And here we go - Billowing White Smoke

[RDavisinVA]

As they say in the south: It's all good, man!
Hope you are fixed soon and sorry about all the smelly issues you are having.

 

[LostChord]

Definitely from the tailpipe

 

[LostChord]

Here's what I know (or don't as the case may be):

At idle, no problems whatsoever. Revving the engine in the driveway is also fine. No smoke, no leaks.

So, took it on the road, about a mile out and back with a slight uphill in the middle.

Can only get it to smoke (and a definite billow from the tailpipe) under load. It kicks in at about 30mph-40mph (no tach so I don't know the rpm's).

Had some white-ish, light grey, and bluish-white. Smoke smorgasbord.

Leak is from under the oil filler cap. Cap was tight before the trial run.

No oil on the air filter, or in the canister.

After shut down, I opened the bonnet straight away. There was a hissing sound coming from the area near the rear of the head cover, closest to the bulkhead. In other words, up high in the back. Sounded like an air leak from a hose, but could not pinpoint it before it stopped. It stopped when the turbo let out a low bellow, like a soft fog horn or train horn.

?

 

[rocky]

It stopped when the turbo let out a low bellow, like a soft fog horn or train horn.

?

Soft Whoopee Cushion like?

 

[RBBailey]

I have no clue, but it sounds like you have an overpressurization someplace, and for some reason, that is not being properly vented.

 

[LostChord]

Soft Whoopee Cushion like?

Lol, yeah, I suppose you could say that.

Dipsticks and whoopie cushions, this thread is on the verge of a train wreck

 

[LostChord]

I have no clue, but it sounds like you have an overpressurization someplace, and for some reason, that is not being properly vented.

Seems that way, I have no clue either, and even less experience, but I've never seen oil come back out from under a filler cap before.

 

[javelinadave]

Seems that way, I have no clue either, and even less experience, but I've never seen oil come back out from under a filler cap before.

I had it happen with my truck. A new filler cap and a can of Gunk and the problem was solved.

 

[LostChord]

I had it happen with my truck. A new filler cap and a can of Gunk and the problem was solved.

Were you having smoke issues as well, or just oil leaking from the filler cap?

 

[javelinadave]

Were you having smoke issues as well, or just oil leaking from the filler cap?

Just a mess but had it dripped onto the exhaust it would have been smoke too.

 

[RBBailey]

Could wastegate plugged up cause something like this?

 

[AdamSanta85]

Could wastegate plugged up cause something like this?

No. How can a wastegate get plugged?

 

[rocky]

Whats the oil rated at 15-40 01/30 semi synth?

Pull off a pipe on the inlet side of the system. Especially around intercooler. Is it soaked in oil? I'm wondering if the PCV is gunked up and stuck open.

 

[RDavisinVA]

Here's 4 more guesses based on your latest more definitive description of the problem.

Guess behind door number 1:
The crankcase is getting pressurized.
You have a clogged "PCV system" that may have substantially increased symptoms brought about by blow by.
The excess pressure is blowing into the air filter hose causing the exhaust smoke.

Guess behind door number 2:
The hose between the air filter and turbo has gone soft and is closing off.
This scenario tries to suck air from the crankcase, but it cannot because the "PCV system" is blocked off and makes a rich mixture causing black exhaust smoke, then goes White when the hose opens up.

Guess behind door number 3:
One of the intercooler hoses has collapsed internally (big blister inside) on the pressure side of the turbo hose and is blocking the intake charge and routing some of the pressure into the crankcase, via an open "PCV system" causing exhaust smoke and also the oil to leak out of the valve cover cap.

Guess behind door number 4:
Same as Guess behind door number 3, but in conjunction with, the hose between the air filter and turbo has gone soft and is closing off.

 

[steinhnj]

Do you have a boost gage? Are you seeing different pressures than normal?

Have you driven it with your bonnet off to see anything different going on in the engine bay?

 

[Uncle Douglas]

Could wastegate plugged up cause something like this?

No.

How would a waste gate get "plugged" ?

 

[LostChord]

Whats the oil rated at 15-40 01/30 semi synth?

Rotella 15W-40.

 

[Uncle Douglas]

Despite my esteemed colleague Smeggman's 4 doors of guessing.....none of which would be my go to (although the fixes for Morty's guesses are cheaper than my diagnosis), here's my best guess.

Hadn't you been having cooling system pressurization issues ?

Sounds like #4 cyl of head gasket to me (hissing sound from back of head).

Cyl is under 385-400 psi and higher when under load ie boost. When it's under boost and leaking worse than @ idle you will get incomplete combustion which results in white smoke out tail pipe. Oil out the cap is result of pressurizing oil gallery/ crank case
That is my arm chair diagnosis based on descriptors.

 

[LostChord]

Do you have a boost gage? Are you seeing different pressures than normal?

Have you driven it with your bonnet off to see anything different going on in the engine bay?

No tach, boost, or egt. Those are at the top of the list, along with this problem of course.

Have not yet driven with the bonnet off; good idea.

 

[LostChord]

Thanks for all the feedback so far. You guys are awesome.

UPDATE:

Gunk is on sale at Autozone - 2 for $7.

Degreased again to give it one more go. Remember the hissing sound? Found it. It's coming from the top of the plastic cyclone breather. Like there's a crack in the round top lip. Could all of this really be as simple resolving that?? Would this behave like a clogged "PCV system"?

Once it depressurizes (the hissing sound), the whoopie cushion sound from the turbo side of the motor ends the show.

I've always wanted an Allisport oil breather anyway.

Thoughts??