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Exhaust smoke, is it the turbo?

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#1HotRod

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2004
Messages
392
Oh boy, I luv/hate this hobby.
Have been driving with rebuilt motor just 6 days now, & today notice light bluish smoke from tailpipes. Last night I was under car checking for oil leaks & located a leak what appears from the flange where the oil return tube is attached to bottom of turbo. So I thought my biggest concern is finding the right gasket. Wrong! At a light on way to work this morning I noticed light cloud of oil smoke...& prayed was from car next to me. Nope, even with the light driving it's me :( ! I recall the motor builder told me he thought the turbo may be starting to go out. I don't think the drain tube leak has anything to do with the burning oil (as it only dumps back into the block), but perhaps the turbo is expelling oil into the exhaust?
Need educated recommendations on how to test if indeed is the turbo or not.
(Hopefully I'll soon be in market for a T60, & not a rebuild). Thanks......
 
It could be. :confused: My 86 GN was recently smoking.I swapped the turbo off my other car and walla the smoke was gone.Mine seemed to smoke more so when warmed up and idleing and when I let off the throttle and coast.FWIW my smoking turbo only has about 5-6 k miles. :mad: I am currently saving $$ for a new turbo.
 
Have you checked the shaft play? I checked mine by pulling on the shaft with my fingers. HTH Jon Hanson
 
Thanks 2Nasty (I like that sign-on), that looks like what mine is doing. I just hope it's the turbo & not rings, etc. Why don't you just send me that good turbo & I'll try it out :biggrin:

Jhanson: What shaft? You speaking of the boost adjusting rod? What shaft (& where is it) you speaking of and how to "fix"...did it cure the problem?
Appreciate...
 
My 86 gn was a bad smoker. I pulled my mass airflow tube off and could move the impellar shaft up and down 3/8's of an inch. it was completely shot. if you wiggle the impellar shaft up and down that could be your problem. also, if it doesn't move up or down, you still shouldn't assume your seals are good.

I would run a compression test on it, and take it from there.
HTH
John
 
If you find..

too much shaft play in the turbo, remove the downpipe, you should find evidence of the burned oil there. If it is coming thru the intake side, you will have to clean the oil from the I/C as well.
 
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