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      05-05-2013, 04:35 AM   #1
Kou
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[Help] Identifying White Smoke Cause

Hi, I have a 08 335i (98,xxx km) and she's been smoking.. here is the story,
My car sat in the garage for about 6 months and I upgraded it with FBO stage 2 and it started burning oil. My tech did a test as I told him it's the PCV and found out it was culprit, so we installed the RB PCV valve. The smoke went less and less for a few days and then it started to smoke hard again. I hope it's not the turbo seals..

Here are the recent report of my car:
- Heavy smoke on start up after start up rev.
- Heavy smoke on idle. (Before warm up)
- Very light smoke on idle. (After warm up or highway trip)
- No smoke when accelerating/cruising.
- No smoke when engine revving. (Neutral)
- Medium smoke after revving at high rpm.

I want to know what's the most possible cause before I take my car apart to find out.

Thanks!
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      05-22-2013, 01:18 AM   #2
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serviced the car yesterday with 10W40 (was 5w30), it now burns oil before 94C..(was before 110C)

found oil on rear turbo's oil return line, but was just a small leak.
found oil on the driver side intercooler pipe..
took the rb pcv valve and blew the valve on both ends, bearing works
checked around the engine, no leaks found anywhere..
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      05-23-2013, 12:07 AM   #3
JustROLLIN
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I am not well versed on these cars, but in general, if its white smoke out the tailpipe, its actually coolant that is burning. Smell the smoke, if it smells sort of sweet and its white, its coolant not oil. If oil is burning, and exiting the tailpipe, it will typically be a blueish color.

Now, if something is burning inside the engine bay, all the above info is invalid. Oil that has dripped onto something hot, it can burn white.
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      05-23-2013, 12:20 AM   #4
patman5300
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I had similar symptoms. Ended up being turbo seals.
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      05-23-2013, 04:33 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JustROLLIN View Post
I am not well versed on these cars, but in general, if its white smoke out the tailpipe, its actually coolant that is burning. Smell the smoke, if it smells sort of sweet and its white, its coolant not oil. If oil is burning, and exiting the tailpipe, it will typically be a blueish color.

Now, if something is burning inside the engine bay, all the above info is invalid. Oil that has dripped onto something hot, it can burn white.
the car smokes out of exhaust pipes, sometimes engine bay, the color is white but smells like burning oil.. no significant oil nor coolant loss..

Quote:
Originally Posted by patman5300 View Post
I had similar symptoms. Ended up being turbo seals.
did the car only smokes on idle and cold?


guys thanks for the reply..
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      05-26-2013, 03:50 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by patman5300 View Post
I had similar symptoms. Ended up being turbo seals.
I have the same exact problem and i believe its the turbo seals. How much did it cost?
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      05-26-2013, 06:22 PM   #7
patman5300
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kou View Post
the car smokes out of exhaust pipes, sometimes engine bay, the color is white but smells like burning oil.. no significant oil nor coolant loss..



did the car only smokes on idle and cold?


guys thanks for the reply..
My car was blowing whitish cloud of smoke on idle cold or warm, and also while driving from the exhaust but not from the engine bay. ended up replacing one of the turbos, exhaust manifold, valve cover, spark plugs. The engine was flooded with oil due to the turbo seal leak. Surprisingly the oil level didn't drop enough to even set off the low oil light. Total cost including labor was about $2500
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      05-27-2013, 02:17 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by patman5300 View Post
My car was blowing whitish cloud of smoke on idle cold or warm, and also while driving from the exhaust but not from the engine bay. ended up replacing one of the turbos, exhaust manifold, valve cover, spark plugs. The engine was flooded with oil due to the turbo seal leak. Surprisingly the oil level didn't drop enough to even set off the low oil light. Total cost including labor was about $2500
I see, I will try R&R the valve cover first.. my car doesn't seem to be blowing smoke when the engine is warm and when driving. Hope I don't have to replace turbos..

thanks
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      06-12-2013, 08:34 PM   #9
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Update: Changed valve cover & gasket.
Still burning oil.

found a possible cause, can this be head gasket or turbo seals/gaskets?

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      06-23-2013, 03:42 AM   #10
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so we lift the car up and took down the downpipes, we couldn't find any oil leaks inside the turbos and downpipes..

disconnected passenger side of the intercooler pipe, not enough oil to make the pipe suck the oil into to the pipes..

started the car and the car doesn't smoke anymore..

hide and seek??
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      09-07-2013, 12:26 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kou View Post
so we lift the car up and took down the downpipes, we couldn't find any oil leaks inside the turbos and downpipes..

disconnected passenger side of the intercooler pipe, not enough oil to make the pipe suck the oil into to the pipes..

started the car and the car doesn't smoke anymore..

hide and seek??
i get smoke from hood and exhaust after cold start engine with 5mins local drive, seems like i get oil burn smell with it. smoke when im on 2nd and 3rd gear only i think, what did you end up with?
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