Engine sometimes emits excess smoke while stopped at stop sign

["Turbo-T"]

Thought I'd post this here if it's wrong please move it.

Anyways today while stopped at a stop sign just before I accelerated away, I noticed/smelled smoke....couldn't make out the color thru my tinted windows but it smelled like oil.

At the next stop sign...same exact thing.

Just before I left both stop signs I could see the smoke thru the pass side sideview window and as I sped away it puffed a bit of it as well.

However before today it has never done this. And it hasn't done it since those two times today.

Engine leaks a small amount of oil, engine was rebuilt maybe 5,000 miles ago. As mentioned this engine has never burned oil before today. And since those 2 stops it's not puffed any excess smoke since.

I'm sort of wondering if maybe this is an early sign the turbo is leaking oil inside and it's getting into the intercooler and into the engine?

I do have the valve cover breather mod so there's not oil from the valve cover into the turbo.

Any ideas?

Thanks In Advance.

 

[84gnguy]

sounds like the turbo seals to me. Mine got real bad,lots of smoke.

 

["Turbo-T"]

What causes the turbo seals to go bad? Is it an easy fix?

Also if the turbo seals went bad, wouldn't it smoke like mad all the time?

BTW I wasn't running it hard or anything before, just normally.

 

[TurboSpeed]

Do you have a oil catch can after the PCV and before the vac. block? Mine did the same thing and it was the catch can, it was full of oil. Drained it and every thing was fine. If you dont have a catch can pull your vac. lines off the vac. block and check for oil.

 

[forcefed3.8's]

Check for in and out play in the turbo.

 

[Rodney87GN]

Also if the turbo seals went bad, wouldn't it smoke like mad all the time?

No not necessarily. My old turbo would smoke only at idle fully warmed up at stoplights, but would not do it when cruising or getting on it. My guess...if the turbo seals were really bad then it would smoke all the time...yours must be in the beginning stages of the seals going bad, if that makes any sense. Pull off the downpipe first and see if theres oil residue in the exhaust housing.

 

[gidyuppp]

I took mine in for the same exact reason as stated in the first thread. I am picking it up today from a prof tune and my issue was oil residue from turbo to intercooler and some oil residue in the throttle body. All areas were cleaned and the turbo was apart and checked for issues. Turbo was fine and the tuner said no smoke at all now.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Check for in and out play in the turbo.

Thanks will do....should I check from the inlet side of the turbo, or the exhaust side or both?

 

[t-typex1]

Thanks will do....should I check from the inlet side of the turbo, or the exhaust side or both?

whichever you prefer, same shaft on either end
inlet side is easier to get to

 

[Darkcyde]

might sound simple but did you check the tranny pan? a leak would drip right onto the cross over pipe and burn. stop sign issue is just because the car is at a stop and no flow is going through. Just a guess worth a check.

ds

 

["Turbo-T"]

No I didn't check the tranny pan...but that's a good idea....because I believe the other day I did add oil to it w/o using a funnel, but I don't think i got anymore on it than the driver side header.

I'll check the turbo on the inlet side though to be safe. Thanx again.

 

[terik.m]

Check
*Rear main seal
*Oil Pan Gasket
*Front Cover gasket
*Valve Cover gasket

 

[84BuickGNYorkPA]

Probably the turbo seal as stated, if you have a spare turbo, now would be the time to put it on and see what happens, maybe a buddy close by would let you borrow there's.

Chuck

 

["Turbo-T"]

Don't have a spare turbo, and there's no TR people nearby.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Thought I'd bring back this topic. I still have a smoke issue. Except now as I have noticed, sometimes it will puff a big puff of smoke when taking off, at idle it usually puffs light blue smoke. So the light smoke show is constant and the big puff smoke show is occasional.

In fact sometimes I'll be driving along under light throttle or no throttle and as soon as I come to a stop, sometimes I'll see a gust of blue-white smoke go past me in the direction I am driving.

Under heavy acceleration, I have not noticed any smoking.

I usually do get a puff of smoke on start up.

So far I checked the turbo inlet, there's no movement in/out of the impeller.

I also pulled off the up pipe and didn't see any traces of oil, but I also spray alky so I dunno if that may have washed off any oil traces.

The valve covers do have a leak, towards the back I believe.

I know for a fact I'm getting oil coming from the Kirbans filter that replaced the stock oil filler tube, but I don't think that would be causing this issue.

I've pulled and checked my plugs, and the electrodes are the typical dry chalky looking brown.

I do not think the rear main is leaking. I've washed the engine and checked and didn't see any oil coming from the rear main. As mentioned, i did see oil coming down off the sides of the block, which I think is a valve cover gasket issue.

The tranny isn't leaking.

There is an oily reside on the metal line that connects from the vacuum block to the PCV. There's also oil residue all over the intake.

One thing I am wondering....is since only sometimes the puff of smoke is heavy and other times it's light, if this indicates a turbo seal more than it does a valve guide or a piston ring?

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Fast Farmer]

Turbo seals. My stocker did the same thing.

 

[Crazyx4]

i agree with the others, it does act like the turbo seals. had my turbo do the same thing. the oil leak will get worse and show up. mine was leaking on the exhaust side.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Are the turbo seals an easy fix? Or is it better to get a new turbo?

 

[TurboBuRick]

Sounds like pcv is sucking oil. The motor pulls the most vacuum on deceleration and idle. That would be consistent with your problem. What brand pcv are you running?

To verify, do a simple test. Disconnect the pcv and cap the vacuum line. Go for a ride.

RL

 

[pmoore4321]

Exact same issue. I had an almost new TE-60 that was leaking on the exhaust side also. You have to use a flashlight and peer into the turbo housing from the exhaust side.