Smoking

So my 03 1.8t has been smoking for about the past year, and when I went catless, it really showed up. Initially I thought it would be the turbo going bad, but in the past 5k miles, it's only used about half a quart of oil, which seems low for how much it smokes, which leads me to believe it's burning more than just oil, might be a bit of water vapor, which seems more consistent with the PCV system not working right.

Also, it seems to only smoke during idle after a while, and right when I'm taking off from a stop after it has idled a while (like it builds up during idling, and then when I take off, it lets it all out, and then is fine until the next stop).

I've seen a car with a confirmed bad turbo, and while driving, it was smoking the entire time while accelerating under load. Mine does not do it the entire time, only the initial take off.

UPDATE: Catch Can didn't help with smoking. Will be ordering a new turbo and that should solve it (I hope).

There's some more things that lead me to think it's PCV, but I don't want to make this longer than necessary.

I've got a catch can on order, and hopefully that'll help.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Smoking

[germannerd1]

Replaced turbo, still smokes but oil consumption has reduced drastically. I think it's valve stem seals now, hopefully not bent valves. I put in Mobil 1 High Mileage, it seems to have reduced the smoking, but it still does on occasion.

[mondy0016]

Could be worn exhaust valve GUIDES and SEALS. Try running it with the turbo disconnected and see if it still smokes.

[germannerd1]

@mondy0016 If it's valves and guides, explain the oil that's gathering in my intercooler? And how do you expect the car to run with the turbo "disconnected"?

[mondy0016]

My mechanic just had a case on a 1.8t engine where it had the simptoms of a worn turbo which was changed but didn't cure the smoke. He ended up taking the head off and seeing exhaust valves had too much play and therefore damaged the seals.

I'm not shure about vw's but you could probably take the turbo of, disconnect the o2 sensor and airflow an it should run in limp mode. You just need it to run in idle to let it warm up and see if t smokes. Just an idea.

[germannerd1]

@mondy0016 That could be a possibility, but the current turbo has a good amount of shaft play (in all directions) and the fact that oil is building up in my intercooler is undeniably from the turbo, so it's a matter of is it JUST my turbo, or is there more to it.

I'm hoping it's just the turbo, because from what I've seen with bad valve seals, it smokes pretty much constantly. For the most part, mine only smokes under boost.

[bentbike]

I have a 02 with a big turbo kit. Mine did exactly the same thing.Upon teardown we found every exhaust valve was slightly bent. Since I had it apart I did pistons and rods as well,but the machinist said the valves were the trouble. Best of luck.BB