Help needed

About 3 weeks ago while pulling away from a set of lights I suddenly lost boost then car started to blow smoke from the exhaust. Got the car home and checked all the usual things you'd check and eery thing seemed ok. Not losing coolant, oil levels ok, compression test was fine. Parked the car up for afew days got back into it went for a blast car was perfect for about 2 days then again like before lost boost and car started to smoke. So pretty much now when you start the car you'll get about 10 minutes of running perfect then you'll lose boost and she'll start to smoke. Can anyone help me out here on where to begin looking? Car will start and idle perfect at all times.

Cheers, Tom

What colour smoke.

Kind of a white ish colour Johnny. I checked the turbo and shaft is still in one piece and spinning freely. No fault lights on the dash or anything.

Got to be something when it gets hot but white smoke normally head gasket, cylinder head or cracked block.
See what others think but got to be early stages and getting worse.
Strange a few of the tests above shown nothing up.

It's like a real musky thick smoke. Yeah I was thinking the same about its only when the car is fully heated up that it starts. Do you think I should do a flash code test? When it first happened I'm nearly sure I heard a pop then instantly lost boost. Have checked all intercooler piping and all is good. Car will not make it over .1 of boost when I'm having the issue.

Could be a weep between the head gasket you say comp test showed nothing have you done a leak down test ?

What I.c do you have ?

Does it BOOST ok before it heats up?

Haven't done a leak down test yet mate. Car hasn't lost a drop of coolant or oil and compression was the exact same as previous tests. Car never over heats either. Yes will boost for afew minutes then won't make it past .1.

Smacks of electrical issue to me. Had something similar with a dodgy AFM.

Sounds like a boost leak to me; would explain the smoke and loss of boost. Have you physically removed and inspected all the boost hoses and vacuum tubing? All the inlet manifold pipework and blanking plugs in place? Even losing one of the little blanking plugs or having a split in a tee peice can wreak havoc with boost and make it run ruff as fuck. Sticking dump valve could be another culprit...

Sound for the replay lads. I'll get under the area tomorrow and check the car fully over

You need try give us more useful data to answer this usefully.
what colour is the smoke . blue white or dark grey
Does it still rev freely all way up rpm range and idle decent when playing up

You also want do very basic visual checks of pulling plugs and seeing state/colours of them, they tell you loads in 5 minutes time .

I would be leaning towards intake leak or sensor issue as heat soaks
Could still be more serious and you simply not done the miles to see noticable loss of water or oil .

First 2 things I do in scenarios like this is pull plugs for visual and quick compression test then you find readings and plug state give direction go or if all pretty normal/healthy move on to other areas doing what quick and easy and more common problems first .

HI Mr B. Smoke is always a dark musky white colour. Car is fine from start up for afew minutes then it won't go over .1 and then she'll begin to blow smoke out the exhaust. At all times while this is happeningthe car is still perfect ticking over and all gauge levels are perfect.

I meant to say Mr B when the car is acting up the car will rev freely and drive no problem. It just won't boost past .1 when it's acting up and will then start to blowing smoke

See I thought boost leak or afm but that normally is back smoke from my experience

Irishlad wrote:It just won't boost past .1 when it's acting up and will then start to blowing smoke

See, that says to me there's a tear in a boost hose somewhere that opens up at .1 (bar?) pressure. When you let off the throttle the idle vacuum is maybe pulling the split closed so it idles properly.

Try connecting a foot pump to the vacuum/boost connection on the dump valve and see if it holds pressure, before tearing anything else apart.

If that ^^^ works ok you could remove the MAF from the inlet tube and block that off with a baked bean can or similar (make sure the securing clamp for it is tight). Then using any of the small tubes that goes to the inlet manifold, introduce pressure using the same foot pump or a compressor and listen for hissing.

If none of the above indicates a problem then it must be an electrical fault or something amiss with the engine.

Cheers mike.

Quick question. Can the actuator be taken off without having to remove eveything around it? Would like to try another actuator to see if it solves the problem.

It should be possible to change it but only if you don't enjoy having skin on your hands!
Test it with a foot pump to see if the rod moves out and then returns fully
(I'm not a foot pump salesman BTW! )

Haha. Cheers mike

A usual boost hose issue is unlikely as no issue until gets bit of heat soak.
Colour of smoke is critical here as fueling issue would be greyish to black sooty smoke .
It sounds likely be electrical failure as heat soaks or perhaps turbo issue as cracks that present once heat built up .
Pull the plugs and check state/colours and do a comp test as only takes 10 minutes and results give you useful data and direction to go in .

Cheers for the info mate.

If it indeed idles sweet and revs eagerly it unlikely much wrong with engine to hold off boost that much as warms up but plugs good quick and dirty test get few more clues and if all 4 black dry and sooty you know it over fuelling, if oily black you know it oil and so forth . I seen some oil produce pretty thick plumes of whitish smoke . turbo issue is what I leaning towards from your comments on engine idles and revs fine and wouldn't be bad thing, pretty easy pinpoint further and fix not massive drama .

I hae a freshly rebuilt turbo and good actuator sitting in the house so I'm going to fit them this weekend. Will let you know how it goes.