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Holy SMOKES!

71K views 773 replies 56 participants last post by  Ude Lose 
#1 ·
I cant figure out why my car is smoking severely. I just built the entire engine do to the fact that it was smoking.
I drove it an hour home from where I store it and all was fine up until the last ten minutes. The car started pouring smoke out of the exhaust. I dont know what to do.
The engine build information can be found here....

http://www.srtforums.com/forums/f41/ude-loses-rotm-thread-february-2012-a-619479/

Its at the point now as to where I cant even drive the car (not that I would in this state) without creating a smoke screne behind me.
My exhaust system is as follows, Lcr S3 3.5 to 3 inch O2 housing, 3 inch dp with electric cutout, stock SRT mid section, Sxt appearance package dual tip muffler.
At first I thought that there was oil trapped in the exhaust system and it was just burning off. But at the rate this smoke is coming out, I dont think that could possibly be the culprit anymore.
I have a brand new pcv valve, a catch can, and a inline check valve.
I also replaced the oil returnline gasket today.
I thought that maybe the oil seal in the turbo was bad. So i sent it out and got the 69x upgrade from Bob at F&F.
I read that the check valves occasionally go bad, so I removed that and it still smokes. Just not as bad.
I also checked the spark plugs and they were dry. #1 was a tad bit more dirty than the rest but nothing to be worried about.
I'm totally stumped as to what is making my car smoke like a freight train.

If anybody has any ideas please let me know.

..
 
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#74 ·
which kit did you get.
 
#76 ·
It was the only copper washer kit that I saw. It was $5. Ill post a pic of it tomorow.
 
#75 ·
Also i decided to do an oil change today. The oil was surprisingly dirty for only having less than 450 miles on it. I found some oil on the bottom of my car. I had no idea where it came from. So while doing the oil change I found that i couldn't get the oil filter loose. I didnt have a strap wrench or any other form of oil filter wrench with me at the time. So i unbolted the 3 10mm bolts that hold the assembly to the pan. To my surprise the assembly was loose, which may explain where all of the oil under the car came from. So i took that off and brought it into the garage and broke it down and reassembled it very tightly. I finished the oil change, put everything back together under the car. I put the turbo back in the car topped off the anti freeze and then it got dark. Ill post results of tomorrows events.
 
#77 ·
Started the car up today and its still smoking.... Ill be sending it down to Bob this week.


These are the washers.....

 
#78 ·
If I were you I would get a different turbo and slap it on. Just try and get someone to loan you one for a week or so or something. I'm sure someone has a spare sitting around with a return so its bolt in and done. That way you can tell for sure if its the turbo or not. I have had this happen to me on my first gen with a srt turbo, it was the turbo in the end. On another note it took almost 3 days of driving to work and back (30 minutes each way) to make all the smoke go away as it was stuck in the cat and muffler. Good luck and hope you get it figured out.
 
#79 · (Edited)
I dont know anyone around here with a S3 turbo sitting around. I was considering putting a stock turbo/manifold on to test it as you suggested, but the oil return line would be a problem since I had to shorten mine to fit the S3 turbine. I wish I could drive it to work and back as I also work roughly 30 mins from home, but I need to get an inspection sticker. I am not running a cat at the moment I am running a S3 manifold, 3.5 to 3 inch O2 housing, downpipe with cut out, stock mid section and a dual tip sxt appearance package muffler as scene in the pic. I think there is alot of residual oil trapped in the muffler.
Im gonna send the turbo out this week.
 
#82 ·
I just removed the band V band clamp and there was oil in it again. So ill definitely be sending it out this week.
 
#84 ·
Thanks man. Ill post up the results about the turbo once i get it back.
 
#85 · (Edited)
Found this yesterday.... Oil in the manifold.

 
#86 ·
Sent the turbo back to Bob today. I hope this solves all issues and I actually get to drive the car. :cowtongue
 
#87 ·
curious how the oil got on the outside of the exhaust housing
 
#88 ·
I was thinking the same thing... Still leads me to believe the feed line. Especially because you can see oil on the upper half inside as well, indicating that it is dripping/running down from above...

On a side note, that return line gasket looks like complete shit as well lol.
 
#89 ·
That's an oil return like gasket for a mitsu evo 3 turbo i believe. I saw somebody on here running one and got the part number off of here for it. Im gonna order an oem one today. As far as the oil feed line i got new copper washers on there. I dunni what to do
 
#91 ·
I might be beating a dead horse here but did you check the feed line itself? I understand that you got new copper washers installed, but did you inspect the actual line and banjo bolt that holds the feed line into the CHRA? If there's a hair-line crack in there it would drip oil right down the side of the CHRA and into the v-band clamp.
 
#93 ·
If it were leaking on the feed it would hit the hot manifold and smoke under the hood, not through the exhaust.. just saying
 
#97 ·
Yeah I hope when i get the turbo back everything works out.
I miss driving it
 
#98 ·
Turbo is at MAP. I'm waiting to see what Bob says.
 
