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iTrader: (2)

I was at the rallycross at croft yesterday with my mate in his 54 reg 535d. Due to the fact it was fookin freezing we we're sat in the car with it ticking over to keep warm. My mate rev'd the engine once, then when we set off 5 minutes later, the thing was pouring smoke out the exhaust like the turbo oil seals had gone.
We drove gingerly towards the a1, then as we got there checked again, and all was as normal. It was fine for the rest of the journey, with no loss of power, and no faults showing on the dash.
Can anyone explain what the fook it was?

as355f1

prob carbon build up, or it may have been purging like the peugeot diesels do, not 100% that bmw have thet system fitted though

AlexF

what colour smoke?

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iTrader: (2)

It was as white as santa's beard!

ballin

iTrader: (1)

not turbo seals then, not just condensation build up?

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iTrader: (2)

Well perphaps it was a little blue then, deffo not condensation. Was a thick cloud, just like when the recon turbo went on my s2 after 2 miles.

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iTrader: (2)

Car is going to mr bmw tomorrow to see what he reckons.

cozzymatt

was it facing down hill when it was ticking over ? could just be a lot of condensation build up in the exhaust if it was running for a long while! just a guess.....

AlexF

Turbo failure - on bmw's it makes loads of white smoke!

Alex

Madbradz

Turbo... Had the same on My e39 530d

Ginger Will

My focus does it if you boot it from cold after idling. I have noticed that the engines tend to run quite cool/take a while to warm up, indeed mine will actually go cold when left on idle if it hasn't been fully warmed through. Therefore I would suspect incomplete burn and that the white smoke is almost an emulsion of unburnt diesel in the air. Also there is some blurb in the manual regarding white smoke and it being a by-product of the catalyst function.

AlexF

White smoke on a diesel is vapourised diesel. If it doesnt get hot enough to burn it will transfrom from a liquid to a gas (vapour).

IMO the oil entering the combustion cycle is hindered by the oil coming into the combustion chamber and so reducing the compression tempreature.

Alex

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iTrader: (2)

I thought turbo myself, but, of course, i am no expert.

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iTrader: (2)

Mr bmw has given the car a clean bill of health. Apparently you can't sit in your 17k motor and let it tick over to keep warm, because it can't handle it!
Bollocks to BM's, fookin shite!

AlexF

eh?

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iTrader: (2)

The car has been to bmw, who can't find anything wrong with it. They said not to let the car idle for such a long period of time. Make of that what you will.