OMG smoke! *update-back together*

[turbowop]

So this morning there was a bunch of snow on the ground, so I decided to take 503 into work since I didn't need any tools today. I fire it up and head back inside to let it warm up for 5mins. Come back out and bluish white smoke is billowing out of the tailpipe and out of the downpipe flex section. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif

I check for leaking oil and find none. Take it down the street and back really quick, still billowing out like mad. FAwk. So I take the van into work.

Come home, fire up the car to pull it into the garage to figure out the problem, no smoke, nothing. Take the car down the street, no issue. Go out for a 45min drive, nothing. Drives fine, no smoke billowing, nothing. WTF?

I called Brian to see what he thought. He thinks it was a sticky valve seal, and I tend to agree with him. Weird though. Original motor with 180k on it and the head and block have never been separated. It's been pretty cold here, single digits and below zero the past two weeks almost. I drove it two nights ago and everything was fine. Hopefully it stays okay.

Looks like I may be pulling the head soon. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wtc.gif

 

[HHIVR4]

If its that cold and they are leaking already they will have a hard time sealing unless given a good heat cycle.

 

[turbowop]

They were fine all the other nights I drove the car when it was cold out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[bazeng]

Fingers crossed for ya mate.

 

[mooserage]

God I hope this is what happened to me the other day. My car was driving fine for days in 10-20degree weather. Then I got to start it in about 7degrees and it had the exact same smoking issue. I shut it off and haven't started it since. I'm hoping to do it after temps get closer to 30degrees again.
I hope mine is ok too.
Quoting turbowop:


Looks like I may be pulling the head soon. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wtc.gif


I was thinking the same thing after it happened.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[HHIVR4]

If its original head you can bet that's the failure.Not really a big deal to fix.Seals are cheap enough.Youve done it bofore right.It can be done without pulling the head.

 

[turbowop]

I knows. I've dealt with all this sh*t on my nice car, it's just something I don't feel like dealing with just as ski season is starting and the temperatures are below freezing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[mooserage]

I know what you mean, I had plans to go to the mountains during my break.

I've also never done seals /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif maybe i can recruit bawlz to help...

 

[iceman69510]

What shape is the turbo in Mark? When I first got my car, it would do that if I let it idle in place for long periods (say 5+ minutes) then drove again. I figured oil was pooling in the turbo somehow because when I drove it would stop after a few minutes. Never did it otherwise.

Never really thought about valve seals, but i guess the high vacuum at idle might have been pulling in some oil. Didn't do it while sitting though, only when I drove again.

 

[mooserage]

Yeah, I just grew a set and started it up again, it was fine. I was super cautious too. Let it warm up, drove around for a while, no sign of smoke. I think the single digit temps was doing the same thing to both of our cars. I also have an engine that has probably never been separated.

 

[turbowop]

Weird. If it makes it through the winter, I'll pull the head come spring and run it through a machine shop as well as do some general maintenance while the head is off.

Ice, the turbo is in good shape. It's a regular 16g, no shaft play or anything weird.

 

[toybreaker]

Could this be a sticking/frozen p.c.v. valve?

 

[14u2nV]

Maybe you guys are making too big a deal out of it. When it's that cold, no oil seals are going to be working 100%. Once it warms up, the oil that leaked will burn off, no harm done. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[turbowop]

It's dripping from the flex section. That's a pretty big deal, IMO.

Brian and I just started it to head up skiing, and it's pretty bad. We're taking his Montero instead.

Looks like I'll be pulling this thing apart now afterall. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

BTW, this car doesn't have a PCV anymore. I removed it and ran both vents to a catchcan.

 

[mooserage]

Quoting 14u2nV:
Maybe you guys are making too big a deal out of it. When it's that cold, no oil seals are going to be working 100%. Once it warms up, the oil that leaked will burn off, no harm done. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif


It was only a big deal when the people standing next to my car were coughing and going WTF man?! It actually looked worse than when I seafoamed my car. Now it seems ok, I don't seem to be leaking anything aat the moment.

Mark: Sorry, to hear that man /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif I hope its not too big of a deal, but I am jealous you're going skiing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hsugh.gif

 

[14u2nV]

If it's leaking out your flex, I'd vote turbo.

 

[turbowop]

Yeah, Brian and I both think it's the turbo now. Oil is f***ing pouring out the downpipe and flex section. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif Anybody got a cheapo 16g? At least this is less time consuming to fix than anything in the head. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hs.gif

 

[kitcho]

Quoting turbowop:
I knows. I've dealt with all this sh*t on my nice car, it's just something I don't feel like dealing with just as ski season is starting and the temperatures are below freezing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif



man, tell me about it. my car just recently started overheating and mixing oil and coolant just days before I planned to go snowboarding. I still have my fingers crossed that a local DSMer will help me change the HG, no luck so far though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[ekschulz]

What did you do to my car man!! That thing was BABIED for 180k and you f$%k it up in a matter of months. That's it, I want that thing back. If you can drop it off by next week we'll call it good. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Damn I miss that car. Especialy now with a foot of snow on the ground. Good luck.

 

[turbowop]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

You have no idea how much I want to go rally around in all this snow. I'm gonna dig into it tonight to diagnose the issue. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif