Smokin'!
Author
Discussion

NobleGuy

Original Poster:

7,133 posts

244 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
Noticed the last couple of times I've started the car that an unusual amount of smoke is coming from the exhaust. Much more than normal. Smells a bit (what exhaust fumes don't I suppose), although the loo roll test shows no dark discharge. It also slows down after idling for a bit and while driving there is no smoke at all, under power or cruising.

Am I being paranoid and is the weather causing more water vapour discharge than normal?
Or is the car about to explode, taking me with it biggrin?

NickyTwoHats

2,093 posts

270 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
One or both exhausts? White smoke?
If one exhaust and white smoke a turbo on the way out..you may get away with a new bearing and a recon!
N

NobleGuy

Original Poster:

7,133 posts

244 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
Both exhausts and white.
Both turbos? smash

Edited by NobleGuy on Friday 4th April 12:33

alex s

2,105 posts

265 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
NobleGuy said:
Both exhausts and white.
Both turbos? smash

Edited by NobleGuy on Friday 4th April 12:33
If it is the turbos, speak to Universal Turbos (who did all the work and supply to Noble (including the current "new" car). I spoke to them and a refurb is around 360 per turbo, or they can upgrade them for a little more.
HTH
Alex

nigelw

706 posts

230 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
what is you oil like on the dipstick ? clean or "milky" ?

NobleGuy

Original Poster:

7,133 posts

244 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
nigelw said:
what is you oil like on the dipstick ? clean or "milky" ?
It's clean. I've been checking this regularly while trying to sort my coolant leak (thought it might be a head gasket causing the boiling over - turned out to be the header tank cap).

Took it out at lunch and found no smoking like earlier - did get a whiff of fumes when I slowed for a roundabout. Could it be running rich? I've recently had the fuel pump wiring upgrade done.

Edited by NobleGuy on Friday 4th April 13:48

nigelw

706 posts

230 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
Hmmm , difficult one , if its not burning oil , or losing water and the oil is clean ! ....it's unlikely to be BOTH turbos at once though . do both exhausts come together at some point before they exit (sorry , I havent looked in detail) if they do , it could be a fault on one bank , if they dont , it must be something common to both .
How bad is the smoke (does it clear quicly , as in vapour ) or does it hang around , as in oil smoke ?

GTO400

1,877 posts

280 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
If you have the standard factory exhaust it will smoke the same each side so hard to determine if it is a turbo issue (which it could be), you say you have fitted the uprated fuel pump etc, did you have it set up on a dyno ? if not think you should have it checked properly as it could be too rich, does it splutter on start-up ?

NobleGuy

Original Poster:

7,133 posts

244 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
nigelw said:
Hmmm , difficult one , if its not burning oil , or losing water and the oil is clean ! ....it's unlikely to be BOTH turbos at once though . do both exhausts come together at some point before they exit (sorry , I havent looked in detail) if they do , it could be a fault on one bank , if they dont , it must be something common to both .
How bad is the smoke (does it clear quicly , as in vapour ) or does it hang around , as in oil smoke ?
The smoke this morning was quite bad (when cold and a bit damp), while this afternoon got no smoke at all. When smoking, it was hanging around a little but was dispersing up into the air. As soon as I got in the car to leave the smoking pretty much stopped and then just the odd smell of fumes when slowing down on the journey in.

P.S. The exhaust is in two bits to begin, one from each turbo, joins into one at a junction before the silencer then enters the silencer in a single pipe and exits via two separate tail pipes.

nigelw

706 posts

230 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
What he said ! ...could be a turbo or running rich , especially as you mention something about the idle ...you could go to a friendly MOT station and put it on a mixture analyser ?

Lakelord

1,756 posts

233 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
Deffo looks like a turbo problem from the symptoms you've described. I had a turbo go and was exactly as you describe - white noxious smoke on start-up that ceases when warm.
If it does turn out to be a turbo, I can thoroughly recommend turbo technics. They can either refurb your existing unit, or exchange your one for a refurb'd one which means your car is not off the road for too long. I got a two year warranty on the re-con'd one aswell. http://www.turbotechnics.com/docs/index.htm

NobleGuy

Original Poster:

7,133 posts

244 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
Lakelord said:
They can either refurb your existing unit, or exchange your one for a refurb'd one which means your car is not off the road for too long. I got a two year warranty on the re-con'd one aswell. http://www.turbotechnics.com/docs/index.htm
Cor. That's not bad. Can I ask how much they wanted?
Presumably they don't do the removal/refit.

