Smoking after 3 to 5 minutes at idle

[RGGregory]

Hi,

I've noticed in the last 3 months or so that after sitting at idle for about 3 to 5 minutes, the driver's side tailpipe starts putting out some relatively thick smoke. It's a bit bluish, so I'm concerned about a piston ring, valve, etc.

Other strange thing to me is why only out of one pipe and not both (seeing how both tailpipes are teed off the single cat/exhaust pipe off the manifold.

Off idle and on the road, zero smoke.

Any thoughts? I'm an old chevy OHV V8 guy, so all the basic leaking seals, rings, etc, for a typical V8 jumped to mind. The 2.4 DI turbo is a new beast to me.

Thanks,


Bob

 

[shane02pro5]

There have been many cases of leaking and/or blown oil seals on the turbo's with the 6's and 3's! Usually noticed with catless exhaust not allowing supposed "enough backpressure" I'd pull off your CAI and bring it in to the dealer! Are you going through much oil?

 

[RGGregory]

There have been many cases of leaking and/or blown oil seals on the turbo's with the 6's and 3's! Usually noticed with catless exhaust not allowing supposed "enough backpressure" I'd pull off your CAI and bring it in to the dealer! Are you going through much oil?

The CAI is a MazdaSpeed product, so I wouldn't think I'd have to pull. Oil consumption hasn't seemed out of the ordinary.

I was thinking PCV leakage and then the turbo.

Thanks for the help

PS - Nice ride!

 

[shane02pro5]

If it was the PCV I think there would be some blow by at high rpms.

Mazda has been pretty anal about things since problems started with the ms protege and if it wasn't factory installed I wouln't take a chance. My warranty was out the window before 10k when I put the turbo on.

Thanks for the compliment and I return it with those two works or art in your sig '65-6?

 

[skylinemonster]

Sir, it is definitely your turbo seals. All the K04 turbo seals for this vehicle allow oil to pass through (in vacuum/idle) to the compressor housing and it blows through your top mount all the way to your throttle. If you are concerned with rings which I am sure it is not, pull off your charge pipe right before the throttle (or in your case, the top mount intercooler) and you will see a small pool of oil residing right near the throttle plate. Nothing to be concerned with. The worst thing that can happen is the thrust bearing in the turbo may go bad. Just check your oil regularly. I have since upgraded to a gt30 turbo and I have zero smoking issues, from idle to WOT. The dealership will not do anything unfortunately. If anything all they will do to put your mind at ease is set up an oil consumption test where they will monitor how much oil the vehicle is loosing over time. Then when you are half a quart or even a full quart low at time of change, they will just blame it on your driving style. All in all, it's a quirk about this car that makes it a mazda. Your engine will be fine, just a little bit of oil in your combustion mix.

 

[RGGregory]

Thanks for the compliment and I return it with those two works or art in your sig '65-6?[/QUOTE]

The blue coupe is a 65 396/425hp original Canada export car. The silver one is a 67 327/350 hp. I restored the 67 to more or less original in 99. The 65 is in the middle of restoration to return the body to it's original condition, but I'm not going full-bore anal-retentive on making that one original.

 

[RGGregory]

Sir, it is definitely your turbo seals. .

thanks. After doing a little more digging, I'm with the oils seals on the turbo. I have seen on a couple of other website where Mazda has replaced the turbo under warranty. I'm not going to have them push an oil consumption test on me....just need to bone up more on the mazda turbo - I'm a mechanical engineer, and a life long gearhead (normally-aspirated machines until recently), so I'm not too worried about a service manager trying to talk me in circles..

...as far as driving styles...don't you love that. Manufacturers build "drivers' cars," then give owners a hard time when they have problems when driven as advertised (and supposedly built). I went through that with a local GM dealership with a low-end problem with my 02 Z-06 (sold).

 

[bova80]

its not neccesarily your turbo. here was what my pcv looked like going to my intake manifold. i had zero oil off the turbo but had this. don't believe all those who say its the turbo because there are people who get the turbo replaced only to have the same thing happen again.

 

[RGGregory]

Took it into the dealer today. Service tech was up-to-speed (excuse the pun) on the issue. Said he's see it on a few cx-7, but they only smoked after warm-up, and on a couple of Speed 3's.

Bottomline, they are putting in a new turbo under warranty. have to wait about a week or so for the turbo to come in. I bought the car used with 7500 miles on it from a different (non-mazda) dealer in May 06, so I wasn't sure if I'd get a hard time or not...didn't.