White smoke only idling.

[bartun]

I’m having a similar issue as you are currently and i’ve been searching for answers everywhere. I get the same white smoke but it pours out of my exhaust manifold somewhere. What you said about the excessive lubrication on the compressor wheel makes a bit of sense to me as being the issue. But if it were, I’m wondering what would the solution be?

This is why I am asking if with BNR S4 turbo + HTP 3.5" intake would solve the problem, because I have pending both to install.

But if your idea is keeping stock k04, I saw a video of one guy with smoke problem on idle and hes putting a cap in the stock intake nipple, and putting a new nipple in the inlet pipe, close to the turbo, connect it to the rocker valve and stopped smoking, but the truth is that I have no idea if it will solve it definitelly.

 

[SpeedSensei]

This is why I am asking if with BNR S4 turbo + HTP 3.5" intake would solve the problem, because I have pending both to install.

But if your idea is keeping stock k04, I saw a video of one guy with smoke problem on idle and hes putting a cap in the stock intake nipple, and putting a new nipple in the inlet pipe, close to the turbo, connect it to the rocker valve and stopped smoking, but the truth is that I have no idea if it will solve it definitelly.

I’m not too sure honestly. There’s only one real way to find out though i suppose, swap them and find out. But i’m almost positive its not my turbo seals as my turbo is brand new i replaced it already thinking that was the problem.

 

[bartun]

I’m not too sure honestly. There’s only one real way to find out though i suppose, swap them and find out. But i’m almost positive its not my turbo seals as my turbo is brand new i replaced it already thinking that was the problem.

Me too, I rebuilt it with a Melett CHRA (One of the best brands in europe) and after 1000km's of very soft use, the other day started smoking again.

 

[Easter Bunny]

You could get the stock turbo inlet pipe from a gen 2

 

[bartun]

You could get the stock turbo inlet pipe from a gen 2

But here in Spain/Europe, didn't have any Mazda advertising about the turbo, or ventilation upgrade or something like that, so I think here, the inlet pipe in both mazdaspeed3 are the same.

If I had the stock inlet pipe, I would test to fit a cap in my actual intake nipple and put a new nipple in the inlet pipe, but I don't know if It would be enough to stop the smoking issue because I am running straight pipe until the last muffler (smaller one), so, that's because I would like to try the banjo bolt, if it goes better with it, probably that's the issue.

 

[Easter Bunny]

The inlet pipes are not the same between generations.

Number one you have not determined if your car is infact burning oil

Number two the smoking turbo is 100% caused by crankcase pressure

Number three a smaller banjo bolt will do nothing to fix the problem it only masks it and risks starving your turbo of oil

 

[Awafrican]

Just because they didn't advertise it doesn't mean the upgrade didn't happen.

Failed PCV valve, which is not uncommon which has been stated already can cause this issue too. So to know if it'll continue with a new turbo, if it's PCV / crank case pressure it won't matter what turbo it is. Banjo bolt typically "fixes" the blue smoke from oil as a bandaid or as stated masks the issue and yes starves your turbo

Sure try the banjo bolt because you seem dead set on trying that rather than trying to fix the crank case issues that actually cause the turbo to start smoking, heck people even swap their gen1 valve cap for a gen 2 one due to the changes between generations, again changes weren't advertised but they're there.

If the issue is intact crank case pressure you'll likely end up with the same issuess even with a new turbo

 

[bartun]

The inlet pipes are not the same between generations.

Number one you have not determined if your car is infact burning oil

Number two the smoking turbo is 100% caused by crankcase pressure

Number three a smaller banjo bolt will do nothing to fix the problem it only masks it and risks starving your turbo of oil

Yeah, I don't know if it's burning definitely oil, but I think the only way to burn water, is through the head gasket, and If I had a bad head gasket, compression test would be bad, plus it smells a bit bitter.

This is what I want to test, small banjo bolt maybe mask the problem, if the "smoke problem" is masked, then I will know 100% the problem is turbo burning oil because crankcase pressure. Really is a bad idea test it 30 min only? I will install a BNR S4 after solve the smoke issue, I just want to solve this.

Just because they didn't advertise it doesn't mean the upgrade didn't happen.