F.C.

3,901 posts

237 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
Sounds like turbos,
On the linked exhaust system there's a little more back pressure keeping the oil back so I'm afraid they're probably well on their way frown .
I have found that on the Roush (un-linked) exhaust there is less back pressure and a little smoke is almost inevitable on start up.
Of course you may be able to go for a ball bearing set-up which requires less oil, the oil lines will have restrictors in place so there will be less oil to leak anyway, and you'll have the performance benefit to boot!clap
F.C.

Lakelord

1,756 posts

233 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
NobleGuy said:
Lakelord said:
They can either refurb your existing unit, or exchange your one for a refurb'd one which means your car is not off the road for too long. I got a two year warranty on the re-con'd one aswell. http://www.turbotechnics.com/docs/index.htm
Cor. That's not bad. Can I ask how much they wanted?
Presumably they don't do the removal/refit.
Different type of turbo (albeit a Garrett one) on a different type of car but IIRC it was c.£350. They didn't do the install and not sure if that's a service they provide.

NobleGuy

Original Poster:

7,133 posts

244 months

Friday 4th April 2008
quotequote all
Lakelord said:
NobleGuy said:
Lakelord said:
They can either refurb your existing unit, or exchange your one for a refurb'd one which means your car is not off the road for too long. I got a two year warranty on the re-con'd one aswell. http://www.turbotechnics.com/docs/index.htm
Cor. That's not bad. Can I ask how much they wanted?
Presumably they don't do the removal/refit.
Different type of turbo (albeit a Garrett one) on a different type of car but IIRC it was c.£350. They didn't do the install and not sure if that's a service they provide.
Not bad at all then. Prefer to spend zero pounds obviously but if I have to I have to....
Any (easyish) way to tell which one of the turbos is being naughty?

joust

14,622 posts

288 months

Friday 4th April 2008
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yes Sign of a turbo on the way out I'm afraid.

NobleGuy

Original Poster:

7,133 posts

244 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
F.C. said:
I have found that on the Roush (un-linked) exhaust there is less back pressure and a little smoke is almost inevitable on start up.
Does this imply that the Rousch exhaust et al could cause turbos to wear out quicker/more often?

F.C.

3,901 posts

237 months

Tuesday 8th April 2008
quotequote all
NobleGuy said:
F.C. said:
I have found that on the Roush (un-linked) exhaust there is less back pressure and a little smoke is almost inevitable on start up.
Does this imply that the Rousch exhaust et al could cause turbos to wear out quicker/more often?
Not at all.
The design of the turbo is such that it relies on "some" back pressure to hold the oil back from squeezing past the so called "piston ring like" seal.
On a standard system there is a little more back pressure than on a "split" system ala Roush H&S etc.
There is no implication that the bearings will starve of oil thus encourage wear, just that it is easier for oil to seep past the seal with less back pressure.
F.C.
Having given this a little more thought it may be fair to say a "split" system car may well have less mileage from its turbos due to the fact that the oil will leak sooner on a part worn turbo than its counterpart on a linked system fitted car due to the back pressure difference.
Though I doubt anyone would run their "leaking" turbos long enough to test that argument anyway.
Suffice to say most people are living with their current set-ups without worry.
F.C.


Edited by F.C. on Wednesday 9th April 06:55

NobleGuy

Original Poster:

7,133 posts

244 months

Wednesday 9th April 2008
quotequote all
F.C. said:
Suffice to say most people are living with their current set-ups without worry.
That's cool. Thanks for the info.

gizard

2,272 posts

312 months

Wednesday 9th April 2008
quotequote all
It's probably the seals in the Turbo because once hot the expansion stops the oil from seeping through and therefore the smoke goes away.

cheers

G