meilers

The easy way to solve the mystery is to park the car over a big bed of newspaper for 12 hours. If you get any drips of coolant or coolant-laced oil (oil with a runny, watery consistency) on the paper, and the location is near the center or rear of the engine, it is the head or cam gasket. If you really want to pinpoint leaks, you have to remove the undertray (plastic black thing you curse when changing oil.)

Bad seals on the turbo would result in leaks on the right rear side of the engine compartment, obviously, but a turbo is so hot typically that the leaking fluids might burn off entirely, and it is obviously also possible for the turbo to leak internally and never drip at all.

MO REX

iTrader: (2)

Does your engine oil look and smell ok?. Does the smoke smell sweet?

My car blew whitish smoke (like the pic above) after long idles when I was running Royal Purple but after switching to Mobile 1 the smoking has stopped. Since the smoke was whiteish I was a little confused as to why I didn't smell coolant. Synthetic oil is not supposed to smoke and I think the dye in royal purple is what was causing the smoke.

When I noticed this problem I posted a question on another site and a guy named GravelRash hooked me up with a couple things to check.

cut and pasted form that thread.

I'd suggest letting it idle for, say, 15 min., then shut it down and pull the spark plugs (as soon as it's cool enough).

Yeah, I know it's a pain, but that should tell you whether it's oil or coolant, and which cylinder(s) is affected. If it's coolant you'll see either the wet coolant (and/)or the color of it on the insulator. If oil you'll see that. Of course it could be both...

If it's oil, and all cylinders show it, then pull the IC; check its outlet and the TB inlet for significant oil, and also check the turbo outlet. (You could also just pull the IC first, since it's so much easier than plugs. But even if you find oil - unless there's a whole lot of it - you won't know for sure w/o pulling the plugs.)

If the turbo/IC show significant oil the first question is, where's your oil level? If too high - and no catch can - this can promote excess oil pumped back into the intake. (Don't ask how I know this... )

The next question is, oil in the intake hose - from PCV and/or valve cover breather(s), or oil from the turbo bearing. At that point I'd say pull the PCV/breather hose(s?) off the turbo inlet hose, wrap the ends with foam and/or rag, and test. Start the car up, get it fully warm - drive it around a bit maybe, then let it idle for the 15 min. again or so. Check the foam/rag for significant oil; if yes, you'll have to address breather issues, if no then presumably turbo bearing issues.

axelthrasher

iTrader: (1)

I'm really thinking that I am having a turbo issue. The car is really feeling sluggish at about 5-6 grand RPMs... that and after boosting hard and letting it idle for a minute - 3 it starts to throw about 4 times the amount of whie/greyish smoke (that does not smell sweet) from the exhaust. It's got a built motor in the bottom end and top end and plus all the pcv valves have been eliminated and 3 breathers were installed. So... initially I was thinking cracked head/head gasklet, but now I am starting to think turbo seals. I never lose any coolent nor do I have any chocolate milk in the oil. But I am losing oil from one of the 3 breathers i know that, but it also might be burning off too. I don't thinkthe rings are shot do to it idles perfectly when I start it up, but after it's warm it starts misfiring and running like pure crap. But when it is cold and I begin accelerating it does misfire somewhat.

MO REX

iTrader: (2)

Which breather hose are you seeing oil come from and how much? What kind of oil are you using? I know the misfire might not be related but if your car is misfiring you may want to start by checking the plugs and coil packs. Are you getting a cel from the misfire?

I'm also thinking (hoping) the oil seals are going out on my turbo, just waiting to lose boost before I do anything about it. I'm going to switch back to royal purple and see how bad it smokes now (20K later).

I'm not 100% on this but I think a small leak into the cylinders (head gasket) might not be detectable when looking at the oil. I blew a head gasket on my Supra and It was obvious when I looked at the oil but I don't think that's always the case.

BTW, other than building the top and bottom what else have you done to the car?

axelthrasher

iTrader: (1)

I don't know what breather it is connected to, but it's right under the top mount IC,(sort of right between the IC and the intake manifold) and has an oil line running to it.