Failed PCV valve, which is not uncommon which has been stated already can cause this issue too. So to know if it'll continue with a new turbo, if it's PCV / crank case pressure it won't matter what turbo it is. Banjo bolt typically "fixes" the blue smoke from oil as a bandaid or as stated masks the issue and yes starves your turbo

Sure try the banjo bolt because you seem dead set on trying that rather than trying to fix the crank case issues that actually cause the turbo to start smoking, heck people even swap their gen1 valve cap for a gen 2 one due to the changes between generations, again changes weren't advertised but they're there.

If the issue is intact crank case pressure you'll likely end up with the same issuess even with a new turbo

You don't understand me or maybe I have not explained myself well, I only want to know 100% sure if the oil burnt is through the turbo because the crankcase pressure problem, and when I am sure of this, solve it.

Of course If the problem is the crankcase pressure, I will have to buy the gen2 valve cover, re-install the original catback to get some exhaust pressure or what I need, but before spending over 550€ (650$) for the 335$ gen2 valve cover + 120$ shipping + 200$ spanish custom taxes, I just want to be 100% sure that the fault is that.

 

[Awafrican]

Your head gasket can be fine and you can still have condensation in your engine it happens just from heat cycles and drawing in humid air into the engine which is why when it's cold you get some smoking white (steam) but once everything's hot and all the humidity is gone is clear. Even on humid days with cool temps when the cars cold I'll see it.

Banjo again, is it turbo seal or crank case well it's not a diagnostic tool so installing it won't tell you which one it is

 

[bartun]

Your head gasket can be fine and you can still have condensation in your engine it happens just from heat cycles and drawing in humid air into the engine which is why when it's cold you get some smoking white (steam) but once everything's hot and all the humidity is gone is clear. Even on humid days with cool temps when the cars cold I'll see it.

Banjo again, is it turbo seal or crank case well it's not a diagnostic tool so installing it won't tell you which one it is

Yeah I know about that, and where I live, almost never less than 60% humidity, usually 65 or 70%. This friday, I will start the car and let cold idle atleast 15 min and look what happens, then I will use the car atleast 15 min and then in hot, i will let idle again 15 min, to discard 100% the condensation.

Then how can I test if the crankcase pressure is the problem? Because If I install the stock catback to recover the exhaust pressure, maybe the own exhaust hides the smoke and I think I solved the problem and problem still there but I can't see the smoke..

 

[Easter Bunny]

Jesus man are you reading anything that is written? You don't need a cat back you don't need a valve cover you need to get a tip that moves the vacuum point closer to the turbo. Many of the aftermarket ones do this.

Just drive the car and then let it sit. The test from Mazda when they were still dealing with the smoking issue was to let it idle at operating temperature.

There is also water in gas which will condensate in the exhaust while the car is warming up

 

[bartun]

Jesus man are you reading anything that is written? You don't need a cat back you don't need a valve cover you need to get a tip that moves the vacuum point closer to the turbo. Many of the aftermarket ones do this.

Just drive the car and then let it sit. The test from Mazda when they were still dealing with the smoking issue was to let it idle at operating temperature.

There is also water in gas which will condensate in the exhaust while the car is warming up

Yes, of course I am reading everything you are all writing, but definitely you are not understanding me, I'm freaking out.

Can you understand I can't spend nearly 450$ in a CP-e inlet pipe (this have the nipple near the turbo) or over 360$ for the stock gen2 inlet pipe only to test if it's the problem? (Because when I fix the smoke problem I am gonna install a BNR S4 and I have already bought an HTP 3.5 intake for the BNR, that I'll modify and put a nipple closer too)

My actual inlet pipe is a Cobb one. I would like to fit a nipple near the turbo to test it and see if it stops smoking, but I don't know how I'll do yet. But before of that, I will test the cold engine 15min idling and the hot engine 15min idling WITHOUT fitting the small banjo bolt, calm.

Just understand me, the salary's in Spain are VERY LOW, the pieces in Mazda dealership are ultraexpensive (example: MAF costs over 800$, stock airbox costs over 1900$, inlet pipe costs over 360$, 1st O2 sensor costs over 700$....) and in Spain Mazda only sold nearly 300 gen1 and 30 gen2, no scrapping options. Every part we have to buy outside Europe, that means if you buy a 30$ shit, we have to pay over 120$ shipping + extremely high custom taxes.

 

[Raider]

When I had the white smoke steam train issue, it was the turbo going bad. Replaced and it went way after all the oil in the exhaust went away. Only smoked at idle.

