Turbo smoking at idle and breathers blowing oil
Turbo Mini Forums

Just got back from mitp pretty pissed as i couldnt run as its chucking out clouds of blue smoke at idle, i realise this is the turbo seals. Thing is ive put 3 second hand turbos on and they all work ok then they eventually start smoking at idle. Obv this time il fork some money and get a turbo rebuilt, but I spoke to turbotechnics a while ago and they said it could be not enough back pressure allowing the seal to leak or my oil return not letting the oil flow back quick enough.

Oil return looks fine to me, its only a 2" system, only thing i could think of is when i made my downpipe the opening into the downpipe is not lined up with the exhaust turbine, but in between exh turbine and the wastegate just because it fitted better.

Dont know if its just worn out turbos or something causing it?

Other problem is this time when it went the crank case is gettin presurised as the breathers are puffing oil out, could thisbe turbo related as well?

Any thoughts appreciated as got no enthusiasm to go have a look at it tonight!

smoking out the breathers tends to be pistons or piston rings

As above, smoke out the exhaust at idle can easily be turbo oil seals, oil pressure pumping oil to be burnt in the exhaust, but smoke out the breathers at idle is crankcase pressure, ie, rings or pistons.

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Just ran out to the garage to make sure my engine had'nt been stolen and sold to you. lol

Edited by Mr Joshua on 18th Aug, 2009.

Own the day

Lol, should think i have done a piston/ring as number 2 is way down on comp, will strip it later and have a look.

Would this be causing the plooming blue smoke at idle or is this still going to be the turbo as it didnt smoke at all when i was driving apart from the rbeather obv!

If the ring was letting loads of pressure blow by and the block doesnt have big breathers maybe it caused pressure on the turbo oil return? But that would have to be a lot of blow by.

When the engine is out can you show us a picture of the oil return, its possible its restricting the flow?

Well heres the reason for the breathers blowing:



Ive obv stripped the motor now dan so cnt get a pic of the return as fitted but il do one of it on the turbo:

I dont think we need any more return pictures...

Its just a guess but maybe it was leaking oil due to lack of ringland!

Bad luck.....

Are all four the same or just No 2 ???

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

just No2

Proper job well done!

I expect to find much the same when I take mine down

Edited by Mr Joshua on 18th Aug, 2009.

Own the day

Nevermind that

This car is looking chuffing fantastic!!

Let me know when your back up and runnig

Have you seen it then Nic?

oooof!

what pistons were they?

got any pics of your car?

only the pics on tmf from mitp

Is it the one that was on the side in your garage when I came over?

Yeh its that one, didnt quite make it to the mini car park and santa pod due to the smoke!

They were Omega cast 11cc

There some of it on the miniworld website too from the weekend:

http://www.miniworld.co.uk/gallery/v/photo...G_8949.jpg.html

what boost was you running ?

it was running 15psi,

Its on a dizzy had it set to max advance of 27deg, just been doing some searching and now a bit worried that was a bit high?

Any thoughts?

Edited by retroracer1380 on 19th Aug, 2009.

biit high in my opinion, 24 seems safe to me

website:- http://www.terryhunt.co.uk

It seems to me that you can just be unlucky with pistons. I have been running 12-15 psi on MG Midget pistons, with an accidental burst or two at 20 psi + and I run 28 degrees max.They are still performing,but are due for replacement this autumn as my engine too is now blowing a bit of oil and smoke about.I guess its a combination of things, including AFR,timing,boost and a heavy right foot all coming together at the wrong time, or too often.

Well i built my new motor, and fitted the same turbo and theres no smoke at idle so sumpnut must have been right where the blown ringland was pressurising through the oil return on the turbo and blowing oil past the seals into the exhaust. Thought might be handy if anyone has the same prob!