Guys,
I'm curious as to if any of you have ever seen a T-25 Turbo Bearing coolant seal leaking coolant into the Exhaust Stream? Causing WHITE SMOKE out the back? I'm trying to determine if it's the coolant passage at the Turbo or HEADGASKETS :cry:
BTW There is NO Trace of coolant in the Intercooler intake pipes leading to the intake.
I'm no expert but I have never heard of anything like that in the time that I have been here..
You could get a coolant pressurizer and pressurize the system to find out where it's coming from.. that's my thought??
I have never heard of it from others, but I'm like 90% sure thats whats wrong with my car. At idle only, when the engine is warmed up, white smoke will POUR out the back of my STE. If I rev it up to like 1500+rpm it won't smoke anymore. Stupid me, I thought it was either the head gaskets or valve guides, one topend swap later white smoke still pours out the back. My cylinders looked smooth and compression test tells me the rings are good, and it doesn't burn any oil, that leaves only the turbocharger left to be the culprit. So, I think thats whats wrong with my car, so it could be whats wrong with yours.
Shawn
White smoke without the smell of coolant = Vacuum modulator on tranny! 8)
Quote from: TGPilotWhite smoke without the smell of coolant = Vacuum modulator on tranny! 8)
What? Out the exhuast? on Idle....?? It smoke almost immdeiately after I crank it up in PARK?
Oil Is Mobil Syth. It looks to be a bit greenish... I thinking Coolant in the oil?
What he's saying is that you are comsuming tranny fluid through a leaking modulator. Sucking it up the vac. line just like you would top engine cleaner.
Quote from: Gearhead43Guys,
I'm curious as to if any of you have ever seen a T-25 Turbo Bearing coolant seal leaking coolant into the Exhaust Stream? Causing WHITE SMOKE out the back? I'm trying to determine if it's the coolant passage at the Turbo or HEADGASKETS :cry:
BTW There is NO Trace of coolant in the Intercooler intake pipes leading to the intake.
Put your mind a ease as far as your turbo leaking coolant. It can't be water from the turbo. :lol: that water is in a sealed inner housing seperate from the bearings. You would have to have a crack in the housing for that to occur. Not impossible but highly unlikley.
Check out what TGPilot said.
Jud
Thanks for the interesting replies guys... The Vacauum Modulator I think I can rule it out Because I would not be losing coolant with a BAD Vaccum modulator.
I guess taking the plugs out and inspceting them is the NEXT order of business here... :cry:
I just don't get it.. Why would the Headgaskets be going out right after Engineered Performance gave the compression test a CLEAN bill of Health before the swap....?
Quote from: Gearhead43Oil Is Mobil Syth. It looks to be a bit greenish... I thinking Coolant in the oil?
Sythetic or not...it would look "milk-shakish".
Did not see in any of your posts it saying you had lost coolant...just white smoke out your arse pipes.
again...white smoke without smell of coolant = tranny fluid.
losing coolant and white smoke out your arse = coolant leak! OBVIOUSLY! Where from?...not so obvious!
8)
It looks to be losing coolant.. Which would point to the HG... I guess one way to check the vacuum modulator would be to unplug the Vacuum line at the Tranny Modulator and see if it.s got traces of Fluid on it, or should I Run the engine without the line connected to see if it's still pumping out WHITE smoke?
I just want to BE Dammed sure what the problem is before I start to RAISE HELL about this ....
Well SO far I've checked 4 of the 6 plugs and they appear to be A - OK Checking the last 2 on the back side tomorrow. If all the plugs appear to be fine. I'm going to full up the coolant, See If its really using it up...
If it is, I'm beginning to think it might not be the Heads, but the lower intake gasket..... :roll:
Ok.... I finally checked all 6 plugs and they are all pretty much the same .. New NGKTR55's all plugs had a thin whitish gray deposit on the gapper and a black/brownish ring on the flat surface after the threads..
Not losing much coolant at all, disconnected the vacuum source at the tranny modulator, Still Smioking white smoke.
Last time a compression check was performed (Just before the swap took place) it passed.
I'm thinking I've got the classic 3.1 Lower intake gasket leak..
What's your take on this guys?
If its that small of a leak...I would put some Bars Alumaseal. Round dry aluminum additive. It seal dam good. PUt two just in case. I would bet that the lower intake gasket went..if its old. BUt check your vacum modulator for traces of tranny oil in the vac port.
Quote from: TurboGTUIf its that small of a leak...I would put some Bars Alumaseal. Round dry aluminum additive. It seal dam good. PUt two just in case. I would be that the lower intake gasket went..if its old. BUt check your vacum modulator for traces of tranny oil in the vac port.
