NEWBIE (Audi A3 2.0 TDI Sport (WHITE SMOKE) HELP

[AudiMickey]

Hi All, 

First of all thank for welcoming me to the forum, just finding my way around still so please feel free to let me know if i have posted anything in the wrong place etc. (its not intentional I promise).

So I am an Audo A3 2.0 TDI Sport (2005/05) owner, its done 82k. Everything was perfect and I was loving the car and then all of a sudden....... disaster (in my eyes) has struck, as I am getting A LOT of white smoke when i rev the engine, now before anyone comments this is what i did.

1. Started the vehicle, car started fine, no trouble at all, and engine ticked over fine. 

2. After 5 or so minutes i noticed a little trail of white smoke, but it was cold out so i thought nothing of it, car was still running sweet. 

3. Then, whilst thinking about said white smoke I thought i would just feather the throttle a little (still sitting on driveway), it was then the white smoke got worse and worse but only when i pressed the throttle?? There was loads of it, now at this point i am yet to lose any coolant, i don't have any sludge in the engine or oil in the water? However its worth noting that when i bought there car there was a distinct lack of oil in it so i put had to put some in. 

Now I know that the white smoke means that its burning oil my question is this, do the "experts" think its Piston Rings Gone, Head Gasket, or Turbo or something simple like a blocked breather. However due to the amount of white smoke i think the situation is more serious than a breather thats blocked.

Now i know your not going to give me all the answers but your opinions would be more than appreciated. Thanks in advance guys and girls.

Regards

Mickey

[Dan3222]

White smoke is usually caused mainly by two things on a diesel. The first obvious one is water. But, if water level is not going down at all then the latter is not likely. However keep an eye on it as likely cause would be head gasket. Take of oil filler cap, is there loads of mayonnaise like deposits on it? If so water is definately in the oil.

 

The second is diesel, leaking injector seals being the most likely. But sticking injectors might be a cause also. I would put a good quality injector cleaner in the fuel in the mean time to see if it helps.

 

[Steve Q]

Welcome to the forum Mickey, sorry to hear about your a3 issues. I think Dan has summed it up well. 

Hope it gets sorted soon 

cheers

Steve 

[AudiMickey]

Hi Guys,

Just thought I would give you a quick update and ask some more questions (apologies in advance) after I have done some investigating tonight!!

Ok so firstly i drained all of the oil out of the car and there is definitely no water in the oil, no sludge/emulsification around the oil filler cap either. Secondly i took off the pipes that join the intercooler on the NSF and the OSF, both had traces of oil and enough oil in them to drip out a few spots. Thirdly i put my hand in the exhaust and it is black with oil residue and i also had a finger tip of emulsification when wiping the inside of the exhaust tail pipe with my finger? I still have lost no coolant as far as i can see.

Then i went back around to the front and tried to take off the big black silicone pipe that joins the middle of the turbo, now although i didn't get it off, i moved it enough to see that there is oil in that pipe, as i moved the pipe it started to seep out,,,,, Car starts and ticks over lovely still.

So i am guessing now at this point that these issues above point to the turbo seals failing and not the dreaded Pourus Cylinder Block although on tick over it wasnt long before the garage was filled with smoke (I assume oil burning although i still say the smoke was a white and greyish smoke) ? Would you guys agree?? 

Now for some of the other things I noticed.....

1. After running it up for 10 mins or so, the Temp Gauge didnt move? Is this normal on a 2005 2.0TDI 140BHP? How long should it take to register any kind of heat on the dash? Or have I just not left it long enough to get to temp?

2. When putting my hand over the exhaust (as though you are trying to block the emissions coming out) there is no build up of pressure?

As ever your help and thoughts would be most appreciated.

Regards

Mickey

[AudiMickey]

Hi Guys,

Just a quick update, I took the vehicle out for a drive and i have no boost at all, and copious amounts of smoke, so i can only assume now that the turbo has gone. I am going to replace the turbo and then see how i go from there, however before i go and buy a brand new turbo can anyone advise if i could just replace the cartridge, a new cartridge is like £65 and a new turbo is circa £200?? so the cheapest option would be to replace the cartridge???

