Light Blue Smoke out Exhaust & Burning Oil

[CoRnDawg87]

Hi, I just recently purchased a 2005 SRT-4 with 75,000 miles(my first turbo car btw) and I have been having a problem with it burning about a 1/4 of a quart of oil within a tank of gas and a little bit of smoke out of the exhaust after the car has warmed up. I thought it maybe the turbo since there was a little bit of oil on the inlet side so I replaced it. Car was fine for about 3 or 4 days and all of the problems came back again. The smoke from the exhaust is not thick, kinda of like condensation but smells like oil at WOT. I have also replaced the PCV Valve. I also have a REALLY bad carbon build up problem. When I start the car it shoots out black powder mixed with water all over my garage floor. I don't know what else it could be...Any help would be much appreciated!

**EDIT**Pulled spark plug's and #4 (driver side) has a little oil on the threads. The rest have a little carbon build up on threads..

<--#4 has oil on threads

<--Other's look like this

[fixit]

probably the turbo, usually they last longer..

check cylinder compression too

do the spark plugs have oil on them?

[CoRnDawg87]

Quote: Originally Posted by fixit

probably the turbo, usually they last longer..

check cylinder compression too

do the spark plugs have oil on them?

Hope it's not the turbo again after 4 days...

Cylinder #4 plug does have oil on the threads but the rest look fine (see original post for pics) Could this be a spark plug seal problem? Causing it to smoke?

I plan on doing a compression test hopefully this afternoon when I can get my hands on a tester...What should the numbers read?

Thanks!!

[director1203]

If you have oil on the plug I would replace all plug seals along with the valve cover gasket.

Do you have a catch can and a check valve? Oil by the inlet of turbo could be oil that is being sent through air intake and/or PCV system into throttle body.

I would check those items off the list first before rushing out to find a new turbo.


Autoguide

[CoRnDawg87]

Quote: Originally Posted by director1203

If you have oil on the plug I would replace all plug seals along with the valve cover gasket.

Do you have a catch can and a check valve? Oil by the inlet of turbo could be oil that is being sent through air intake and/or PCV system into throttle body.

I would check those items off the list first before rushing out to find a new turbo.


Autoguide

I put a catch can from PCV to TB (No Check Valve YET) after this problem started the second time, hoping it would clear it up. I also put a catch can from the valve cover to the CAI. Turbo spools up fine and holds boost at 15 psi. Would bad plug seals cause the smoke I'm seeing out of the exhaust? Like I said, the smoke is not really thick at all and happens at idle every once in awhile after its been warmed up and some comes out at when I rev the engine a little.

[bignickmetro]

smoking at idle AFTER you rev it a bunch is pretty common, its an oil drain issue. you are forcing oil up into the turbo, and it can't drain out due to crankcase pressure (bad pcv) or something blocking the drain.

is your catch can catching anything?

if its smoking WHEN you rev it it could be turbo, could be rings maybe?

[CoRnDawg87]

Quote: Originally Posted by bignickmetro

smoking at idle AFTER you rev it a bunch is pretty common, its an oil drain issue. you are forcing oil up into the turbo, and it can't drain out due to crankcase pressure (bad pcv) or something blocking the drain.

is your catch can catching anything?

if its smoking WHEN you rev it it could be turbo, could be rings maybe?

Yes, the catch can has caught a little oil..

The smoking is happening WHEN I rev. It doesn't do it every time though. If I am cruising along and then punch it in 3rd or 4th gear, I get a cloud of smoke out of the exhaust or when I rev...

Also after i put a catch can from the valve cover to the CAI, there was no oil in the inlet side of the turbo.

[ValleyRacer]

1/4 quart oil consumption per tank of gas is a little high for oil burning.

Do you know what viscosity oil is in the car? Is the oil all black and thin?

The blue smoke (oil in the exhaust) can be due to leaky plug seals. What makes me more concerned about the blue smoke is potential ring damage or wear on the block near the top of the piston position or valve wear.

The black powder and water shooting out all over your garage sounds like a rich fuel condition at cold start. Shouldn't really happen actually.

When you do the compression test post up the numbers and you'll have all the gurus chiming in.

Is there oil dripping down the backside of the engine? Worn valve cover?

[CoRnDawg87]

Quote: Originally Posted by ValleyRacer

1/4 quart oil consumption per tank of gas is a little high for oil burning.

Do you know what viscosity oil is in the car? Is the oil all black and thin?

The blue smoke (oil in the exhaust) can be due to leaky plug seals. What makes me more concerned about the blue smoke is potential ring damage or wear on the block near the top of the piston position or valve wear.

