Explain Smoking Turbo, Please

[Ninkumpoop]

I have a lot of smoke coming out of my tailpipe. It's not all the time; it's only after I've been either driving for at least 10 or so minutes. I have a cat-less turboback (TurboXS downpipe, custom testpipe, and HKS cat-back) and it didn't smoke at all until a couple months after I got it all done. My instructor told me it might be because I have condensation building up in my exhaust due to a completely enclosed exhaust system (no holes in the muffler to let out the excess condensation that builds up) so we drilled a hole about half the width of a pencil and I've noticed some water dripping out every so often as I drive. It's been a few days and the problem is maybe a little better (and that's a HUGE maybe because I could be imagining things) but I still smoke a TON! I was just wondering if it could be a "smoking turbo issue" that many of you guys have been having. What happens with a smoking turbo? What's it look like? What's it smell like? How do you repair it?

 

[speed3driver]

Smells like burning oil.. your oil level will go down and your car will feel slow.

 

[MazdaSpeeder]

Your problem is going to be getting the dealership to fix it under warranty. If you take it in with those exhaust mods, they'll just laugh and void your warranty. If you replace the stock parts, you probably won't be able to get it to smoke anymore due to the added cats.

 

[Ninkumpoop]

I don't feel any drop in power and I really don't think it's supposed to smoke THIS much because of cat deletion. After driving and waiting in neutral for a minute or so, I can pretty much make it so it seems like you're walking through fog for a good twenty feet.

 

[Mazda_maniac]

If there oil in your exhaust whatsoever?

If there is your turbo is blowing oil out and the turbos in need of a rebuild/replacement.

I couldn't see it being from condensation, you dont live in cold weather so it shouldnt smoke that much either.

 

[MAZDA_SPEED]

its those POS k04 turbos seals...

 

[Ninkumpoop]

So...I just replace my turbo seals and it's a final fix? How would I test to see if whatever will fix my problem? I smell burning oil, for sure. It's been confirmed by a bunch of my friends and a few instructors at my UTI campus.

 

[Speed3Rookie]

Take a look at the multiple "smoking turbo" thread for your options.

 

[taylorex]

I read somewhere on another forum about the k04 being two small and that it is already maxed out stock. I'll look for the thread.

 

[crossbow]

Most of the smoking isn't from the turbo's. There are 3 reasons for smoking from the exhaust of the speed3/speed6. Though DP/Test pipes will expose these issues sooner, they are happening on almost 100% of cars.

Idle/Low RPM Smoke
This is from the injectors wiping off the oil on the cylinder walls, and washing it out the exhaust. This happens with thin oil, or oil that needs to be changed. This will happen even on a stock car, just idle in the dealers parking lot for 5 minutes, and it'll start smoking. Main cause is due to the injectors firing at the side of the cylinder, instead of straight down at the piston.
Fix
Move to a thicker weight oil, or step up your oil changes. Most people find moving to a 5w-40 fixes this.


Misc Smoke at Random Times
The Stock EGR and PCV system dumps oil/soot back into the intake manifold. Because this is a DISI engine, the gunk builds up in the intake system (no fuel to clean it) and eventually makes its way into the cylinders, and gets blown out the exhaust.
Fix
Install either a windage tray (supposedly, still not 100% confirmed), or a catch can.


Smokescreen effect under heavy throttle/WOT
Something is wrong with the turbo seals. (Less then 1% of the population)
Fix
Replace turbo.

 

[MSMS3]

Speculation, speculation, speculation. It would help the OP to read the numerous threads here. I do not think seals are the problem.

Turbos smoke. Turbos with opened exhausts smoke more. It is a part of the nature of the beast. Turbos run rich by design. That puts more unburned fuel in the exhaust.

Then, we have a crankcase gas/fumes recirculation system through the PVC valve. This pushes those already over-rich fumes back into the intake. Those fumes also contain some blow by oil. Turbo engines produce more blow by than normally aspirated engines. High boost turbos like ours produce even more.

This combination of overly rich fuel mixture and recycled blow by oil ends up being incompletely burned and going out the exhaust.

Check your engine oil level. I'll bet it does not measureably change between oil changes.

If it bothers you install an oil catch can between the PCV valve and the intake manifold. Before you ask about that, check the numerous threads here on the details, where to buy and how to install. You'll also be surprised how much gunk the can catches that would have gone back into the intake from the crankcase. And no, none of that is turbo bearing seal leakage. It's all because we have a very high boost turbo system.

I'd bet that there's an over 90% chance that installing a catch can will stop the smoking.

If you don't believe me go to any user group/forum on the Web where turbo cars are being discussed -- Saab, Volvo, any of the Japanese makers, and see what they are saying. They have all different brands of turbochargers and they are having the same discussions.