kermitt

Having just had the head off to have new guides fitted I finally completed the rebuild (again) but its still smoking white on overrun. What else could it be?
Am thinking Turbo cos its the only thing left really but its brand new (about 500 miles on it) and never smoked before the rebuild. Please help am losing the plot!!

studabear

post a picture of under your bonnet, is the breather set up fitted correctly and are all the pipes clear.

Where did you get the turbo?

How much smoke on over run, mines started giving a puff of smoke now and again, but never on boost or idle or start up

kermitt

Breather is fine mate, its a bailey - top left to left on rocker, top right to right on rocker, lower left to oil return, lower right to metering unit IIRC.

Turbo is Stage 2 T3 from AET, fitted in March by Sitech done 100 or so miles b4 the engine blew on track the following day which I now understand was partly cos it was setup at 1 bar on a standard cooler which did not help.

Has taken me since then to get the engine out and fully rebuilt by JEM engines and back in again with a bigger cooler only to find it smoking white on overrun so head removed and VG's replaced. The bores looked fine and compression was good across all 4.

Only its sill doing it, very little on idle,nothing on boost, puffs between gear changes and clouds on overrun!

I ran it tonight up the street a couple of times and parked it back in the garage very pissed off.

It has not been setup since the rebuild, all I have done is wind the boost back using the bleed valve to reduce stresses during running in. Have done less than 300 miles so far on mineral oil.

Should I go and run it for a good few miles and see if it changes?

m4tt274

iTrader: (2)

you havent over filled it with oil with oil have you, failing that i would be suspicious of the breather system.

kermitt

Nope was very careful with the oil, always am after I learnt my lesson years ago with a beemer.
How do I check the breather system then do I just simply take the breather off and check the pipes for oil. They seemed clean when removed already. How do I know if the breather itself is blocked?
The X-over pipe was clean inside and so was the boost hose between the metering unit and the turbo.

rsbenj1

did you prime your turbo after rebuild? if not then may have run it abit dry and worn a bearing

kermitt

Sitech fitted the turbo mate and yes I watched them prime it. It never smoked at all on the journey home but statrted to blow the filler cap off when I got there before it blew up the next day.

sas

My guess is the head is cracked.

Just happens.

Once you got the new turbo up and running, the engine was producing more power/heat. This put more strain on your old engine and it gave up. However if you take the head off, I bet that there will be a very small crack between the valves seats in one combustion chamber.

This is the type of thing we look for when rebuilding, and seen it many times.

Simon.

Karlos G

iTrader: (4)

Am I the only one who noticed he said it's white smoke? lol
So it's not oil! It's water (steam), either HG or cracked head, classic signs are as you say fine on boost but white smoke on over run and gear change.
Did you skim the head/block before rebuilding?

kermitt

thanks guys spoke to simon @ SITECH and gonna try some radweld tonight. Fingers crossed this identifies the problem. Yes both were skimmed as part of the rebuild.

Karlos G

iTrader: (4)

Radweld?? For what, a leaking headgasket or cracked head? lol

I suppose if it stops then it does identify the problem

kermitt

Yup, Radweld Plus apparently stops leaks in blocks and cylinder heads. Worth a try IMO.

p17fld

If that fails try a tea bag.

kermitt

Call me thick but I don't understand your comment.

kermitt

OK so the radweld didn't work but worth a punt. Anyway here is a couple of vids to explain.

http://s595.photobucket.com/albums/t...t=CIMG0078.mp4
http://s595.photobucket.com/albums/t...t=CIMG0077.mp4

Karlos G

iTrader: (4)

It's yourt HG or a cracked head mate, letting water into the cylinders, do a compression test.

kermitt

Agreed there is water droplets on the exhaust tip. Head gasket is new standard Ford and been replaced twice already during the rebuild. Compression was checked before the head came off and was about 135psi across all four using +0.5mm Mahle low comp pistons.

stwibs

crack between valve seat and water jacket on head ?

bezo

yup thats what i thought.


i said this to kevin when he rang the other day, i think hes found a head now.

kermitt

Yup got one today (thanks Ross) says 1.6 on it and looks the part so hopefully gonna work. Just need to strip it and get it tested first before I can transfer my new valve gear over from the broken one.
Got a cheapo head gasket that came in a rebuild kit so just gonna stick that on for now.

bezo

hope this solves your problem kevin.

studabear

My turbo cabrio has just developed the exact same symptoms, DOH 1 week before ford fair

Karlos G

iTrader: (4)

Zetec_mk4_XR3i

no probs, as i said car ran fine but worth gettin it tested to make sure it ok before you put it on - hope it solves the problem!

kermitt

Update, got the old head off (took just over an hour so beat my record lol) just waiting on my new valve spring compressor arriving so that I can strip both the heads.
Was having a wee poke about the head I removed looking for any sign of cracking but could not see anything obvious. I take it this must mean there is an internal crack between the water jacket and therefore not something I would be able to see clearly.

stwibs

or in a valve seat

kermitt

Update - replacement head pressure checked ok and now fitted to the car but its still smoking!!!!!!!!!

