Calling all MS3 Owners with smoking Turbos...

[AutoXRacer]

Hey guys,

On this thread: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123691100 a discussion of smoking turbos has started.

Seems like there is a correlation between owners that have replaced their full exhaust (TBE and CBE) and smoking turbos. I'd would like to start a list of owners who have experienced this along with those who are experiencing it now. Please list your mods and model year of your car along with mileage...

Format:
Year:
Production Date (in door jam):
Mileage:
Mods:


Thanks (thumb)

 

[AutoXRacer]

(bump)

 

[xmysacredoathx]

Year: 2007
Mileage: 8000
Mods: Intake, Corksport Turbo Back Exhaust
(noticed the smoke after DP install)

I can also speak for one other member...stars.eg6

Year: 2007
Mileage: 20k +/-
Mods: Intake, Downpipe Back Exhaust
(currently running just a Corksport CBE, noticed smoke after cat-delete)

 

[AutoXRacer]

Year: 2007
Mileage: 8000
Mods: Intake, Corksport Turbo Back Exhaust
(noticed the smoke after DP install)

Was yours also a cat delete?
Was your fix just to go back to the stock DP? No more smoke?

 

[xmysacredoathx]

Was yours also a cat delete?
Was your fix just to go back to the stock DP? No more smoke?

yeah, i am currently running a full turbo back ie: downpipe, cat-delete, and cat-back exhaust.

i am still running the full system despite the smoke. our dealer here is teh lame, so im just deciding where to go from here. (turbo upgrade)

my friends car (stars.eg6) took his car in with the smoking issue with the cat delete and cat-back exhaust on. the dealer told him to bring it back in stock. once he put the stock stuff back on, the smoke was covered therefore not even worth hassling with fighting with the dealer.

along with the "hit or miss" issue of smoke, comes the "hit or miss" acceptance of dealers.

 

[staples187]

2007

8,000 miles

CPE CAI, CPE Turboback w/ High Flow Cat, ETS TMIC 3.5, plus a few more things. I get white smoke while I start the car and at times at idle. I get a strong fumes from the exhaust too.

 

[AutoXRacer]

2007

8,000 miles

CPE CAI, CPE Turboback w/ High Flow Cat, ETS TMIC 3.5, plus a few more things. I get white smoke while I start the car and at times at idle. I get a strong fumes from the exhaust too.

Fumes!!??? Even though you have the high flow cat?

What do you think I should do...skip the CP-E DP and just go for a test-pipe? Or is the performance of the DP really worth it?

So far, it seems most smokers are 2007...?
I'd like this thread to keep going as a data log for smoking turbos on our MS3.

I think it would be nice to have data...

 

[Powerslave]

yeah alot of people with there cats removed have strarted to experiance the smoking issue and then it goes away when they reinstall the cats, i have a freind with no cats and he has no problem, but i'm thinking of keeping my 2 cats cuase i jave read on these forums about the smoking being linked to the removal of the cats, for some reason is screws with the turbo seal???

 

[Fritch]

I'm holding off on a downpipe for the time being. Think I'll pick up the Corksport race pipe and see how well that goes. Maybe down the road someday I'll get a DP too... maybe.

 

[xmysacredoathx]

It really doesn't matter whether you go DP or TP. If your seals are weak, or the ones that are "bad", you'll most likely get smoke regardless.

 

[xmysacredoathx]

Fumes!!??? Even though you have the high flow cat?

What do you think I should do...skip the CP-E DP and just go for a test-pipe? Or is the performance of the DP really worth it?

So far, it seems most smokers are 2007...?
I'd like this thread to keep going as a data log for smoking turbos on our MS3.

I think it would be nice to have data...

He could also be getting the "fumes" because he has an exhaust leak.

Check your "mating" points of your exhaust, where the separate pieces meet, for leaks. If so, you may need to get better gaskets to seal it.

