[Grand_hustle17]

Originally Posted by 1fastt2

Compression Results:
Cylinder 1 - 207psi
Cylinder 2 - 195psi
Cylinder 3 - 180psi
Cylinder 4 - 202psi
Cylinder 5 - 197psi
Cylinder 6 - 199psi

Test was performed while engine was cold.

Cyl3 looks suspect but it doesnt look all that bad

[1fastt2]

Originally Posted by Grand_hustle17

Cyl3 looks suspect but it doesnt look all that bad

That cylinder is the odd ball out of the bunch and not the cylinder I would have thought to be the low one if I was to pick one just looking at plugs. #3's plug looks good so I'm going to rule out any sort of internal damage related to the smoking.

#6 cylinders plug tends to be the crappy looking plug whenever I check them. It usually tends to look like its running rich.

I have to say I'm still not convinced the PCV system is not to blame.

[1fastt2]

I believe I have isolated the problem to the PCV hose that attached to the rear of the valve cover. I will be ordering it on Tuesday and report back the findings.

[ferocity02]

Originally Posted by 1fastt2

I believe I have isolated the problem to the PCV hose that attached to the rear of the valve cover. I will be ordering it on Tuesday and report back the findings.

Why do you think this?

[1fastt2]

Originally Posted by ferocity02

Why do you think this?

All of the symptoms point to this component or at least it seams. The only time the car smokes is under heavy vacuum. No other time. After hours of research comparing different experiences and situations everything points to the valve in this tube. If it was turbo seals or valve stem seals the car would smoke right at start up every time. Not in my case. There is no sign of smoke when I first start the engine.

[ferocity02]

Did you test the valve? It's functions very simply. Should be fairly free flowing exiting the valve cover, and mostly restrictive when in reverse but not completely blocked. This valve, along with PCV valve, regulates crankcase vacuum when not in boost.

[musa]

Originally Posted by 1fastt2

I believe I have isolated the problem to the PCV hose that attached to the rear of the valve cover. I will be ordering it on Tuesday and report back the findings.

Which hose are you referring to? Is it #9 in the realoem diagram?
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_3973

[madmantwo]

Originally Posted by musa

Which hose are you referring to? Is it #9 in the realoem diagram?

Yeah that's the one

[1fastt2]

Originally Posted by musa

Which hose are you referring to? Is it #9 in the realoem diagram?
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...diagId=11_3973

Yup

[Sgop335]

Originally Posted by ferocity02

Did you test the valve? It's functions very simply. Should be fairly free flowing exiting the valve cover, and mostly restrictive when in reverse but not completely blocked. This valve, along with PCV valve, regulates crankcase vacuum when not in boost.

Yes it has a simple function and flows both ways. One way is less flow than other. Functions as make up air to the cc when intake man is in vacuum and ventilation during boost conditions, while the pcv valve is closed.

Not sure how this hose can be an issue, unless its blocked or something.

[1fastt2]

I will test this today sometime if time allows.

[1fastt2]

Inspection shows this tube/flapper valve to be in proper working order.

I guess I just have to suck up a new valve cover and hope that solves the issue.

I know I'm going to hear that my problem lies within the turbo/s or valve stem seals however this symptoms do not point to either of those 2 components what so ever.

[Velocity26]

When you say RB PCV, do you mean just the PCV valve or the new PCV system that isolates the valve cover halves and draws the vacuum from the throttle body?

[1fastt2]

Originally Posted by Velocity26

When you say RB PCV, do you mean just the PCV valve or the new PCV system that isolates the valve cover halves and draws the vacuum from the throttle body?

Just the valve.

[1fastt2]

... and FWIW I can't for the life of me find on the RB website a product description for the full system.

[Velocity26]

Rob has not updated his website in a while.

First of all, our cars have several ways that oil can get into the exhaust and cause smoke. You will not fix the problem completely until you find where your particular car's oil is coming from. Rob's system DOES NOT solve all smoking problems, but can help if your are mainly smoking under high vacuum situations. If you are smoking under boost, you likely have other problems (rings or turbos) causing the smoke.

The idea is this: If you have a bad PCV valve, his PCV valve may help fix that. Most of us don't have a failed valve, so using his does nothing to help.

You can watch one of the many videos on youtube where they show what it looks like inside the valve cover of a DOHC motor. The oil gets whipped into a fog that travels with air movement in the valve cover. If you are in boost, you have no vacuum drawing out of the CC, so you are using the flapper to allow the air into your inlet (or to atmosphere, if you are vented there). Under vacuum (the second you close the throttle) that fog gets pulled through the PCV valve, into the intake side of the valve cover, and into the hole in the head intake port.

Rob's kit seals off the intake side of the valve cover so that it never directly connects to the crankcase. Instead, it connects the crankcase to the throttle body with a hose. You then cut the hose and install a fine particle oil catch can to keep the oil from getting to the throttle body.