#99 ·
too bad you're having so much trouble.
June 9th and 10th are coming up fast.
 
#100 ·
Data as promised:

Piston seal info:
Thickness: S3(0.0365"), OE(same)
Width: S3(0.0650"), OE(same)
Piston groove width: S3(0.0655"), OE(0.0652") -very, very slight wear compared to a new wheel, not a source of the oil consumption

Turbine piston seal bore Dia (in CHRA): S3(0.6887"), OE(0.6888")

Turbine shaft:
Major Dia (piston seal area): S3(0.6691"), OE(0.6688")
Minor Dia (journal bearing area): S3(0.6542"), OE(0.3542")
Total turbine shaft runout: 0.0001-0.0002"

Journal bearings:
Front Dia: 0.06141"
Rear Dia: 0.06141

Journal bearing bores:
Front Dia: S3(0.6165"), OE(0.6167")
Rear Dia: S3(0.6163", OE(0.6165")

Other things checked:
No signs of wear on either comp or turbine wheels, journal bearings and thrust bearings looked great with no real wear patterns, turbo still maintains its balance, CHRA shows no signs of leaking oil in our pressurized balancer

So there ya have it Richie. I don't know what else to say, but we've checked this turbo twice now, and it's perfect.... I hate to say it, but it must be something else in the system man! :eeeek:

-Bob
 
#102 ·
Thanks Bob I appreciate all your work. You went above and beyond.
i really dont know what to do next.
 
#101 · (Edited)
I skimmed through the posts and didn't see it, how many miles have you put on it from the rebuild? I hate mysterious issues like these that take forever to figure out. If you don't have many miles on it I would take it out for a long easy cruise and see if it clears up. Maybe residue???

I've only seen some of the pics but it looks like it leaks a little from the oil feed, then maybe runs down the clamps and when you take it off some oil get on the hotside opening??? Hope you get it figured out man.

Maybe put the stock turbo back on and see if the issue continues.
 
#103 ·
The build has 450 miles on it. I was thinking it was residue as well but now i am not sure.
I am open to suggestions on how to seat the oil feed line any better.
My only thought is that if I have too much oil pressure I may reinstall my oil flow moddifier to see if that does anything. I am at loss for what to do at this point.
 
#104 ·
what is your oil pressure reading while cruising around?
 
#105 ·
I believe its around 12-15 psi according to my electric autometer oil pressure gauge that i have installed in the head.
 
#107 ·
Did that already. None of the ports had significant oil coming from them.
 
#108 ·
Sorry if this has already been discussed or if you mentioned it in your build thread. yes, I am being lazy.
Have you checked the PCV system?
Is there a check valve on the PCV system other than the stock valve?
There was a thread a long while back I think from AGP about running too small of a diameter check valve on the PCV system that will cause the turbo to smoke, no matter which turbo.
I mistakenly experienced this myself. I was playing around with the catch can and tried a different setup. Lacking brains I accidentally kinked one of my PCV lines a little and it was enough to pinch off the air supply that it worked but was not enough to let the oil drain into the pan. Once the line was fixed the smoking stopped.
 
#109 ·
Hmmm interesting. I have a new pcv valve and 3/8 line going to a catch can then 3/8 going to a check valve then 3/8 going to the intake manifold. I have had it like that for quite some time. I am going to get a new piece of 3/8 line and delete the check valve and see what happens once i get the turbo back in the car.
 
#110 ·
Made some progress today. I got the turbo back from Bob and installed it today. Before i started it i decided to remove the lower intercooler pipe coupler by the ecu. Upon doing so a good amount of oil poured out. So i decided to run the car for an hour with that boost tube disconnected. I figured that if i run it with the pipe off it would burn off all the oil residue in the system. I let the car run for an hour today and alot of smoke came out.
 
#111 ·
at that point were you down any oil?
 
#112 ·
No, i'm assuming that it was the oil from the previous oil change. Basically I had smoking issues then sent the turbo to Bob, then I changed the oil while the turbo was in transit/at bob's shop. I hope that makes sense. :cowtongue

Today i'm gonna pull the car in the garage and take the intercooler pipes down and clean them out and probably the intercooler as well.
 
#113 ·
Did you use new copper crush washers for the oil & coolant fittings? Make sure threads are clean and free off dirt
Also use a new gasket for the oil return tube 2 8mm bolts, I leave it connected when installing the turbo. You will need someone underneath, to plug the hose in the block at the same time you install.
Slow and steadily don't want to damage the wheel, the tube will go in the block.... before you install the turbo inside the manifold. That's one less leak you will have to worry about.
 
#116 · (Edited)
All copper washers are new and tightened down properly. I definitley installed a brand new return line gasket.
Assembled everything and took the car for a ride, it still smokes but only when in boost.
It was a white smoke.
I took the band clamp off and there was no oil in it thank god.
 
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