The black powder and water shooting out all over your garage sounds like a rich fuel condition at cold start. Shouldn't really happen actually.

When you do the compression test post up the numbers and you'll have all the gurus chiming in.

Is there oil dripping down the backside of the engine? Worn valve cover?

The viscosity is 5w-30 (Mobil1 Synthetic). Yes, it is black and thin.

If it is indeed the piston rings and i replace them what else should be replaced at that time?

What can I do to prevent the rich fuel condition cause it is an annoyance?

There is a little oil residue on the backside of the engine nearest the timing belt cover...Just noticed that...

[ValleyRacer]

Quote: Originally Posted by CoRnDawg87

The viscosity is 5w-30 (Mobil1 Synthetic). Yes, it is black and thin.

If it is indeed the piston rings and i replace them what else should be replaced at that time?

What can I do to prevent the rich fuel condition cause it is an annoyance?

There is a little oil residue on the backside of the engine nearest the timing belt cover...Just noticed that...

If the oil is really black and thin and esp if it smells like combustion by-products (gas) - you'll want to change the oil & filter as a start. A little valve cover leak is probably not the culprit here.
The black unburned fuel/water condition is somewhat puzzling. We have to figure out how fuel is getting past the exhaust valves OR how you have a carbon build up (rich exhaust) that is in your exhaust at start up.
I say lets' wait until you have your compression or leak down stuff done.

[CoRnDawg87]

Quote: Originally Posted by ValleyRacer

If the oil is really black and thin and esp if it smells like combustion by-products (gas) - you'll want to change the oil & filter as a start. A little valve cover leak is probably not the culprit here.
The black unburned fuel/water condition is somewhat puzzling. We have to figure out how fuel is getting past the exhaust valves OR how you have a carbon build up (rich exhaust) that is in your exhaust at start up.
I say lets' wait until you have your compression or leak down stuff done.

Warmed the engine to operating temperature and ran a DRY compression test.

RESULTS

Run 1:
Cylinder 1 - 170
Cylinder 2 - 150
Cylinder 3 - 160
Cylinder 4 - 150

Run2:
Cylinder 1 - 170
Cylinder 2 - 150
Cylinder 3 - 160
Cylinder 4 - 155

[fixit]

compression looks alright.. (80# would be bad)
oil on the treads isn't what's burning..
swap the pcv valve for $10, don't think that's the issue but worth trying.

if not resolved, pull the turbo

[CoRnDawg87]

Quote: Originally Posted by fixit

compression looks alright.. (80# would be bad)
oil on the treads isn't what's burning..
swap the pcv valve for $10, don't think that's the issue but worth trying.

if not resolved, pull the turbo

I replaced the PCV Valve when I replaced the turbo about 1.5 weeks ago..I pulled the PCV off and it does rattle. If this problem is the turbo, what is causing the seals to go like this? When I replaced the original turbo, there was no oil on the manifold side and had very little side to side play, NO in and out and there was very little oil on the inlet side, enough to leak down and get a little oil residue on the diaphragm in the stock surge valve..I did notice while I was driving the car earlier, it does not smoke all the time. If I keep it in vacuum there is no smoke just when I give it enough gas to go into boost after not boosting for a little while. It also does it after I have driven the car for awhile and shut the car off for about 10 or 15 minutes, crank it back up and a small puff will come out the exhaust. It will also smoke a little when it is idling after the car has warmed up...

Thanks for all the help so far!

[ValleyRacer]

The carbon build up and black smoke has me puzzled. The compression is OK - certainly.

Are you getting near an oil change? Has the car had at least reasonable oil changes?

Did the PCV valve (by any chance) remedy the carbon blow out or rich-start condition?

Did you cycle your key for CEL codes?

We have to figure this out. Smoking exhause is so annoying. Does your locale smog test the car for registration?

[CoRnDawg87]

Quote: Originally Posted by ValleyRacer

The carbon build up and black smoke has me puzzled. The compression is OK - certainly.

Are you getting near an oil change? Has the car had at least reasonable oil changes?

Did the PCV valve (by any chance) remedy the carbon blow out or rich-start condition?

Did you cycle your key for CEL codes?

We have to figure this out. Smoking exhause is so annoying. Does your locale smog test the car for registration?

Well, for the past 2 days I haven't had any problems with the carbon as bad as I was.

Yes, I am going to be changing the oil within the next week. I'm not very sure if the original owner changed the oil regular or not.

The only code it is throwing is the p1188 code which is probably cause I haven't reset it since I had to run new vacuum lines after I changed out the turbo cause the original owner had them all screwed up. They had no vacuum lines ran to the solenoids...

No, they do not do a smog test...