Odd smoking issue. cant find anything in searches with same symptoms

Faredo · 11-22-2016, 08:08 AM

Sorry if this is answered somewhere, but i cant find my exact issue in the many smoking threads ive found. This started after the catless pipes. In searching i see this is common because the cats can hide an issue, but during the install i looked at the turbos and they where really clean. no oil residue at all.

The Symptoms:
I drive a car maybe once or twice a week. sometimes 12 miles to work etc. I start the car and there is NO smoke, but once i get around the block and cruise to a stop (maybe 200 yards from my driveway) I can get a huge cloud of smoke behind me. thats where the smoke stops I can drive for hours and it will not happen again unless i let it sit. Ive gone to work (smoke at the end of my street) clear all the way to work, then smoke again 4 hours later if i leave for lunch.

During my valve cover replacement i put a tube on the pcv nipple and used my mouth to see if it was working. seemed fine, not 100% but 99.8% seal. the flapper off the valve cover seemed to be functioning as well but there was oil in it (normal?). I DID however see a good amount of oil in the charge pipe. So i assume this is my source? why would it ONLY happen during these very specific circumstances?

Thanks

expressfish · 11-22-2016, 09:31 AM

same exact issue here. I know theres alot of oil going thru the system as I just pulled my intake manifold to remove the top bolt to drop my tranny. I just blasted my intake valves six months ago, drive it maybe three times a week to work and my valves/intake walls are all gunked up again. I just figure theres a shot of oil is getting in the compression stroke and or a drip in the downpipes that burns off ? Maybe the intercooler is full of oil and makes its way somehow ?
I'll be upgrading my intercooler soon so we'll see. I need to get an external catch can as well as the stanard can and hopefully it will clear up the problem.

Faredo · 11-22-2016, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by expressfish

same exact issue here. I know theres alot of oil going thru the system as I just pulled my intake manifold to remove the top bolt to drop my tranny. I just blasted my intake valves six months ago, drive it maybe three times a week to work and my valves/intake walls are all gunked up again. I just figure theres a shot of oil is getting in the compression stroke and or a drip in the downpipes that burns off ? Maybe the intercooler is full of oil and makes its way somehow ?
I'll be upgrading my intercooler soon so we'll see. I need to get an external catch can as well as the stanard can and hopefully it will clear up the problem.

im adding a catch can and upgraded PCV in a few weeks. i would be interesting in seeing what the inside of your intercooler looks like.

Northwest335i · 11-22-2016, 12:39 PM

I am sorry to tell you this boys but when I had the same issues my rebuilder said it was the thrust bearing and the seals that were shot on mine. I was running 19 psi on my stokers. I would also check your valve covers, i guarantee that its cracked and it caused the seals to go bad. I would look into the Robs external pcv after you replace turbos and or rebuild.

I rebuilt mine and have since sold them and went with a single.

Northwest335i · 11-22-2016, 12:42 PM

and the smoke only happens then is its because once you start up and go that 200 yards or so the oil that has leaked through the seals now burns and lets out that puff of smoke.

Faredo · 11-22-2016, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northwest335i

I would also check your valve covers, i guarantee that its cracked

it was... near the oil cap

Northwest335i · 11-22-2016, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faredo

it was... near the oil cap

yeah and now that the broken valve cover ruined your seals there is nothing you can do besides replace the turbos or rebuild them.

I have videos and stuff i could dig up of me just trying to diagnose that same problem as yours. and my turbos were dry as well when I took them off.

Luckily I have parents who own a shop and I was able to do this last year over winter break and get them rebuilt. I ended up ruining the thrust bearings a second time so I said screw it and went with a single for 4500.

Faredo · 11-22-2016, 12:57 PM

Thanks

so yours would only smoke at its first stop? or was this something that got progressively worse. and how would you rate the turbo replacement on the PITA meter?

Northwest335i · 11-22-2016, 01:02 PM

mine would smoke when I first turned it on and waited a minute or two. and when i got down to like a stop sign after pulling out the garage. and if I held the throttle at 1500 rmp it would smoke too. it stayed the same I just kept adding oil but it was costing me a lot in oil. I have taken the stock turbos off twice now and I would rate it fairly difficult, the harder part is putting everything back together. I would attempt it though if you have the time.

