Smokey WRX

[drakon]

My bros got a WRX GC8 which is pumping out blue smoke.

When he first starts it up it starts to smoke a little and then as it gets warmer it just pumps the smoke out until its running temp. Once at running temp it just pumps it out when given throttle.

Hes owned the car since March and the guy he brought it off said it had an engine job 20000K's ago (all internals etc).

Been a while since I worked in a workshop so my diagnosis skills are what they use to be.

What are some simple tricks to tell whats causing it? i.e. rings, turbo etc.

[funkytown]

might be rings,

but more than likely the heads were never looked at during the rebuild and the heads will be tired. The seats and stems might be worn and allowing some oil past.

What heads and what age(kms) are they?

tricks - a compression test after its warm would be a good start.

[WRXONP]

the simplest way i can put down what causes blue smoke and when

piston rings - will smoke on acceleration (load) - oil passing the rings into the combustion process

turbo - normally smokes on idle and deceleration

valve seals - normally leak when left idling for a period of time or decelling down a long hill (like bombays) and give it a bootfull at the bottom

this is only a general guide line to what causes smoke

has the car allways smoked or only just started smoking ?

[drakon]

thanks for the replies.

Im not too sure if they are the standard heads they have the ht leads not coil packs which points to the GC8 heads (if my memory is right)

WRXONP thats some good info and backs up what I was thinking. Definately smokes when given gas. Smokes on start up but after a while it dies down until accel pressed.

Car hasnt always smoke only started in the last month or so. He doesnt drive it much and even less now its puffing away.

[Stoffa]

I thought if turbo seals are starting to go they leak into the exhaust housing while the car is sitting so when it gets started it burns it off and smokes on start up? Or is that not the case?

[X]

strange i thought that white smokes are oil? blue is fuel??

i blew a good amount of white smoke when i blew my pistons and turbo

[drakon]

Sorry it is a whitey bluey color

Generally from my memory

blue = Oil

Black = fuel (Running rich etc)

white = water

[boon]

Yeah blue-ish = oil, think 2-stroke boat motor when you've got the choke on.

Black/grey = fuel, generally

White whispy stuff = Water

[WRXONP]

white is coolant

blue is oil

black is fuel

thick clouds of white can also be oil (blowen turbos can blow some crazy white smoke)

about the turbo oil seals - remember theres 2 oil seals YAAAHH it can leak either side - normally it will smoke on decell - when oil pressure is high (high revs) but can smoke on start up also

best thing to do is inspection

smoke on WOT is piston rings - but if it smokes on WOT and starts getting better (clearing) the more boot you give it its more than likely burning what there is to burn

[Brantang]

Hi complete novice here who happens to be the owner of this wrx.

I was under the car having a look about and noticed that there is oil coming out of the screamer pipe. We took the turbo off and there is oil in the top mount, a small amount in the pipe from the front turbine to the MAF, some oil within the turbo piping and also some in the exhaust housing. Does this sound like the seals or a much bigger problem? I'm looking at taking it to get looked at, does anyone have any recommendations for where to go in Wellington?

The last time I drove it it smoked on idle then cleared up a little but starts smoking again once I start going down the hill and consistently from then on. Boosting from second to third blows out a blinding cloud that fills the whole street and keeps the tailgaters away.

As I said I am a complete novice and know next to nothing, which I would like to change, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Stoffa]

Oil in the intercooler/intake is normal from the factory positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) setup, you can either clean it all out with a degreaser of some discription (I like using brakeclean as it completely evaporates with dry) or you can use a catch can setup,

a catch can is tricky to set up if you do it properly (inline air oil seperator) or you can plumb all 3 vents straight to the can and block off the PCV all together.

If you have an aftermarket external wastegate setup and theres oil in the screamer pipe you may have big problems, i.e oil coming out of the exhaust ports on the engine.

If you have a factory internal wastegate setup and have mistaken the downpipe (pipe bolted to the exhaust housing on the turbo that leads to the muffler) for a screamer pipe (external WG vent pipe) then you may just have a turbo with a blown seal.

[Jambun]

 Brantang said:

I'm looking at taking it to get looked at, does anyone have any recommendations for where to go in Wellington?

Rick/Ichi Ban

[Divine]

 Jambun']

[quote name='Brantang said:

I'm looking at taking it to get looked at, does anyone have any recommendations for where to go in Wellington?

/quote]

Rick/Ichi Ban

From what I hear, this guy is the business

[drakon]

 Stoffa said:

Oil in the intercooler/intake is normal from the factory positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) setup, you can either clean it all out with a degreaser of some discription (I like using brakeclean as it completely evaporates with dry) or you can use a catch can setup,

a catch can is tricky to set up if you do it properly (inline air oil seperator) or you can plumb all 3 vents straight to the can and block off the PCV all together.

If you have an aftermarket external wastegate setup and theres oil in the screamer pipe you may have big problems, i.e oil coming out of the exhaust ports on the engine.

If you have a factory internal wastegate setup and have mistaken the downpipe (pipe bolted to the exhaust housing on the turbo that leads to the muffler) for a screamer pipe (external WG vent pipe) then you may just have a turbo with a blown seal.

It's definitely a screamer pipe located off the uppipe going to the turbo.

[marc]

then as stated you have large engine problems as it cant go back towards the engine from the turbo seals so therfor will most likly be a melt down (piston) or similar. Compression test it and you know what cylinder etc but id start saving $ or looking at engine/rebuild options now

[Brantang]

 marc said:

then as stated you have large engine problems as it cant go back towards the engine from the turbo seals so therfor will most likly be a melt down (piston) or similar. Compression test it and you know what cylinder etc but id start saving $ or looking at engine/rebuild options now

Ok thanks, I guess a compression test is my next port of call. If it comes down to it I'll just get another engine and rebuild this one, will be a good learning experience .