White Smoke = new Cat?????????

[paultuk]

Hi folks,

2004 MK5 GT TDi 2.0 140bhp 43k


Recently had a new turbo fitted and engine rebuild due to pretty bad turbo failure. The garage doing the work said that the rebuild has been done and everything is fine and the new turbo is operating correctly.
However due to the turbo failure they say the turbo had dumped the engine oil content into the exhaust system. They say the engine runs ok, but due to the oil still in the exhaust system, plooms of white smoke are emitted from the exhaust when the system warms up. Just wondering if anyone could help me out with this???

Would i need a whole new system? Would i just need a cat?

If a cat is saturated with oil are the tell tale signs of a cat failure white smoke plooms??

The garage has quoted me £700 for a new exhaust system! The engine rebuild and new turbo have already cost me £1900 +Vat.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Paul

[Crasher]

If it is just oil in the system it will clear although it may take a while.

[pointneuf]

i'm interested to see your post and wondering if there are any similarities. i have a golf gt 170 (petrol). Last saturday i started to hear a strange noise from the engine, not the supercharger which i'd heard before and recognise now, but more like a howling. the noise is hard to describe but i'd best describe it as being very similar to star wars when chewbacca does one of his whimpers, and lasting the same legth of time. this happened everytime i pressed on the gas, even with the slightest touch from speeds 10mph - 50mph, just a slightly lesser whimper.

anyway, this was soon accompanied by big plumes of white smoke coming from the back of the car. it filled the sky, blocking my view of cars behind and it stunk if you were out in it. it was the kind of heavy smoke that just sunk and stayed on the ground, slowly dispersing. the smoke generally gushed out when travelling at slow speeds e.g. roundabouts, when slowing right down to the drive on.

getting home, i checked the oil levels which were very low - i'd only had the car 6 mths from a vw dealership and done 3-4k miles so presuming they would have filled it up before this was surprising.

drove it in today to be seen and halfway in the engine warning light came on too - good in a way cos it's proof that something is wrong (not that i needed it - the smoke that accompanied my arrival got their attention - they must have thought a new pope was being sworn in.

anyway, to cut a long story a bit shorter, i got a call and they think it may that be the turbo is knackered - hopefully find out more tomorrow and will keep the forum informed.

[paultuk]

Hi,

sounds pretty similar to my original failure. The whining noise you described was the same that i was getting only my noise was getting louder until boom!!!!

All i can say is its a good job you have a WARRANTY!!!! I however did not. Original quote from VW was £5300 for new engine and turbocharger!!!

I got a local engine specialist to replace the turbo and rebuild the engine. Anyway £2172 later and i have a fully working car again minus the white smoke and no whining noise!

P.S. After a 80 mile drive to get the exhaust to high temps i burnt off all remaining oil in the system. No white smoke anymore.

Hope this is of help?

Paul