Think it can only be the turbo left now but I am getting really sick of this car. Am just gonna get it sorted and break the bugger.

studabear

dude I feel your pain, I've gotta refit my cylinder head soon, while I was at it I'm doing the sump gasket and the turbo has been to c r turbos as it was leaking oil externally, I now have a hybrid stage 2 Trouble is I've spent close to Ł800 in 10 days



Also ordered a new oil feed for the turbo with inline filter

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

ive heard of turbos being damaged when engines blow.... and ive had a 3dr that done the same would smoke a little on tick over and boost and shit its self on over run ....

check out the for sale section i have a stage 3 t3 by cr turbos top spec Ł400 and its a new unit not rebuilt ect complete ready to bolt on Ł400 and is only for sale as im going t34 and greys

kermitt

Thanks guys, found this post from DazC on an old thread as follows;

If the rear seal is leaking directly into the exhaust, the oil will be vapourising (not burning but boiling) and turning to white oil smoke. If it was actually burning the oil, it'd be blue smoke.
__________________

So maybe I have been barking up the wrong tree thinking its water when its not.
As there is no oil in the intake pipes, there could be oil in the exhaust side of things which would explain the above and the oily smell.

Dunno much about turbo construction but perhaps if there is a rear oil seal to the exhaust this could have worn when the engine blew perhaps if there was metal flakes in the oil feed to the turbo. I replaced the feed pipe anyway when the engine was rebuilt. Dunno if AET will see it that way cos then I doubt they will fix it under warranty if there is metal flakes in there.
Not sure whether to drop her off at Sitech and say 'fix it' or get my hands dirty again taking the front end apart and send it off for repair.

Anybody got recommendations as to where to send the turbo if need be and how much am I looking at?

stevo123

Can you just check coolant level - if it has dropped then it ie either burning or leaking. Sure fire way really. Hope you get sorted fella, I hate it when things like this crop up to annoy!

rsmark86

iTrader: (3)

take the turbo off and send it to aet only way to find out.....

or just pay someone fix it

orion88

i wud sayturbo tbh
i had this however mine filled a whole street with smoke granted before i swopped it it did not smoke at all on my old rs but once i did wow it plummed everywhere try borrow a turbo for a few hoours see if it helps also u may have water stuck in the exhaust from the last time it happened try drying insode the systemout

kermitt

Got the turbo off today and there is loadsa lateral play in the shaft.

Hopefully AET won't try to wriggle out of repairing it under warranty.

Also noticed that the exhaust manifold is cracked near the flange for the turbo.

Where can I get a replacement manifold?

craig rst kid

i got one for sale if u want 30 quid its urs m8

DazC

iTrader: (1)

Had that happen with a Cossie. Vapourising oil in the turbine housing.

I'd make sure you don't have a load of oil in the intercooler and pipe work too as this is a common cause of unnecessary panic. As is a load of oil still in the exhaust that is still burning off.

DazC

iTrader: (1)

It's not grey/white smoke is it? Water is a steamy white smoke, oil is a thick pungent smoke (oily smell) and fuel is a greyish white smoke that stinks of fuel.

kermitt

Considering all I have done so far, its not my engine, head gasket or breather hoses etc.

It is evident that my turbo has had it.

Have managed to source another manifold. Good old Alexcabrio off ebay always seems to have the bits I need when I need them.

Just need to see what AET say to it in the coming days.

kermitt

So AET have finally come back and said that due to oil contamination (probably from when the engine went) the insides of my hybrid turbo are basically scrap, great! Have been quoted a large sum of money to rectify it and asked if it would be cheaper to fix the standard T3 I have sitting in the garage and there was not really that much of a difference.

Is there anyone or anywhere I can send the standard t3 to get fixed instead that won't cost much money? I am beginning to not be arsed and once more considering just breaking it and get something that might actually work on the track e.g clio sport thingy!

Although have noticed there is a stage 3 T3 for sale on here, but would that be too laggy?

R4N SS

iTrader: (6)