O/T BUGGER. Opinions please lads?
Turbo Mini Forums

So my Audi has suddenly decided it would be amusing to start throwing large clouds of blue smoke out behind it.
Fecking thing.

It has never done it before, always previously clean as a whistle according to anyone who had been behind me.

All of a sudden it has started doing it, so this makes me think it is unlikely to be something that has worn over time (e.g. valve guides etc)

It only does it when warm, and only if you drive below 2000rpm. It started doing it the other day, I had to drive it back home last night, in the roadworks at 50mph it was emitting a smokescreen at random times, e.g not all the time, all of a sudden it will launch out a load of shite (can see in rear view mirror)
However sitting at 80mph after the roadworks it is clean as a whistle.

It goes as well as it ever does, no different whistling noises etc, and did 44mpg average on the journey.

Its a a4 2.5 TDI, its got a variable vane turbo on it, personally I am thinking its the turbo has shit itself, I had the duct from intercooler to inlet manifold off last night and there is quite a bit of oil in there. Its just making me wonder because of the way it is smoking at certain times e.g. low revs.

Any thoughts from you chaps as always is appreciated, plus anywhere half decent to get a replacement from also..... :(

i know very little about diesels, but there is a vag tdi web site that is pretty good for this sort of thing. www.tdiclub.com i think, could be worth a punt.

I'm sure i read somewhere that they suffer from blocked breathers (this was for the 1.9 though) which in turn fills the inlet with shite. I reckon, replace the breather, flush out the intercooler and clean the pipes and see how you get on.

Hi,
They've always got lots of oil in there as the breather is right in front of the turbo intake.
I'd put my money on a timing / fuel (electrical) problem if it's "switching" on and off.
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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Sounds like the start of trubo failure to me :(

AlexF

I my memory serves me right these engines are fitted with an exhaust gas recirculation valve. (for emission reasons....)

If this valve is not operating correctly i think it could cause the problem you describe. Do a search on one of the vw/volvo (old v70 uses the same engine) sites. There is a lot of info on these valves, especially since people are blocking of this valve to get rid of the blue smoke when accelerating hard and gain a few hp

EGR problems will give you black smoke - not blue smoke.

Alex

AlexF

hmm, guess you're right.. sorry tom :$

then, what's left as a cause for intermittent blue smoke that suddenly appeared?

maybe too much diesel from time to time (injectors worn, engine management system, fuel pressure?)

check the breathers are ok tom
then
i would go to the breakers for a new blower buddy :(:(

I couple of thoughts I have are, Blocked breathers maybe??

The other and he I've experience with this.

Believe it or not try some injector cleaner. I had major bluey smoke problems with my cav. it turned out to be, I think blocked injectors.

I put some cleaner in and thrashed it around for a while, slowly the smoke got less and less until it stopped.

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Hi,
I've seen a few of these turbos knackered, but it was the vanes that siezed, never seen a smokey one...
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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i recon the blower is on its way out, my mini has went through 2 turbo's and both suffereed similar symptoms, if pootling along slowly or idling i got smoke, lots of it. if i got the rev's up or generated any bost atall i didnt get any smoke. on stripdown both had suffered failures on the turbine bearing. still produced great power and drove well at the time too.

turbo 16v k-series 11.9@118.9 :)

Denis O'Brien.

Hundreds have blown on BMWs - and it usually starts with blue smoke.

Blue smoke is burning oil - so its unlike to be a fuel injection problem, that would make black or white smoke.

alex

AlexF

Thanks for all the thoughts chaps. I will definately check the breathers, I think the V6 TDi's are known for breather problems.
However the way it has come on suddenly points me in the direction of something that has failed rather than something that has worn out over time.
I'm going to do some more investigation tomorrow and see what I can find.......

keep us posted tom

Well it is sorted *I think* for the grand sum of £40.....

Finally got around to a proper investigation yesterday, first off took all the boost pipes off (and let me tell you there are a lot, the damm thing has 2 yes 2 intercoolers, plumbed in series.....!
Anyway turbo pipes were not bad at all, the inlet pipe to the turbo where the breather pipe Tee'd in was virtually clean, a small and I mean small amount of oily vapoury marks, not bad for 150k miles. Anywayn checked the turbo shaft with the DTI that was worn but within limits, took the downpipe off, no signs of oil in the turbine housing that side, and the vanes were all nice and free.

Put that little lot back, there is a breather outlet in the centre of the "V", pulled the hose off this, with the engine running there was next to fuck all coming out of here, no fumes nowt really. For some reason I then decided to have a look in the oil filler cap, well bugger me, it was like taking the cap off a bottle of pop! MEGA pressure under the cap....
Oh shit thinks me, rings etc gone....bugger.

Anyway came in the house to think about it, had a search on net and found a post on an Audi forum with the exact same symptoms, turns out that in the middle of the V there is a replaceable breather filter, that blocks up and can cause problems. Then had a look on my Audi workshop DVD, turns out that on the V6 TDI's the crankcase pressure should be checked every 40k or if oil leaks occur (I have lots of oil leaks, worse than a bloody mini).
The Audi workshop guide (Official Audi, ripped off version off ebay!) says that if crankcase pressure is above 5mbar then replace the breather filter. Well you can burp more than 5mbar, so ordered the filter kit. Fitted it this morning, and now rather than pressure being forced out of the oil filler cap, it is actually pulling the cap on, so the vacuum breather system is working a treat! I've had it up the road and it now also goes better than ever, assumedly due to less pumping losses perhaps?
So fingers crossed, I'll see how it goes....:)

Good work Tom. The internet is such a great tool when problem solving.

job sorted tom goodun!

Hi,
Lot cheaper than £1K for a new turbo!
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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£690 was the price I got but £40 for a breather filter was FAR better LOL!

just out of interest tom, how well do these v6 diesels go? im concidering getting one myself. What sort of mpg from normal driving?

I've seen the future and tbh its Pie

great stuff

AlexF

careful with those rpms tom, you dont want to throw a rod through the block...

I know, you really feel like you are caning it at the heady heights of 4000rpm......

cheers for the reply tom, im seriously concidering getting one. Food for thought....

I've seen the future and tbh its Pie