puffing the blues...

[bird]

started my new/used engine this weekend(bought combo off another board member). slight trickle of blue smoke out the exhaust pipes and breathers at idle cold, large puffs when engine is being reved. gets worse as engine warms up. saw a slight oil film on the compressor side of the turbo, is this acceptable? not the pcv its blocked off. going to do a compression & leakdown test this week. hopeing its just a turbo oil seal and not the rings or the gn1s. if its the rings ill be pretty pissed! anyone share a simular experience?

 

[RobV6]

I hope I'm wrong,but sounds like the rings,though no mileage or re-build was given. Are letting oil by.

I would give a leakdown. Could be wrong But sure sounds like a bad sealing motor. And not the turbo.

In nuetral what does it do? I would do a leak down just for piece of mind.

But then, that is me. HTH'ed............

 

[Russ Merritt]

I bet it's not the rings. How many miles have you driven it? I'd drive it a bit, maybe change to a thicker oil. How does it run? I'd focus on the valve guides/seals as being the possible problem.

 

[bird]

thanks for the responses guys.motor has mostly track passes on it maybe 30-40since being rebuilt by the previous owner. ive driven it maybe 10 miles so far but have had it idleing on the driveway for a couple of hours. changed the oil to 15-50 synthetic with no change. motor is roller and was run on 10-30 synthetic before i got it. it smokes in any gear but especially in park when hitting the throttle. is a slight oil film on the compresor side of the turbo(film does not extend into the intercooler) acceptable? i was told their were no isues with this motor heads or turbo. heads were supposedly fitted with updated guides recently . i will do a compression & leak down this week.

 

[ThikStik]

Did motor sit awhile? Maybe it has stuck ring or two-driving would fix that. Although a stuck ring would be more likely on a motor recieving bad care like few oil changes.
Good luck

 

[bird]

motor sat without being started for about 3 months but i drove it for about 10 miles last night. it saw 18 pounds of boost that should have freed up any stuck rings. thanks for the response. ive got to find some time to check compression this week, its hard to find time when you have a family. im typing this with one finger while i hold my 7 month old in my left arm.

 

[RobV6]

Try that. Compression test. Then E-me or the BBoard. Someone will have an answer.

Congratulations on the new born. Life goes on.........Rob

 

[NC87GN]

I had the same symptoms you have described bird. No traces of oil anywhere in the intake track but noticed it out the exhaust when car was hot at idle. Rev the motor in park and you can follow the blue trail of smoke. Put my stock (itty bitty) turbo on and no more smoke. Sometimes you cannot tell by removing DP or the exhaust housing from the turbo to look for oil residue. It does not take alot of effort for oil to burn, from a leaky turbo seal, inside the exhaust housing.
However I did do a leak down and inspected all plugs and they showed no signs of oil contamination or ring damage anywhere. My vote is turbo seal..

Mike Banas
87GN

 

[bird]

thanks for all youre input guys, i wont have any time for any further diagnosis untill the weekend. hope youre right mike and its just the turbo seal.

 

[ThikStik]

My turbo is in for 3rd time in 1200 miles for same thing-smoke at idle. I may just buy a stock turbo to use as a trouble shooter. My cold oil press is 90psi, and the turbo builder here says it may be the problem and will be putting in a restrictor.