Blue Smoke

[Artifact]

Hi all,

I have just bought a Soarer TT. When first driving it and whatnot and prior to purchase, the Soarer ran fine (with the exception of the power steering, but that's another issue). However, when we took it home, we noticed that the oil levels were dangerously low (and horrendously burnt too) so we did the most logical thing and serviced it with an oil change (SAE5W30 oil, synthetic). We also used a Valvoline oil filter.

Allow me to stress that this issue was not there prior to the purchase. The car hasn't been thrashed since purchasing either.

Here comes the problem - yesterday the mechanic pointed out that it was spewing out copious amounts of blue smoke via the exhaust. When checking the oil level, we saw that it was ridiculously overfilled (by about 1-1.5cms above the highest point of the "full" mark on the dip stick). I just drained about 1-1.5L's of oil (which curiously has taken on a dark hue). However, the blue smoke still continues to come out (havn't driven it since the drainage). I also noticed a substantial amount of grey sludge in the exhaust tips. I'm about to try and reset the ECU to see if somehow it's running a tad rich.

What're my options? should I:

1) Drive it until the oil sorts itself out within the system, assuming the excess oil was leaking through the seals and making its way out of the exhuast?

2) Avoid driving the car whatsoever - have the turbos reconditioned, or replace the turbos with new ones?

3) Avoid driving the car whatsoever - Replace turbo seals

4) Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance! I desperately need this car to work without any fuzzly issues.

Eagerly awaiting a response,

Art

[Kazi]

Head gasket maybe?

Oil spill?

Tappets?

[Bob King]

Going by what you have said, its burning oil, so first thoughts are piston rings or valve stem oil seals. if you are an advanced DIY home mechanic, first job would be to do the stem oil seals , that head off , valves out ,fit new rubber seals to each valve stem ;) , sorry to say ,i can't think an answer , thats not going to be expensive.

[MacRS200]

If it does it on start up only prob valve oil seals. With a special tool to hold the valve thay can usually be done without removing the head :)

If only on the overun probably bores/rings

All the time would suspect build up of crankcase pressure e.g blocked breather.

Grey/Cream sludge in oil suggests water in the oil, this could be because of condensation; too many short runs and not enough booting it down the motorway :D

Hope this helps

[Artifact]

Thanks a lot for the responses guys! I'll get someone to check it out first thing tommorow. I'm hoping it's the valve oil seals and nothing more expensive ;p

Had to pick someone up in the city before and gave it a drive. Upon arrival I checked the exhausts to see if the smoke was still spewing out. Surprisingly, the exhausts looked positively normal (other than the usual exhaust gases). After a few minutes, however, the smoke started again.

Upon arriving home, the smoke stopped again (it seems to stop after each drive) and I left it running to see if the dreaded smoke had come about - once again, it had stopped (even after a few minutes of waiting it still didn't return). Perhaps things'll be all fixed tommorow?

I'm suspecting the overfill of the oil (and the use of different oils, since we'd have used different oil from the previous owner) would have placed additional pressure on the seals (could the thinner synthetic oil could have reacted differently to the internal sludge/film of the previous oil? or leaked through seals that were accustomed to the previous oil?).

Anymore ideas and suggestions with this new information?

I appreciate the responses, thanks a lot!

[mrdsukautos]

It is probably a problem a lot simpler than all that

You put 5/30 oil in the car which is to thin you should have used 10/40 or even better 15/50 Mobil 1 race oil.

The thin oil gets through the turbo seals so causing blue smoke.

So hopefully a change to the correct oil will sort all this out :D

[Artifact]

Wow... which oil do you personally use?

We used 5W30 because the user's manual directed us to do so. I suspected that would've been wrong since every other car I've owned hasn't used anything that thin... We'll give it another oil change tommorow and see how it goes. As a point of contention - exactly how many litres of oil are required? I've had a lot of mixed messages and varied responses, it appears that even the manual I have is wrong, I can't quite seem to find it on the net either.

Thanks a lot for your response, lets hope oil thickness is the real issue :D

[mrdsukautos]

Wow... which oil do you personally use?

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I use 15/50 Mobil 1 race oil

This is difficult to find though in some areas so 10/40 Mobil 1 is good enough

5itres is enough. As always make sure the engine is hot when changing the oil even jack it to one side slightly so you get every last drop out.Not everyone will do that but it does help to reduce contaminants if you get it all out.

Change oil every 5000km

Change oil and filter every 10,000km

Glad to help mate :D

[adz]

It is probably a problem a lot simpler than all that

You put 5/30 oil in the car which is to thin you should have used 10/40 or even better 15/50 Mobil 1 race oil.

The thin oil gets through the turbo seals so causing blue smoke.

So hopefully a change to the correct oil will sort all this out

I agree. The car maybe designed to run on fully synthetic but if it hasn't been then the tolerances may be low enough to keep normal oil from being burnt but synthetic, especially 5W30 is thin enough to seep through the gaps. Do an oil change with some thicker oil and it should be OK. Bear in mind it'll take a while to burn off the oil which will is already in the exhaust pipe.

Generally speaking it's best not to switch to fully synthetic thin oil if the car has been run on normal oil for a long period.Good luck. :)

[Steve]

turbos will be 1.5K each i expect

[Steve]

You should use Castrol Magnatec. Very suitable Oil for the soarer.

[mrdsukautos]

You should use Castrol Magnatec. Very suitable Oil for the soarer.

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Everybody to their own on choice of oil :D

Ive heard many an argument on what type and manufacturer of oil to use at the end of the day it is all down to personal opinion.

I just said use the Mobil 15/50 as it is only a fiver more than normal fully synthetic but is very very good in the griff i dont know if there are indeed any other manufacturers that make the same grade as 15/50?

[Artifact]

Thank you all SO very much. I'm heading out to buy the oil now and will let you know how it goes :D

[Artifact]

Just changed the oil to a thicker grade and... it's fixed! Thanks a LOT guys! You've saved me the issue of a pointless turbo recondition!

Hooray! :D

[mrdsukautos]

Just changed the oil to a thicker grade and... it's fixed! Thanks a LOT guys! You've saved me the issue of a pointless turbo recondition!

Hooray! :D

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All good dude :D

its good when it is the simpler option aint it