12 replies to this topic

[AteFifty]

i have an 1995 850 turbo wagon... a couple weeks ago I pulled out onto the parkway and stomped on the gas to get that turbo spooled up... i noticed in my rearview mirror LOTS of greyish blue smoke coming from the exhaust... shortly it disappeared.... (i was using the SPORT setting ...as opposed to the ECONOMY)....

This has happened a couple times... i look back and notice alot of smoke which goes away before long....

two nights ago after drivng home from work (9pm) I pull into taco bell and notice a strong smell... i get the feeling my cabin is filling up with smoke.... cant find a flashlight to look for telltale signs in the beam... i roll down the window to place my order and the smell goes away... look in the rearview mirror to see if the exhasut is belching again and notice nothing... Last night after driving home again (9pm and about 30 miles )... i decide to pull into taco bell again... this time as i slow down adn maneuver into the drive up lane, i smell that smell again... i grab the flashlight and turn it on... cant tell if the cabin is full of smoke, but it sure smells that way... and this time i was followed in by another car and i notice my exhaust IS belching smoke... the headlight s of the guy behind me illuminate the smoke coming from the exhaust.... again, before long, it goes away.....

I'm wondering what could be going on here. Is my cabin's heating system burning up? Is my turbo shot? Is the exhaust system shot? Is the engine shot? Is it the transmission? Did the garage down the street put a crappy fuel pump in? Time for tuneup? I have no idea where to begin............ anybody have a guess as to what's going on with this???

Edited by AteFifty, 16 April 2005 - 03:18 PM.

[Bay13]

What you describe sounds like the turbo is seeping/leaking oil into the exhaust, it's on it's way out. Now thats a guess so don't run out and buy a 19T tomorrow.
Check your oil level to see if you are loosing much between oil changes. If you start it and don't go into boost see if you have it them, if not then your valve stem seals are more than likely OK.

[Karlson]

ow thats a guess so don't run out and buy a 19T tomorrow.

haha

[Turbo Brick]

What you describe sounds like the turbo is seeping/leaking oil into the exhaust

I agree. Here's my $.02. My friend's '95 854T is the doing the same thing right now. Drive around normally and there is hardly any smoke. Let it idle for any extended amount of time and you'll notice some light blue smoke out the exhaust. Stomping the gas (loading the engine, making boost) produces a large blue smoke cloud out the exhaust. What's happening is his turbo oil return line is so clogged with coked oil (from not letting the car idle down after hard driving) that when his car gets into boost, the oil can't drain through the clogged return line fast enough. Instead, the oil seeps past the seals in the turbo and ends up in the exhaust housing where it is burnt and leaves the exhaust as a blue smoke. IMO, your best bet right now is to buy a bottle or two of AutoRX and attempt to unclug the return line with that, or simply remove and clean, or replace the oil return line if you're feeling so inclined. It would suggest the latter first, since it seems like your situation is much worse. Good luck.

[VolvoT5]

anybody have a guess as to what's going on with this???

Agreed with other comments - try this very simple test.

1. Top up oil so it's at the max level on the dipstick
2. Drive around fairly hard for 15 minutes, use plenty of turbo - get it to full boost several times etc.
3. Stop, leave the car at idle for 10 minutes
4. Get someone to stand by the exhaust, and rev the engine to about 5,000rpm (either at a standstill or as you pull away).

If you get a lot of smoke then it's very lightly to be the turbo.

5. Check the oil level again

If it is the turbo, and you can't get one put on in a decent amount of time - whenever you're at a standstill in traffic, raise the revs to 1,200rpm instead of letting the car sit at idle. When you pull away you should get hardly any smoke - unless your turbo is really really knackered.

[AteFifty]

If you start it and don't go into boost see if you have it them, if not then your valve stem seals are more than likely OK.

Bay13, what do you mean by if I "dont go into boost" when I start the car?
YOu mean just start the car and let it idle? Also "see if you have it them"? Do you mean see if I have any smoke pouring out the exhaust?

