Dreaded Exhaust Smoke !! w/video

[Xboaty]

Just noticed the other day as I was dropping the daughter at school....smoke comes billowing out of the exhaust. Of course I freaked....thought the engine was going. Took it home and gave it the once over; called the dealership and they said to bring it in. That I'm doing next week. Took these videos this afternoon to document what it looked/smelled like. My sister-in-law said it smelled like 'carpet', or some sickly plastic smell.
Looked around on the forums and can't decide if it's the turbo seal or the PCV.

Any expert opinions? The weather during the video is mid 80's, raining. It only seems to smoke at idle, generally after 2 minutes, or a long red light. Of course I'm fearing the worst, but the car only has 22k miles, so the warranty should cover any major work that has to be completed.

View attachment smoke1.avi

View attachment smoke 3.avi

View attachment smoke 2.avi

 

[PCspeed3]

Im only getting audio on those files....I would guess its the turbo seals. What mods do you have?

 

[Xboaty]

Im only getting audio on those files....I would guess its the turbo seals. What mods do you have?

None....the car is stock.

 

[LOL WUT]

None....the car is stock.

Take it to the dealer. Easy as that.

 

[cpolly69]

my seals went bad - 29k miles only mods i had were cbe and sri

 

[Super Unique]

I am sitting on the cusp of 30k right now with zero issues. Only mod is cobb intake.

 

[SomnoSpeed3]

I have had the same exact problem and it happed when it was raining and my car had sat idleing for about 10 minutes. Actually it happened when I was dropping my son off at school too! Weird.
It only happened once but it was a ton of white, puffy smoke.

I'd love to know just WTF it is.

 

[eg6motion]

Im only getting audio on those files....I would guess its the turbo seals. What mods do you have?

try downloading divx codec

 

[bnoon]

Prior to my oil restrictor, my car looked like a bug sprayer. I'm modded with DP/RP, which makes the problem even worse, but it's your turbo seals being over-pressurized by oil. To bad you can't link to other sites, but there's TONS of discussions on the oil/smoke issue, especially those with modded exhaust.

Here's my youtube video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc4FAddRKow

Before the oil restrictor, it was a HUGE smoke cloud like from a James Bond flick or KISS concert. I'm now running a .07 size restrictor and no smoke.

 

[Speed3Rookie]

Where are you running the restrictor?

 

[Xboaty]

Well, the car has been in the shop for two days now.....looks like they have torn it apart and taken many, many pictures. After consulting with the almighty Mazda Support it seems they finally agree that the seals and/or turbo are bad and have to replace one or the other....or both.

Hopefully today I get an answer.
Hopefully soon I get my car back......

 

[bnoon]

Where are you running the restrictor?

The oil restrictor is a banjo bolt with a .07" hole to restrict the oil pressure going into the turbo. The banjo bolt is located on top of the turbo, under the heat shield.

 

[MSMS3]

Wouldn't it be better to increase the size of the return line and lower pressure that way than to restrict the flow of oil going into the turbo?

Just a thought.

I know that on other turbo sites where the "smoking turbo" issue is being explored by many other make and model cars, one of the fixes being used is to increase the flow rate of the return line - larger fittings and hose. That way you maintain full oil flow to the bearings but lower the pressure on the seals. Best of both worlds.

 

[Speed3Rookie]

Wouldn't it be better to increase the size of the return line and lower pressure that way than to restrict the flow of oil going into the turbo?

Just a thought.

I know that on other turbo sites where the "smoking turbo" issue is being explored by many other make and model cars, one of the fixes being used is to increase the flow rate of the return line - larger fittings and hose. That way you maintain full oil flow to the bearings but lower the pressure on the seals. Best of both worlds.

Hmmm...this sounds like a good. Idea.

 

[Speedkid]

Nice thanks for the idea.

 

[Xboaty]

Bad news comes in bunches......the turbo is going to be replaced. Too bad they are on backorder and I may not get my car back for 1-2 months. At least Mazda is going to give me a rental during the tortuous wait. (pissed)

 

[Nliiitend1]

Look at the bright side - You'll be putting all those miles on a car other than yours for those 1-2 months. (dunno)

 

[///M Compact]

Well, the car has been in the shop for two days now.....looks like they have torn it apart and taken many, many pictures. After consulting with the almighty Mazda Support it seems they finally agree that the seals and/or turbo are bad and have to replace one or the other....or both.

Hopefully today I get an answer.
Hopefully soon I get my car back......

My dead stock 2007 started smoking at idle at @ 25,000 miles. My dealer simply let the car idle for @3 minutes; once the car went into mosquito killer mode they shut it off and immediately ordered a new turbo. I had a loaner for a total of 3 days- but this was in October of last year.

 

[bnoon]

Wouldn't it be better to increase the size of the return line and lower pressure that way than to restrict the flow of oil going into the turbo?

Just a thought.

I know that on other turbo sites where the "smoking turbo" issue is being explored by many other make and model cars, one of the fixes being used is to increase the flow rate of the return line - larger fittings and hose. That way you maintain full oil flow to the bearings but lower the pressure on the seals. Best of both worlds.

That might work if the return line were the restriction in the system... it isn't. The return works just fine. I removed the return tube at idle for a short time and the rate of flow out the return line is less than half of what it would have to be to fill the tube, let alone pressurize the return tube. My non-scientific test was: Catch oil coming out of turbo at idle. About 1/2 a quart in 30 seconds. Poured oil out of the can through the return tube and took maybe 9-10 seconds to pour the oil through the return tube into the drip pan I use to change my oil. Not even close to flowing enough to be a restriction on the return.

The PCV doesn't pressurize the crankcase either as a couple of vendors have stated here and other boards. I proved this by removing the filler cap and the dipsitck at idle and neither pressurized. The exhaust still smoked like crazy (with stock banjo bolt and no catch can).

The sweet spot for me seems to be .065" restrictor and a Saikau catch can (with second PCV valve). Neither eliminated all of the smoke by themselves, but using both together I am smoke free. 3 days now and not a puff.

 

[absolutamente]

My speed is sitting at the dealership again right now for smoking exhaust. I have 58,000 on it now and have had the issue again for about 10,000 miles. I had my turbo replaced under warranty by the dealer last summer at around 35,000. Unfortunately the issue has come back and now they want to test the seal by adding 5w-40 oil and seeing if it smokes. Otherwise evidently Mazda is developing a new pcv valve that will bleed off more pressure from the crankcase I am told. Either way it looks like they are screwing me because they want maintanence records again and I cant find them so... Perhaps I will be trying one of the fixes proposed above. Pretty sick of this car. Broken motor mounts, smoking turbos, chipping paint disconnected rear swaybar etc. Junk.