jetskied

I notice my 78 puffs smoke on start up. I know it is common that air cooled cars do this on start up. What getting me worried is that I recently took off the intercooler and notice a small puddle of oil at the bottom of the turbo. The intercooler has residue too and so does the throtle body. I am wondeing what kind of problem I have. The car does not smoke while driving. I am wondering can the turbo leak oil just by sitting while warm. I always thought the turbo that leaks will blow smoke while driving. Could it be a bigger problem like the rings or valve guides leaking? HELP. Any suggestion would be appreciated. I hope that Stephen the PHD can chime in. Thank everyone.

jhunt@huntinter

Could be a turbo seal leak but try the cheap stuff first. When driven hard (or if the oil tank is overfilled) our cars can suck oil into the aircleaner (then through the entire intake) from either the turbo drip tank or the main oil tank. Try cleaning it all out and see if the oil puff goes away. Keep in mind it takes only about a drop of oil to cause a puff so clean it all really good.

jetskied

Jhunt are you saying that there is that much suction from that air cleaner tube to suck oil in on acceleration? Would putting a seperate air breather filter solve this problem?

jhunt@huntinter

Yes there is enough suction. These motors use a whole lot of air under boost.

I would unplug the turbo tank vent , cap the hole on the air cleaner and put a small filter on the end of the hose and tuck towards the back of your engine. Then try and find an "air oil seperator" from a later model 930 to put between the main oil tank and the air cleaner. That might solve your issues.

Geoffrey

If you are finding oil in the bottom of the compressor housing, and in the intercooler, the piston ring seals (turbo seals) are worn in the turbocharger bearing housing and will need to be replaced/rebuilt depending on what you have.

A film of oil is normal, puddles are not.

87turbo930

If you have a puff on cold startups, then it is not coming from the turbo (at least the exhaust side). The smoke is coming from inside the motor. Could be something like valve seals. But it could possibly be from the intake side of the turbo I guess, If its leaking enough to let it build up in the intake and eventually drip its way into a combustion chamber and cause the smoke

L8Apex

Start-up only= probably valve seals.

Kevin

87turbo930 & L8Apex, thats not correct.. If you shut your car down and there is oil passing through the turbine side seal, you will have oil collecting in the turbine housing.. When you start the car, this oil will immediately burn. The classic check for a failed or failing turbocharger is pulling off the inlet intake boot and checking for oil.. If you you have oil in the tube you need to have your turbocharger repaired..

If you have a clean inlet boot, your rings and our guides need to be addressed.. Being that our engines are flat-opposed, oil can puddle in the cylinders if the car sit for awhile, and/or if your oil level is higher than it should be..

911rudy

I just over filled my 930 oil tank and I got my first puff of white smoke when I started it. I have a brand new K27 so I know it is not the turbo. Also, I have never had any smoke on start up until I over filled the tank.

Rudy

Kevin

If one continues to drive with high oil levels, you will lead to a build up of oil on the turbine wheel seal area. Carbon that cokes will cut the seal area like diamonds. Once you have scored this area, you will have a cronic leaker.. It won't happen on the first try, but the turbocharger will not heal itself.. The carbon that is built up on the backside of the turbine wheel will stay there, until you rebuild it.. The working conditions for the K27 are very severe, to see years of service, one must watch the oil levels and cool down these turbos at least 2 minutes prior to shuting your engine off..

L8Apex

Kevin,

That is not correct. If the car is cold during start-up and immediately blows smoke that is a clear sign that there is oil present in the combustion chamber. If it was the turbo it would start smoking later when the turbo warmed-up.

I had the same problem with my car. There was no issue with the turbo. When we pulled the valve covers off we found 2 worn valve seals and 1 completely off of its proper position. Allowing oil to leak (small amt) into the combustion chamber overnight which produced a beautiful cloud of smoke on a cold start.

Kevin

I will agree that this would be the symptons of faulty valve guides and/or seals.. You will ALSO get this symptom from a failed turbocharger.. The turbine housing oil burns off immediately. I see this happen everyday.. If the turbocharger is worn enough, the oil that blows past the compressor wheel migrates into the intercooler, then the intake manifold, gravity pools the oil into the combustion chamber.. or onto a valve, waiting to be sucked into the combustion chamber...

With regards to trouble shooting, the easiest thing is to check the turbocharger first. If the turbo is dry, then move to guides and rings using a leak-down test..

jetskied

Thanks everyone for your input, I will check my turbo first as that is the easiest. I'll update you guys later.

Stratman

This is my first post although I've been reading this board for years. I've had my Turbo for almost 20 years. I used to worry about the smoke on startups. I ran my car for 12 years before the first monster motor rebuild. Then the second with more improvements. It still smokes when it wants to. It goes over 1000 miles without any oil added. Now with over 400 rwhp I know it is simply the nature of the beast.

L8Apex

Kevin

"With regards to trouble shooting, the easiest thing is to check the turbocharger first. If the turbo is dry, then move to guides and rings using a leak-down test.."

Agreed! Cheers.