[Dan3222]

I am reading your updates with interest. If it is the turbo seals that have gone and that's causing the smoke then I have learned something here. I would not have expected white smoke from that. Especially if she is just ticking over on idle, i.e. Not revving and therefore boosting. But, everyday is a school day.

You would always find a thin lining of oil in the boost pipes, I have never taken any apart on any vehicle without seeing one or two drops come out. However, the seal on my T5 had gone but it was leaking out of an ill fitting pipe so there wasn't an excess in the pipes if that makes sense. But I never had any smoke from this, white blue or black?? On idle or hard acceleration.

But the question remains where do you go from here. While a core is cheaper you need to take into consideration the time taken to strip and rebuild your turbo. If a replace the is only £200 that's where I would spend my money personally. Don't forget new gaskets too btw.

if it's still smoking after that then I do think that you should look at injector seals next.

Good luck with it all though mate. Reading with interest.

 

[AudiMickey]

Hmmm yes I was thinking exactly the same, however would injector seals explains the copius amounts of oil it is burning? Would it explain why there is oil in the tailpipe?? 

Not sure what to think anymore lol. As for the cost to strip I would be doing it myself as I have access to a ramp.

Your thoughts on the above would be appreciated, also the smoke could of been a greyish white if that makes any difference. By the way the coolant has not moved since day 1??

 

[Dan3222]

TBH that's great news on the coolant side of things. Means the engine can stay in one piece 👍

Maybe you have two separate issues here then. Turbo oil seals and oily exhaust as a symptom and a separate issue causing smoke of the green white variety?

obviously go with turbo first. See if it clears the  issues. 

Regarding core replacement I was kinda meaning that for the difference of about £135 I would prefer the peace of mind you get with one that has been put together for me. It would have been cleaned and tested as a unit and would have a warranty that is easier to use if it fails. Rather than the few hours labour taken to separate the turbo into 3 parts and then put back together, if it fails the supplier will just say you did something wrong.

I miss the good old days of diesels, they ran forever, where expected to smoke a bit AND no warning lights for this and that and oooo maybe a bit of this which might lead to a bit of that....... and in the end it was just a faulty sensor!! Ugg.

[AudiMickey]

Hi Dan

Thanks for the reply. The turbo and manifold is now off. There is lots of oil in the exhaust side of the turbo so there is a clear issue here,  had some issues actually getting the turbo/manifold out into the open as I didn't take out the OSF driveshaft......... someone told me it came out through the exhaust tunnel?? Anyway I'll get all the gaskets and turbo replaced, clean all the oil up and report back.

[AudiMickey]

HI Guys, 

 

Right quick update, its all BAD!!! Fitted a new recon turbo, filled with fresh oil, and started the car, left it ticking over for a good 15 mins and considerably less smoke than before........so far so good...... so thought i would then give it some revs and all of the Oil..... i would say a good 1.5 litres came out of the exahust?? WHY??? Oil pressure light also came on dash? I am really really down about it now and considering giving up? Any help would definitely be appreciated?

[Dan3222]

Have you got back in touch with the supplier of the turbo. Surely that's the seal catastrophically failing to push that much oil out of the exhaust. If oil was leaking somehow from engine internals before it wouldn't matter which turbo was fitted.

i really think you need to contact supplier and get an exchange!

[Dan3222]

Any news?

[AudiMickey]

Hi Dan,

Before I contacted the turbo supplier I ran the vehicle up for a good half an hour to 45 mins..... Then switched off and left for another half an hour, checked oil level and had not used any oil at all which led me to believe that the oil that was coming out was what was in the exhaust from the previous turbo failure. So needless to say the only way to properly test it was running it back up to temp, and then letting it heat up.to the point where the oil was burning off in the exhaust. After this I put a bucket under the exhaust and give it the beans a few times and probably got another litre out of it...... the vehicle now doesn't smoke, no coolant or oil loss and ticks over beautifully..... only thing is now is to sort out why the traction control light is on! Thanks for all your help and advise Dan3222. It is very much appreciated

[AudiMickey]

Oh and the oil pressure light was due to me being a numpty. I hadn't plugged the switch back in properly!! 

[Dan3222]

Genuinely pleased the turbo has sorted it for you👍