TDI 170 (CAHA) Engine breather issues. Help please?

[PJ1981]

Hi evereyone. Is there anyone out there who can help me? I have an A4 B8 TDi 170 (CAHA). Had the car for just over a year, doing the usual maintenance etc. No real issues.

Couple of weeks ago I was driving the car (About 10 minutes from cold), when suddenly there was a lot of what I'm sure was blue smoke coming from the exhaust. I pulled into a layby and got out. Even at engine idle there was smoke from the exhaust. Switched off and went and had a coffee considering the options for the car... Nose dive into a quarry, swim in the lake, or even leaving the car on the drive to rot away to nothing. Drove home... After searching the internet, I find that there is very little info on this. One theory is the PCV, crankcase ventilation. So i went out to the car, started it up (Cold). Hey presto, no smoke! Took the oil filler cap off and sure enough it's chuffing out crankcase pressure. Took the pipe off that goes from the valve cover breather to the air filter/turbo and lo and behold there's oil in there. It's obviously finding its way into the turbo. I find it strange that from cold there's no smoke, but after a little while it smokes. I'm assuming that it takes a clittle while for the pressure to build up and then force oil into the breather outlet. 

So here's the thing. Would I be wise to invest in a new cam/head cover which comes complete with new breather etc? Or am I wasting my time and scrap the car? Other than this, there is no loss of power, engine runs smoothly and no noises not previously heard.

Anyone out there had a similar experience who can shed some light on this issue?

Thanks, and have a great day!

[Stevey Y]

6 hours ago, PJ1981 said:

Hi evereyone. Is there anyone out there who can help me? I have an A4 B8 TDi 170 (CAHA). Had the car for just over a year, doing the usual maintenance etc. No real issues.

Couple of weeks ago I was driving the car (About 10 minutes from cold), when suddenly there was a lot of what I'm sure was blue smoke coming from the exhaust. I pulled into a layby and got out. Even at engine idle there was smoke from the exhaust. Switched off and went and had a coffee considering the options for the car... Nose dive into a quarry, swim in the lake, or even leaving the car on the drive to rot away to nothing. Drove home... After searching the internet, I find that there is very little info on this. One theory is the PCV, crankcase ventilation. So i went out to the car, started it up (Cold). Hey presto, no smoke! Took the oil filler cap off and sure enough it's chuffing out crankcase pressure. Took the pipe off that goes from the valve cover breather to the air filter/turbo and lo and behold there's oil in there. It's obviously finding its way into the turbo. I find it strange that from cold there's no smoke, but after a little while it smokes. I'm assuming that it takes a clittle while for the pressure to build up and then force oil into the breather outlet. 

So here's the thing. Would I be wise to invest in a new cam/head cover which comes complete with new breather etc? Or am I wasting my time and scrap the car? Other than this, there is no loss of power, engine runs smoothly and no noises not previously heard.

Anyone out there had a similar experience who can shed some light on this issue?

Thanks, and have a great day!

Hi if you take the breather hose off of the PCV valve there is always going to be oil but you should get a flow of air/gas as well as the oil it does it the minute you start the engine the residual oil you noticed was originally vapour, it won't do it from cold as there is no hot vaporised oil to suck out, I think you are safe to assume its the PCV collapsed as its only a piece of rubber inside the unit which either splits or goes rock hard and won't channel the gas out of the crankcase therefore the gas is forced past the rings in to the combustion chamber, presto, blue smoke.

Steve.

[PJ1981]

Thanks for the response. I'll order a complete cover, as well as injector seal kit. May as well do it right?

 

Thanks again...