HKS Carbon Ti cat-back exhaust

PDE downpipe

GT spec headers

GT spec up-pipe

*Axis power racing stage 3 engine set up (with under 4,000 miles)

-2.5L sti block

-pauter rods

-cp pistons

-polished and balanced crankshaft

-ARP headstuds

Street port

Oversized valves

Exedy stage one clutch

Brand new cryo treated 1st and 2nd gear

Injen intake

Turbo XS RFL B.O.V

Turbo XS U-tec

VF-34 turbo upgrade

Perrin Fuel rail kit

550 cc injectors

Walbro 255lb fuel pump

MRT top mount intercooler

PWR radiator

As for the codes, p0301, p0302, p0303, p0304, p0244. The first 4 are all cylinder misfires, the last one is Turbo/Sup wastegate solenoid a range/performance. I boost at 22 LBS and then it cuts down to 18 and around 4-5K RPMs it sorta lays down on me. Plus it misfired badly under heavy boost.

WRX-CBR

Thanks for the info guys. Hope will all get this resolved with not to much $$$.

Looks like i'm going to have to do some good work on my car. I'll try the 12hrs rest period first (good thing I have my bike). Then I'll pull the plugs, IC and change the oil to see what I find. I'll probably send the oil to get analyzed too. I'll post pics.

MO REX- I'll switch from Royal Purple to Mobile 1 (thicker too) and see what happens.


The thing that puzzles me more is that when I press the gas it goes away.

axelthrasher

iTrader: (1)

WRX-CBR - ironically enough you and I both have the same problem it seems. And odly enough I also have a cbr (97 cbr900rr)... I also have the problem where I bring up the idle to 2 grand RPMs the smoke goes away. hmm...

MO REX

iTrader: (2)

p0244 is Wastegate control solenoid valve malfunction (high input) and I would think that could be a contributing to the misfires that you're seeing in all 4 cylinders. I'm in no way an expert on the subject and since I'm not I think you should talk to Ron or who ever tuned your car about sorting that out. I'm not saying it's their fault it could be a mechanical issue.

How close are you to Chicago? If you're close I'd get in touch with Jorge and maybe he could take a look at it http://www.projectwrx.com/ . I've heard great things about him and I plan on having him tune my car next year when he comes down to St. Louis for a dyno day at Axis. Here's a good writeup by Jorge http://www.projectwrx.com/caringforyourvehicle.pdf Check out the end of page 6 for some tips on finding mechanical problems with your car.

I must say, I'm very envious of your setup and since I have 0 experience with your setup I can't be of much help.

Was target boost set at 22lbs or is it overboosting?

MO REX

iTrader: (2)

I'm curious to see if it clears it up for you also. It won't fix the problem but if the smoke clears up you will know 100% that it's oil and not coolant.

I like the fact that RP will smoke unlike other synthetics. If I wouldn't have ran RP I would be running around with a problem that I didn't even know about.

BTW, If you pull the plugs don't forget to idle it for awhile first.

WRX-CBR

Haha, lets get this solved then.

WRX-CBR

Will do. I put a towel behind the tail pipe and I didn't get traces of anything. It was kinda moist though. No sweet smell either. It wasn't smoking like crazy though.

I think I'm noticing oil consumption.

Last night I let it run after I got home from work to see if it started to smoke and nothing after like 10 mins. I also left a light colored carpet under the car to see if anything leaked and nothing.

axelthrasher

iTrader: (1)

I also have the same thing, but a lot of oil leaking out of my damned breather. I used a paper towel over the exhaust and noticed nothing also. When I swipe my finger in the exhaust I get nothing but black soot and a **** load of it. I have a white car, and from the smoke there is either traces of black from oil or from it running rich all of the back end of my car from the exhaust.

WRX-CBR

Here what I did on saturday...

Spark Plugs

Standing in front of the car...
Driver Front



Driver Back



Passenger Front



Passenger Back



Throttle Body


Inside of intercooler Y pipe


Inside of turbo


This side (turbo side) was real dirty, I'm guessing blow by



Water reservior


And to my surprise when I was taking off the first plug I found a big *** hole on what I'm guessing to be the timing belt cover.

WRX-CBR

Everything seems normal (except the hole). I'm still getting white smoke. I changed the oil from Royal Purple 5w-10 to Mobile 1 10w-20.

Where can I get my oil analyzed?

meilers

What is that sediment in your coolant resevior, it looks like sand??