Help, white smoke at idle

stugry · 06-03-2008, 07:22 AM

I have been researching how long it takes for the smoke to stop after a TBE install and have run across numerous threads stating things such as blown turbo seals and headgaskets. I am now a little worried but hopefully for no reason.

Last week I installed a TBE(no-cat) and flashed stg2 93 AP map. I used lithium grease on the new bolts and used alot of PB blaster on the original bolts to get them off. I expected it to smoke for a couple days but it almost seems like its getting worse after a week. The car doesnt smoke at startup and will only smoke when its warmed up and left to idle at a red lights etc. Its white smoke and doesnt smell sweet or like oil(to me at least) and when I accellerate from the stop it blows a big puff out and then quits smoking untill the next stop/idle situation. Im not sure if its important or not but I have not re-installed the heat sheild and I didnt put any wrap on the downpipe. No other modifications have been made to the car and it seems to be running very strong. Is it normal to smoke for this long(1 week, ~150mi) with a new TBE or is this something I should really look into?

Thanks in advance for your help.

nhat · 06-03-2008, 08:30 AM

possibly a turbo seal.

stugry · 06-03-2008, 08:58 AM

it just seems way too coincidental to have blown a turbo seal right after installing the tbe. Unless of course the increased power blew an already weakened seal. Is this something that happens often to people that go stg 2? What is it that causes the seal to blow? I havent noticed boost creep but if I was experiencing creep would that blow it?

nhat · 06-03-2008, 09:07 AM

i think it's just an issue of time and mileage. i get a little bit of white smoke on a cold start but it goes away after the car warms up. i don't recall seeing any white smoke coming from my exhaust after a tbe install, but then again i haven't bought a brand new tbe before. it could also be extra material on the gaskets burning off.

at least it's white and not blue smoke

stugry · 06-03-2008, 09:21 AM

definitely not blue. I guess if its a turbo seal then the wife cant argue when I NEED to upgrade the turbo to fix the problem. As long as its not the engine causing the smoke then it should all end well.

stugry · 06-03-2008, 10:14 AM

nobody else has any input?

stugry · 06-17-2008, 12:23 PM

ive tried a few simple things to end the smoking but its still there. Im preparing for a turbo upgrade but before I go that route I would like to make sure thats the cause. Is there any way to test for bad turbo seals. Ive removed the DP and looked inside the turbo and took some pics but I dont really know what im looking for. I dont know how to post pics on here but it does appear that there is some oil/residue on the ousides of the fins if that is any idication of a bad turbo. Ive found various tests to rule out engine internals and that all seems to be fine which makes me more confident that it is the turbo. I just dont want to plan a turbo upgrade around a bad engine or some other issue. Im lookng for a decent local shop to get a leakdown and compression test to be even more confident if anyone knows of one near me in the N. Ky or Cincinnati area.

Thanks in advance for any input.

B4RSTiwsnc · 07-21-2008, 07:44 AM

I had a compression check done 2 months ago and everything checked out fine and leakdown was 4%. Blue smoke came out today out of the middle of nowhere when I was at idle, however nothing came out when I was driving since I had someone behind me. Then when I got to the shop again blue smoke started to come out! I thought it was the turbo seal, but the car has 62k miles protuned stg 2. Oil was changed 1.5k miles ago. PLEASE HELP! I really hope the motor is not gone since it drives fine, and the compression test checked out 2 months ago.

weasel936 · 07-21-2008, 11:32 AM

take off your bov from the tmic and see if there is oil in the intercooler. if there is take off your intercooler and clean it real good. also check your oil level perferberly letting it sit over night and checking it in the morning to make sure your not overfilled causing oil to get burned and having blue smoke. you would proberly have a light film of oil in ur intercooler but if there is alot and you ur oil level is low i would think it would be your piston rings being broke. hope this helps you out man.

Rey

B4RSTiwsnc · 07-21-2008, 12:46 PM

its the turbo going bad, no oil in the intercooler, and the oil level is fine. Turbo has shaft play and a crack over the wasteagate

06-03-2008, 07:22 AM	#1
stugry Amateur STI Driver Car: 05 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: none Location: Villa Hills, Ky Posts: 13 Join Date: Dec 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Help, white smoke at idle I have been researching how long it takes for the smoke to stop after a TBE install and have run across numerous threads stating things such as blown turbo seals and headgaskets. I am now a little worried but hopefully for no reason. Last week I installed a TBE(no-cat) and flashed stg2 93 AP map. I used lithium grease on the new bolts and used alot of PB blaster on the original bolts to get them off. I expected it to smoke for a couple days but it almost seems like its getting worse after a week. The car doesnt smoke at startup and will only smoke when its warmed up and left to idle at a red lights etc. Its white smoke and doesnt smell sweet or like oil(to me at least) and when I accellerate from the stop it blows a big puff out and then quits smoking untill the next stop/idle situation. Im not sure if its important or not but I have not re-installed the heat sheild and I didnt put any wrap on the downpipe. No other modifications have been made to the car and it seems to be running very strong. Is it normal to smoke for this long(1 week, ~150mi) with a new TBE or is this something I should really look into? Thanks in advance for your help. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad. Last edited by stugry : 06-03-2008 at 07:53 AM.