 

[PLM_Man]

I'm assuming that the smoke that some are experiencing would be the result of oil burning where it has escaped the seal in the turbo. If thats the case, and some people with stock DP's are afraid that their turbo seals are bad or are going bad, couldn't they just check their oil level in or around 500 mile intervals to see if they're loosing/burning oil? If you're running oil change-to-oil change and still retaining all of that oil, I wouldn't be too afraid of the stock cats disguising the smoke from bad seals. If however, you're burning 1/2 - 1 quart of oil b/w changes, then maybe you've got bad turbo seals, other seals, or its not a problem since some cars tend to burn oil, and others don't. Go figure.

I've got the CPE TBE sitting in the garage until a nice pnp EMS comes out, so I won't know if I smoke for sure until atleast Spring. But so far, I'm not seeing any drop in oil levels. What do you guys think. Would that be a warning sign (other than the obvious smoking) for seals on their way out??

 

[Craighjr]

2007 MS3
8050 Miles
Cork DP, Vibrant DP back with 1 high flow cat. Other mods unrelated but in sig.
Loses about 1qt/1k miles.
I am under the impression that there is already a updated P/N from Mazda for the turbo. Can an employee verify that? That may have an improved seal.

 

[tru-boost]

It really doesn't matter whether you go DP or TP. If your seals are weak, or the ones that are "bad", you'll most likely get smoke regardless.

not true at all. with my full DP my car blew billows of smoke. i went back to stock....no more smoke. i added a RP still no smoke. it is hit or miss for some reason.

 

[Craighjr]

not true at all. with my full DP my car blew billows of smoke. i went back to stock....no more smoke. i added a RP still no smoke. it is hit or miss for some reason.

I have a feeling that the first cat does alot of 1) creating backpressure for helping that seal work and 2) burning up that smoke so you doen't see it. I have a feeling that some of the tail pipe soot that we see is also due to the heavy oil residue. My MZSPD3 soot is a very grimey not like the old WRX soot from being rich as hell.

 

[xmysacredoathx]

I have a feeling that the first cat does alot of 1) creating backpressure for helping that seal work and 2) burning up that smoke so you doen't see it. I have a feeling that some of the tail pipe soot that we see is also due to the heavy oil residue. My MZSPD3 soot is a very grimey not like the old WRX soot from being rich as hell.

+10000

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Fritch]

2007 MS3
8050 Miles
Cork DP, Vibrant DP back with 1 high flow cat. Other mods unrelated but in sig.
Loses about 1qt/1k miles.
I am under the impression that there is already a updated P/N from Mazda for the turbo. Can an employee verify that? That may have an improved seal.

you are seriously burning a quart of oil every 1000 miles? You need to get your car checked out very soon if so, that is NOT normal in the least for a car with 8k miles

 

[xmysacredoathx]

you are seriously burning a quart of oil every 1000 miles? You need to get your car checked out very soon if so, that is NOT normal in the least for a car with 8k miles

Its actually alot easier said than done. He, like myself, made a decision in mods that we know wed have to live with. He may also have one of the ignorant dealers.

 

[Craighjr]

you are seriously burning a quart of oil every 1000 miles? You need to get your car checked out very soon if so, that is NOT normal in the least for a car with 8k miles

Been there done that. If you get a job at Mazda tell the whole ******* company that. My friend has a FSI VW and its stock losing 1qt per 1k and they say thats just fine as well.

Its actually alot easier said than done. He, like myself, made a decision in mods that we know wed have to live with. He may also have one of the ignorant dealers.

WAYNE MAZDA screws up far more than they fix.

 

[AutoXRacer]

Been there done that. If you get a job at Mazda tell the whole ******* company that. My friend has a FSI VW and its stock losing 1qt per 1k and they say thats just fine as well.

I wouldn't be happy with that!!! I don't think thats acceptable...(scratch)
I'd go to another dealer and get it fixed/checked out. Thats why I got rid of my previous car, I would dump 1/4 - 1/2 quarts per day into the engine...it also had 204K hard miles... If my new car did that, I'd be on pissed off customer... Please go to some other dealer and get it fixed!!!

WAYNE MAZDA screws up far more than they fix.

Any other dealers you can go to?