I have a pile of OEM engine crap in my attic from locals who were going to trash em. Well now I am the one who will be trashing. Airboxes, battery boxes, etc. No turbos tho.

But the Denso OEM oxygen sensors are not that much. PCV valves are cheap too.

My thoughts are turbo and PCV replacement and get an Oil Catch Can. I know Corksport has international distributors, and Damond ships Worldwide too.

 

[bartun]

When I had the white smoke steam train issue, it was the turbo going bad. Replaced and it went way after all the oil in the exhaust went away. Only smoked at idle.

I have a pile of OEM engine crap in my attic from locals who were going to trash em. Well now I am the one who will be trashing. Airboxes, battery boxes, etc. No turbos tho.

But the Denso OEM oxygen sensors are not that much. PCV valves are cheap too.

My thoughts are turbo and PCV replacement and get an Oil Catch Can. I know Corksport has international distributors, and Damond ships Worldwide too.

My turbo was rebuilt 1000km's ago.

I am gonna try to change the nipple (that comes from rocker valve) location of the intake to make a test, I have a new PCV too pending for install.

I would like to install as soon as I fix the smoke problem, a OCC between the PCV valve and the intake manifold, yep.

 

[Raider]

Oh I saw you rebuilt it. Removing and checking for oil leakage would be a to do.

 

[bartun]

Small update from yesterday.

One friend of spanish mazdaspeed whatsapp group told me to check if the recirculation hose of rocker cover was obstructed, so first of all, I disconnected the recirculation vacuum hose from the intake and tried to aspire/suction, I don't know if it should be hard or loose to suction, but it was hard, and a lot of gasoline/petrol flavor/taste when suction that hose, thats weird. I pulled out the oil filler cap and a lot of gasoline/petrol smell/flavor again, maybe related of the rich AFR idling (14.4) and driving too for a possible injector leaking?

I cold start the car yesterday, started smoking after 30 sec of turn engine on, after 2 min stopped smoking, I let it idle 12min and throttle hit and smoke bubble, repeated this and again. I go outside and drive the car, 15 min normal driving and repeat the test. No smoke idling with hot engine after driving and burning probably all condensation, I let idle the car again 15 min with hot engine, no idle smoke, then throttle hit to 3,5k rpm and it smoked very little when RPM dropping to nearly 1,4k rpm, let id idle another 10 min and repeat, throttle hit to 3,5k rpm and again, very little smoke when rpms drops to 1,5k or nearly idle.

Get some of the condensation on a piece of paper and post a pic. Does it clear up if you let the car idle for a while

Yeah, pretty sure cold smoke it's condensation with some carbon. This is after drying the paper 1 hour later.

 

[Easter Bunny]

From what you are describing it does not seem that the turbo seals are bad

 

[bartun]

From what you are describing it does not seem that the turbo seals are bad

Yep, its looking good, I think I will replace the PCV and will improve the rocker cover vacuum going to intake equally. Most probably I'll take injectors out and send to restore, clean, replace all washers, orings, new upgraded filters and upgraded seals.

I think the smoke with hot engine, can be the valve stem guides, maybe they are starting to fail, maybe they are still in tolerances but having straight pipe makes I can see small smoke quantity that shouldn't see it with a stock exhaust or sportive exhaust.

Maybe the AFR problem + strong gasoline flavor/smell in the rocker valve probably coming from injector leaking, car have 103.000km's and the injector cleaning + new seals will come in handy and if I'm lucky, will solve the problem.

 

[Awafrican]

why do you say valve stem guides? you keep coming back to this meanwhile multiple people are saying crank case ventilation issues. start with that like you already plan.

 

[bartun]

why do you say valve stem guides? you keep coming back to this meanwhile multiple people are saying crank case ventilation issues. start with that like you already plan.

Yeah I will do that first of all, replacing the PCV valve and relocating the intake nipple coming from the rocker valve, but doesn't look that's the problem I think, because it's not continually smoking on idle, just when I hit the accelerator throttle and just smokes a little bit when rpms are dropping nearly 1k or 1,5k rpm, thats weird but yeah, I'll start replacing the PCV valve and relocating the intake nipple, and I'll take the advantage of removing intake manifold and I'll restore the injectors and upgrade the seals too.