Guess I;ll take this opportunity to ask about difficulty of cleaning oil return lines.... Is it complicated? Harder than changing the windshield washer fluid? lol.. ok how about this: is it harder than replacing an alternator?.... I'll take a look around the site to see if there's any instruction on this particular topic...

thanks to all for the rapid and intelligent reponses!!!

[prasamin]

my question for you is why do you like Taco Bell so much?

No, but in all seriousness, the bluish smoke is a sign of oil leaking into the exhaust, and changing or cleaning the oil return lines is not TOO complicated if you know how to remove the turbo....you'll need access over and under the car!, and you'll need new seals for the lines!

[Turbo Brick]

No, but in all seriousness, the bluish smoke is a sign of oil leaking into the exhaust, and changing or cleaning the oil return lines is not TOO complicated if you know how to remove the turbo....you'll need access over and under the car!, and you'll need new seals for the lines!

You don't have to remove the turbo to remove+clean/replace the turbo oil return line.

[Bay13]

http://www.volvospeed.com/Repair/turborepairline.htm

[jwmerrill]

I seem to be having a similar problem with my 1999 C70. I recently replaced the turbo with a 19T. At the same time I changed the oild to Mobil 1. After driving the car for a while I noticed several small drops of oil on the ground under the car. We put the car in the air and cleaned it up to try to find the source of the leak. I thought that it was related to the Mobil 1 since I know a lot of people have noticed leaks after switching. We couldn't determine the source of the leak at that time. Since then, during moderate accelleration I've noticed some smoke in the rear view mirror. Could I perhaps have the same issue with the oil return line?

jwm

[Turbo Brick]

I seem to be having a similar problem with my 1999 C70. I recently replaced the turbo with a 19T. At the same time I changed the oild to Mobil 1. After driving the car for a while I noticed several small drops of oil on the ground under the car. We put the car in the air and cleaned it up to try to find the source of the leak. I thought that it was related to the Mobil 1 since I know a lot of people have noticed leaks after switching. We couldn't determine the source of the leak at that time. Since then, during moderate accelleration I've noticed some smoke in the rear view mirror. Could I perhaps have the same issue with the oil return line?

jwm

Yes. The car I mentioned in my first post is/was also leaking oil from the return line area. If you didn't replace these when you swapped turbos, you'll want to do it now.: http://www.ipdusa.com/ProductsCat.aspx?Cat...=179&RootID=629

Edited by Turbo Brick, 17 April 2005 - 09:01 PM.

[AteFifty]

http://www.volvospeed.com/Repair/turborepairline.htm

Yes! I found this earlier.... sounds really simple!... I'm just not sure about the part where it says not to be afraid to push it or something like that... i'm not sure if the guide is saying to pull the oil return line towards the engine block or down and away from it towards the turbo side.... would it be possible to elaborate on exactly how this metal tube is maneuvered out from between th turbo and the engine block?
ALSO... should i be expecting oil to drip all over the place? Should the car be warm or cold? Any other prep to do besides ordering the seal and the o-ring?

I know, i know... i'm a big pain in the butt

Edited by AteFifty, 17 April 2005 - 08:29 PM.

[jwmerrill]

I seem to be having a similar problem with my 1999 C70. I recently replaced the turbo with a 19T. At the same time I changed the oild to Mobil 1. After driving the car for a while I noticed several small drops of oil on the ground under the car. We put the car in the air and cleaned it up to try to find the source of the leak. I thought that it was related to the Mobil 1 since I know a lot of people have noticed leaks after switching. We couldn't determine the source of the leak at that time. Since then, during moderate accelleration I've noticed some smoke in the rear view mirror. Could I perhaps have the same issue with the oil return line?

jwm

Yes.  The car I mentioned in my first post is/was also leaking oil from the return line area.  If you didn't replace these when you swapped turbos, you'll want to do it now.:  http://www.ipdusa.com/ProductsCat.aspx?Cat...=179&RootID=629

This fixed my oil leak. It was the gasket on the oil return line... the old one had a chunk missing from it.

Thanks for the help.