Faredo · 11-22-2016, 01:11 PM

worst part is i have zero wastegate rattle. If I could get those suckers to rattle I would have the dealer do it.

Northwest335i · 11-22-2016, 01:19 PM

I had no waster gate rattle either

11-22-2016, 08:08 AM	#1
Faredo Lieutenant 312 Rep 404 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Arkansas iTrader: (0)	Odd smoking issue. cant find anything in searches with same symptoms Sorry if this is answered somewhere, but i cant find my exact issue in the many smoking threads ive found. This started after the catless pipes. In searching i see this is common because the cats can hide an issue, but during the install i looked at the turbos and they where really clean. no oil residue at all. The Symptoms: I drive a car maybe once or twice a week. sometimes 12 miles to work etc. I start the car and there is NO smoke, but once i get around the block and cruise to a stop (maybe 200 yards from my driveway) I can get a huge cloud of smoke behind me. thats where the smoke stops I can drive for hours and it will not happen again unless i let it sit. Ive gone to work (smoke at the end of my street) clear all the way to work, then smoke again 4 hours later if i leave for lunch. During my valve cover replacement i put a tube on the pcv nipple and used my mouth to see if it was working. seemed fine, not 100% but 99.8% seal. the flapper off the valve cover seemed to be functioning as well but there was oil in it (normal?). I DID however see a good amount of oil in the charge pipe. So i assume this is my source? why would it ONLY happen during these very specific circumstances? Thanks
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11-22-2016, 09:31 AM	#2
expressfish Private First Class 37 Rep 175 Posts Drives: 07 E92 335I Monaco Blau Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Texas iTrader: (1)	same exact issue here. I know theres alot of oil going thru the system as I just pulled my intake manifold to remove the top bolt to drop my tranny. I just blasted my intake valves six months ago, drive it maybe three times a week to work and my valves/intake walls are all gunked up again. I just figure theres a shot of oil is getting in the compression stroke and or a drip in the downpipes that burns off ? Maybe the intercooler is full of oil and makes its way somehow ? I'll be upgrading my intercooler soon so we'll see. I need to get an external catch can as well as the stanard can and hopefully it will clear up the problem.
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11-22-2016, 12:39 PM	#4
Northwest335i Private First Class 31 Rep 177 Posts Drives: Silver 07 335i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Chicago, Illinois iTrader: (1)	I am sorry to tell you this boys but when I had the same issues my rebuilder said it was the thrust bearing and the seals that were shot on mine. I was running 19 psi on my stokers. I would also check your valve covers, i guarantee that its cracked and it caused the seals to go bad. I would look into the Robs external pcv after you replace turbos and or rebuild. I rebuilt mine and have since sold them and went with a single.
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11-22-2016, 12:42 PM	#5
Northwest335i Private First Class 31 Rep 177 Posts Drives: Silver 07 335i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Chicago, Illinois iTrader: (1)	and the smoke only happens then is its because once you start up and go that 200 yards or so the oil that has leaked through the seals now burns and lets out that puff of smoke.
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11-22-2016, 12:57 PM	#8
Faredo Lieutenant 312 Rep 404 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Arkansas iTrader: (0)	Thanks so yours would only smoke at its first stop? or was this something that got progressively worse. and how would you rate the turbo replacement on the PITA meter?
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11-22-2016, 01:02 PM	#9
Northwest335i Private First Class 31 Rep 177 Posts Drives: Silver 07 335i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Chicago, Illinois iTrader: (1)	mine would smoke when I first turned it on and waited a minute or two. and when i got down to like a stop sign after pulling out the garage. and if I held the throttle at 1500 rmp it would smoke too. it stayed the same I just kept adding oil but it was costing me a lot in oil. I have taken the stock turbos off twice now and I would rate it fairly difficult, the harder part is putting everything back together. I would attempt it though if you have the time.
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11-22-2016, 01:11 PM	#10
Faredo Lieutenant 312 Rep 404 Posts Drives: 335i Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Arkansas iTrader: (0)	worst part is i have zero wastegate rattle. If I could get those suckers to rattle I would have the dealer do it.
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11-22-2016, 01:19 PM	#11
Northwest335i Private First Class 31 Rep 177 Posts Drives: Silver 07 335i Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Chicago, Illinois iTrader: (1)	I had no waster gate rattle either
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