I disconnected the Vacuum Modulator line.. Cranked the car up and it still has white smoke out the back...Sooo Must likely the Lower intake gasket. I think I'm still gonna try to perform a compression check.. Just to be on the safe side.
If you're losing coolant throught the intake gasket, I would expect it to be in the oil, or I would expect oil in your coolant.
Not to steal this thread or anything, I am just trying to figure out this same problem on my car. There is no oil in my coolant, there is no coolant in my oil. I just did a topend swap (heads and up) and it still does exactly the same thing, so I'm doubting its a gasket, and if it was a gasket, there would be either coolant in my oil or oil in my coolant or both, so I am ruling that out. When I pull the vacuum line off the tranny modulator, it still smokes white smoke. If I rev the car up to 1500rpm or higher, it doesn't seem to smoke anymore. But white smoke will POUR out of the car at idle, but only when the engine is fairly warm, and it has to be idling for 30 seconds or so before it will do it, it doesn't do it immediately. Also, this started when I replaced my radiator after the car overheating due to my radiator have a HUGE hole in it because it rotted out. Which is why I figured, warped head, blown headgasket, worn valve guides, etc..., things that could have to do with it heating up. Wouldn't the turbo be more likely to crack with no coolant running through it?
The car runs very good, pulls very good, runs smoothly no missing. The turbo seems to be spooling slower and slower, and it does have some play in the turbine...thats why I'm thinking it might be the turbo.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Shawn
Try one of 2 things.
* Pressure test the cooling system, if its leaking out the turbo it will not hold pressure.
* Pull the turbo after the pressure test and see if there is any coolant residue in the exhaust housing or in the downpipe.
Just a couple ideas.
well you can bypass the cooling to the turbo, run it at idle for a min or so to check and see if its still smoking.. If not Then you know for sure the Coolant seal in the turbo is bad.
Thing about MY T-25 turbo is that it's a BRAND NEW Rebuilt unit...less than 150 miles on it.. But I'm gonna bypass the coolant to see if thats the problem.
Bypassed the coolant lins to the turo and let her idle for a mintue or two... No CHANGE in the Amount of WHITE smoke coming out the exhaust!!! :evil: :cry: :shocked!:
So Compression test going down again tomorrow....
Well I'll be dammed, After checking the oil for coolant, the Tranny for leaks and the turbo's coolant jacket for a bad seal, Compression check has revealed 170-175 PSI on all cylinders.... That's dammed good. No coolant leaks..Since the smoke is really a grayish white, John Kanaly seems to think it's raw fuel being dumped into the exhaust.... Ummmmm
It had a misfire too. So I went ahead and changed the plugwires, O2 sensor,, added fresh Mobil 1 oil and I am in the process of adding the Jeff M. Top Gun 160 Chip along with the 160 T-stat, and a K&N filter. Then I'll run a full Scan with the OBDI scan tool.
(For you 97 GP'ers out there, the 89 TGP can run a 160 T-stat without throwing a code because it is not tied into the ECM.)
In about one year I might sell the new T-25 Garret turbo and upgrade to the Garrett GT-28R. The new Ball Bearing series .. And Yes, I've heard those can be quite EXPENSIVE!
Stay tuned.......
Quote from: Gearhead43(For you 97 GP'ers out there, the 89 TGP can run a 160 T-stat without throwing a code because it is not tied into the ECM.)
Of course it won't throw a code...but without a custom or Jeff M 160* chip you will not have proper fan on/off points... 8)
Actually my mom had the same type of problem with her AUDI (I know its not anywhere near being a TGP). The seal on the turbine went bad and had to have the turbo rebuilt :bad-words: . So to me, the smoke in you exhaust is from that seal being broken. Best bet, Buy a new better turbo and HAVE FUN. :drinking: :rock:
Thats what I'm beginning to think the problem is...
Turbo is rebuilt.. I guess whoever did it need to take it back ..Defective.
Did you check the return hose? It could "look" good..but it plumps and blisters inside...cloging the oil and causing it to leak at the turbine seal. Try a stright 3/8 heater hose for a drive (test...not perminent)...and im sure it will go away.
In this case it's not the return....
It was checked and was clear all the way thru..
It's the turbo bearing oil seal has failed. Oil is going into the exhaust from the seal. You can see oil leaking around the Turbo's rear connection to the exhaust pipe. Big TIME.
If it was the return, there would also be oil inside the IC pipes.. The IC pipes are clean and dry as a whisle.
The return line is the one that connects to the bottom, right? I want to take a look at that.
Shawn
Quote from: dbtk2The return line is the one that connects to the bottom, right? I want to take a look at that.
Shawn
YES!