so you guys can see how everything is routed. Where do I connect a hose back to the intake manifold?
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d29/abc123jason/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3545_zpsae2949c1.jpg?t=1377530836
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d29/abc123jason/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_8834_zps2a105a96.jpg?t=1377531074
Mikester
08-26-2013, 11:53 AM
Unless my eyes deceive me, you have an -AN fitting where your PCV valve should be; which would explain the smoke.
No bueno.
cotbu
08-26-2013, 12:30 PM
Unless my eyes deceive me, you have an -AN fitting where your PCV valve should be; which would explain the smoke.
No bueno.Nope, the inability to evacuate positive pressure explains the smoke. So even if there was a pcv valve installed with his current routing, it would still smoke at wot!
just fix it!
corkscrew
08-26-2013, 12:46 PM
Yeah I'm trying to troubleshoot before I go buy and replace my turbo and have it not being the issue. I have the original Pcv valve I just don't know where to put it into the manifold which is why I posted the pic
KiLLeR2001
08-26-2013, 12:56 PM
You have your intake manifold nipples blocked off. This is how it should route to the PCV...
http://i.imgur.com/wmnJ8gn.jpg
corkscrew
08-26-2013, 01:09 PM
edit: Shit I didn't see the 2nd nipple on the picture when I was looking at this thread on my phone. What should I do then to connect the valve cover to manifold?
rcdad123
08-26-2013, 01:19 PM
You have your intake manifold nipples blocked off. This is how it should route to the PCV...
http://i.imgur.com/wmnJ8gn.jpg
hook up the PCV valve just like what killer said. then hook up the valve cover breather to your oil catch can and put the biggest air filters that would fit on the catch can(if you dont want a recirculating blow by evacuation system). also, install the catch can lower than the valve cover. but if you want a recirculating system, hook up one of the two remaining nipple on the catch can to the turbo inlet pipe. this set up will make your turbo compressor dirty though. as for the smoke when you let off, sounds like your intake valve stem seals are worn. letting off the throttle creates high vacuum in the intake manifold after the throttle body. this high vacuum condition can suck oil past the intake valve stem seals that goes to the combustion chambers that creates excessive smoke once combusted.
corkscrew
08-27-2013, 11:58 AM
Ok so IT WAS the catch can! I'm new to the SR platform/forced induction, but not new to cars so thanks a lot everyone for answering my stupid ass questions. Now this was just a TEMPORARY setup to do a test drive.
When I had the valve cover to the circled nipple, it wouldn't even idle it would just start and bog until it died. Now, after that I plugged the nipple and kinked the PCV line it ran at WOT and idled perfect. What can I do with the PCV line so it isn't kinked with a damn zip tie? And I have a daily so I'm not driving it while its rigged together. This was for testing only
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d29/abc123jason/Mobile%20Uploads/1f106dbf-4aba-459b-9d39-6ebb1b18dc44_zps52276735.jpg?t=1377625996
vBulletin® v3.8.11, Copyright ©2000-2021, vBulletin Solutions Inc.