WillBank

I have just got out of my car after a short run in traffic and it has started to push <b> a lot </b> of smoke out of the rear left wheelarch (when viewed from the back of the car). I noticed this when stopped at traffic lights but when I shut the engine off it poured out of the engine cover also (fairly white with an acrid smell). Strangely this has been intermittent becuase there are times when it doesn't happen at all.

It all started from a hard day of track driving a few weeks ago and comes and goes but today was the worst. (And it is not through overfilling the oil that is for sure )

I have not been able to check if it is in limp mode as the last 2 journeys have been in central London but I am very worried that I may have shredded the turbo on that side.

How much would a turbo rebuild cost if done by a reputable speciailist? Or a replacement?

Please help! I am sitting down and ready for the bad news.

Rob O'Meara

That's bad Will, sorry to hear about this. It does sound like a turbo may be smoked, though I would also check the oil supply pipes to the turbos / intercooler as well. I had mine replaced recently as they were perished. It's a common 993tt issue.

I would suggest you take the car to GT-One in Chertsey for a check over. They're very reasonable and understand what to look for.

Good luck,

Rob

WillBank

Rob - many thanks for the advice. Have spoken to Peter at GT-One and Phil at Tech9 and they both agree (with you) that is most likely the turbo.

But then, of course, there is always the curve ball... get it fixed and wait for the other one to go or just upgrade them both to hybrid K16's and remap the ECU for a sweet 490BHP total - or poss 500BHP with the racing cats and a good tank of Optimax on a cold day .

Option 2 is obviously about 5 times as expensive but can I resist? What would all you other 'Listers do?

- Like I really need to ask -

johnfm

If you can use hte 500 HP in LOndon traffic.......

Jeff 993TT

Hold on Will. Don't assume that it's a bad turbo just yet. Many of us turbo owners have had smoking problems due to the engine oil filter not being tightened correctly. Did you have a recent oil filter change? What oil filter number do you have?

This might be fixed easily with an oil change and some cleaning of the excess oil from some places. I've documented most of the process in the archives, let me know if you need some pointers.

Jeff

Rob O'Meara

That's the spirit! I like the 500bhp option and if I had the $$$ I'd be thinking of doing the same thing. Failing that I'd be looking to buy a lightly used unit left over from another conversion. Porsche's prices make my eyes water.

Jeff's suggestion about the oil filter sounds feasible. I wonder if mine is on OK... Jeff, any advice / things to look for please? I had some oil sitting on my engine undertray and that dripped onto the exhaust and smoked every time I started the car. It's cleared up now.

Rob

Jeff 993TT

Here is a link with my resolution:

<a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=004041&p=" target="_blank">UPDATE 993 TT Smoking from one side </a>

And here are some more links:

<a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=003223&p=" target="_blank">UPDATE: smoking from one side </a>

<a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=000300&p=" target="_blank"> i need help with oil in to turbo </a>

<a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/forums/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=000329" target="_blank">Burning Oil/Smoking--&gt;Update.. and questions </a>

<a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/cgi-bin/rennforums/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=003217&p=" target="_blank">Smoke out of one side again after 1/4 mile runs! (long) </a>

There are a few more in the archives. If you do a search ( on both the 993 turbo and 993 forumns ) on the words "smoking" or "smoke" you'll get some more results.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

Michael J. Mahoney

PCNA released a technical bulliten in August, reveised in October about possible faulty bleed-back valves in some secondary oil filters. The symptoms include smoking. My conversations with the manufacturer suggest this may be more prevelant after agressive driving. I would change the filter and flush the intercoolers and intake runners before replacing the turbos. Also check the area arounf the drain plugs on the bottom of the turbos, as leaking trubos also tend to collect oil there.

WillBank

Great advice all-round. I will read up on this and hopefully will prevent the need to spend the $$$ on turbos - but if it does turn out to be them I am going for 500bhp!

Any other suggestions greatly appreciated and I will let you know how it goes.

Many thanks for all the help.

Anthony_Vince

Didn't you buy it from Rivervale Porsche, is it not a warranty issue?

I had smoke out the side of a 993C2, and it turned out to be a rusted oil filter!

good luck.

simaloney

Another thing to consider Will, this could be seen as locking the stable door after the horse has bolted but as I told you when you were asking about buying my turbo, I have a full warranty on my car which costs about £ 800 a year. Its a lot of dough but it gives big peace of mind, EVERYTHING is covered. You can get cheaper policies but many have exclusions and I dont know how good they are. A friend had his rad ( not 911 obviously )replaced under warranty after being punctured by a stone !

WillBank

What good memories you have! Yes, I did buy it from Rivervale and I left a message for them re warranty but so far they have not got back to me. I thought I would try to get a better idea of what the problems might be from you guys before allowing them to try and convince me it was a) not-covered or b) required £500 of consumables to fix - You know the main-dealer network's style on warranty issues.

Si - I remember your car's warranty and it was attractive. As was the full Porsche warranty on the car I bought. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

W

Anthony_Vince

Any feedback on the PSS-9 and RSR Mufflers?

WillBank

PSS-9: absolutely worth every penny. When I first had them installed I set them to full soft all round and drove to work through the pitted streets of London. Though firm the suspension absorbed potholes with real panache and, dare I say it, the whole car had a sort of limosine feel. Admittedly a limo that can do 0-60 in sub-4 and corners like a Scalextric model. But then on the way back from work I turned them all to full hard - amazing...

the entire car seemed to have shrunk in size around me. Turn-in was immediate and it seemed now to be like driving one of those twin-engined carts. Equally, I could tell what brand of chewing gum I had run over on the road. I have never experienced any feeling of being so in-touch before. And still the damping over expansion joints in the road was better than with stock (obviously stock for me was non-US spec).

So my feedback is really: get to Gert as quick as you can and get the PSS-9 kit. It is a marvel.

On the RSR's: the turbos take a decent part of the sound away but at idle when started from cold there is a glorious burble like a cigarette-boat with its exhausts popping half out of the water. Unfortunately once warm this goes away and the only real noticeable difference is a more bassy woofle for passers-by. It is pretty difficult to tell the difference from the inside. That is why I am going to sport cats when I upgrade the turbos to hybrid K16's.

But the RSR's are also a must-have for the money.

Hope this helps. Cheers, W