I installed the dual catch can system to find my problem. I have a BMS catch can on the flapper side of the valve cover (for on-boost situations) and it gathers almost no oil. The inside looks "wet", but never accumulates enough to pour out. HOWEVER, the OCC on the vacuum side has to be drained REGULARLY to keep it from filling up. That is all oil that would be getting into the intake ports of the head with the BMW system. I occasionally have a puff of smoke at a stop light, but far less often and far less severe.

I have to add about a quart of oil every 7,500 miles, and the majority of that is the oil that is trapped by the OCC and I throw away. I am sure that my turbo's contribute a little too.

[1fastt2]

Originally Posted by Velocity26

Rob has not updated his website in a while.

First of all, our cars have several ways that oil can get into the exhaust and cause smoke. You will not fix the problem completely until you find where your particular car's oil is coming from. Rob's system DOES NOT solve all smoking problems, but can help if your are mainly smoking under high vacuum situations. If you are smoking under boost, you likely have other problems (rings or turbos) causing the smoke.

The idea is this: If you have a bad PCV valve, his PCV valve may help fix that. Most of us don't have a failed valve, so using his does nothing to help.

You can watch one of the many videos on youtube where they show what it looks like inside the valve cover of a DOHC motor. The oil gets whipped into a fog that travels with air movement in the valve cover. If you are in boost, you have no vacuum drawing out of the CC, so you are using the flapper to allow the air into your inlet (or to atmosphere, if you are vented there). Under vacuum (the second you close the throttle) that fog gets pulled through the PCV valve, into the intake side of the valve cover, and into the hole in the head intake port.

Rob's kit seals off the intake side of the valve cover so that it never directly connects to the crankcase. Instead, it connects the crankcase to the throttle body with a hose. You then cut the hose and install a fine particle oil catch can to keep the oil from getting to the throttle body.

I installed the dual catch can system to find my problem. I have a BMS catch can on the flapper side of the valve cover (for on-boost situations) and it gathers almost no oil. The inside looks "wet", but never accumulates enough to pour out. HOWEVER, the OCC on the vacuum side has to be drained REGULARLY to keep it from filling up. That is all oil that would be getting into the intake ports of the head with the BMW system. I occasionally have a puff of smoke at a stop light, but far less often and far less severe.

I have to add about a quart of oil every 7,500 miles, and the majority of that is the oil that is trapped by the OCC and I throw away. I am sure that my turbo's contribute a little too.

Excellent post. I appreciate the time you took to write that. I feel I am on the right track chasing this issue.

[Velocity26]

Did you ever pull your down pipes to see the turbine impellers?

Another piece of my logic, if you have 2 items that could possibly be the culprit, one is really expensive and hard to install, while the other is much cheaper and easier to install, go the cheap/easy route first.

Even though the dual catch can method did not solve my smoke 100%, it reduced it A LOT. And with what I know now, I will not run without an OCC on the vacuum side of the PCV. Since the OCC on my flapper vent side does not collect significant oil, I could just as well remove it and go back to factory with that, although it could make me aware of a new problem if it should arise. Besides, it is easier to leave it in than remove it.

[bryce-o]

Here's a thought, that helped me:

-did you change any settings on your piggy back when you added the Meth? Anti rattle, for example

I was playing with settings and adjusted the WG comp and my car started smoking pretty bad. I could see it in the rear view mirror it was so bad.

I removed the piggy back and it hasn't smoked since. Went to a flash tune and still no smoking.

Honestly, all this taught me was that piggy backs have too many issues to run them. I knew better, also, since I previously ran flash tunes only.

[1fastt2]

Originally Posted by Velocity26

Did you ever pull your down pipes to see the turbine impellers?

Another piece of my logic, if you have 2 items that could possibly be the culprit, one is really expensive and hard to install, while the other is much cheaper and easier to install, go the cheap/easy route first.

Even though the dual catch can method did not solve my smoke 100%, it reduced it A LOT. And with what I know now, I will not run without an OCC on the vacuum side of the PCV. Since the OCC on my flapper vent side does not collect significant oil, I could just as well remove it and go back to factory with that, although it could make me aware of a new problem if it should arise. Besides, it is easier to leave it in than remove it.

I have not pulled the downpipes. Here's my thinking, with the intermittent smoke that comes out now I highly doubt I will see anything on the impellers. Could be wrong but I doubt it.

Maybe, ill pull out an O2 sensor and scope it to see if I can see anything worth noting.

[1fastt2]

Originally Posted by bryce-o

Here's a thought, that helped me:

-did you change any settings on your piggy back when you added the Meth? Anti rattle, for example

I was playing with settings and adjusted the WG comp and my car started smoking pretty bad. I could see it in the rear view mirror it was so bad.

I removed the piggy back and it hasn't smoked since. Went to a flash tune and still no smoking.

Honestly, all this taught me was that piggy backs have too many issues to run them. I knew better, also, since I previously ran flash tunes only.

The only thing I changed was the BEF map to the "Race" map. I have since then returned to the Street tune though.

[1fastt2]

Ok, so I've come to the realization that I'm just going to bite the bullet and pull the turbos. The very last thing I want to be doing is laying on my back in a garage in 95° heat so this may be something I wait a few months to do when it cools down. Regardless I'll need time to save a few G's to be able to buy new ones.