06-03-2008, 08:30 AM	#2
nhat Professional STI Driver Car: 04 sti Fav Mod: enginuity tuned Location: NoVA Posts: 417 Join Date: Aug 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Help, white smoke at idle possibly a turbo seal.

06-03-2008, 08:58 AM	#3
stugry Amateur STI Driver Car: 05 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: none Location: Villa Hills, Ky Posts: 13 Join Date: Dec 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Help, white smoke at idle it just seems way too coincidental to have blown a turbo seal right after installing the tbe. Unless of course the increased power blew an already weakened seal. Is this something that happens often to people that go stg 2? What is it that causes the seal to blow? I havent noticed boost creep but if I was experiencing creep would that blow it?

06-03-2008, 09:07 AM	#4
nhat Professional STI Driver Car: 04 sti Fav Mod: enginuity tuned Location: NoVA Posts: 417 Join Date: Aug 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Help, white smoke at idle i think it's just an issue of time and mileage. i get a little bit of white smoke on a cold start but it goes away after the car warms up. i don't recall seeing any white smoke coming from my exhaust after a tbe install, but then again i haven't bought a brand new tbe before. it could also be extra material on the gaskets burning off. at least it's white and not blue smoke

06-03-2008, 09:21 AM	#5
stugry Amateur STI Driver Car: 05 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: none Location: Villa Hills, Ky Posts: 13 Join Date: Dec 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Help, white smoke at idle definitely not blue. I guess if its a turbo seal then the wife cant argue when I NEED to upgrade the turbo to fix the problem. As long as its not the engine causing the smoke then it should all end well.

06-03-2008, 10:14 AM	#6
stugry Amateur STI Driver Car: 05 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: none Location: Villa Hills, Ky Posts: 13 Join Date: Dec 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Help, white smoke at idle nobody else has any input?

06-17-2008, 12:23 PM	#7
stugry Amateur STI Driver Car: 05 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: none Location: Villa Hills, Ky Posts: 13 Join Date: Dec 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Help, white smoke at idle ive tried a few simple things to end the smoking but its still there. Im preparing for a turbo upgrade but before I go that route I would like to make sure thats the cause. Is there any way to test for bad turbo seals. Ive removed the DP and looked inside the turbo and took some pics but I dont really know what im looking for. I dont know how to post pics on here but it does appear that there is some oil/residue on the ousides of the fins if that is any idication of a bad turbo. Ive found various tests to rule out engine internals and that all seems to be fine which makes me more confident that it is the turbo. I just dont want to plan a turbo upgrade around a bad engine or some other issue. Im lookng for a decent local shop to get a leakdown and compression test to be even more confident if anyone knows of one near me in the N. Ky or Cincinnati area. Thanks in advance for any input.

07-21-2008, 07:44 AM	#8
B4RSTiwsnc Spec C Club Car: 04 Aspen White STi Fav Mod: exhaust powered intake Location: Charlotte/Winston Salem, Posts: 1,307 Join Date: Jul 2006 Trader Rating: (6)	Re: Help, white smoke at idle I had a compression check done 2 months ago and everything checked out fine and leakdown was 4%. Blue smoke came out today out of the middle of nowhere when I was at idle, however nothing came out when I was driving since I had someone behind me. Then when I got to the shop again blue smoke started to come out! I thought it was the turbo seal, but the car has 62k miles protuned stg 2. Oil was changed 1.5k miles ago. PLEASE HELP! I really hope the motor is not gone since it drives fine, and the compression test checked out 2 months ago.

07-21-2008, 11:32 AM	#9
weasel936 Amateur STI Driver Car: 07 STI Fav Mod: Coming Soon Location: Amarillo Posts: 27 Join Date: Feb 2008 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Help, white smoke at idle take off your bov from the tmic and see if there is oil in the intercooler. if there is take off your intercooler and clean it real good. also check your oil level perferberly letting it sit over night and checking it in the morning to make sure your not overfilled causing oil to get burned and having blue smoke. you would proberly have a light film of oil in ur intercooler but if there is alot and you ur oil level is low i would think it would be your piston rings being broke. hope this helps you out man. Rey

07-21-2008, 12:46 PM	#10
B4RSTiwsnc Spec C Club Car: 04 Aspen White STi Fav Mod: exhaust powered intake Location: Charlotte/Winston Salem, Posts: 1,307 Join Date: Jul 2006 Trader Rating: (6)	Re: Help, white smoke at idle its the turbo going bad, no oil in the intercooler, and the oil level is fine. Turbo has shaft play and a crack over the wasteagate This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.