TTE Turbo and exhaust smoke (should I be worried)

Anonymous · April 2, 2006, 18:33

Since having the TTE Turbo fitted (22nd March) I've had no problems other than a little bit of clutch slip that I can live with. That was until Friday (31st March).... s:(

s:(
On Thursday (30th March) evening I drove down to Dover for weekend trip to Brugge. Travelled at sensible speeds all the way 199 miles in just over 3 hours. Parked up outside hotel. The weather was windy, damp and misty/foggy.
Got up Friday morning weather still as Thursday night, started the car and noticed quite alot of white-ish smoke coming from my exhaust. s:(

s:( s:(

s:( Panicked turned off the car and checked oil level, thank god it was on full. When leaving the carpark the smoke got worse and stayed with me until the car reached normal operating temperature when it disappeared. There was no difference in performance. Drove 6 miles to the ferry, on and off the ferry with no more smoke, drove 80 miles to Brugge with no smoke, parked up, check the oil (still on full). Saturday morning started car again in cold/dampish conditions and the smoke was back, turned off and checked oil, still on full. Set off for drive and smoke was evident until car had warmed up but not as bad as on the Friday. Parked up in Brugge for 5/6 hours on top floor of multi-stoey car park. Weather was sunny/damp. Returned to car, checked oil (still on full) started up and had a little smoke for say 60 seconds. Then this morning leaving to come home rainy/windy and cold, oil still on full and again smoke from exhaust but not as bad as Friday or Saturday. Drove the near 300 mile trip home checking oil on route and still on full.

The car runs as just like normal, no warning lights, no horrible sounds and temperature as normal. The TTE fan works as it did the first week (comes on goes off in little bursts).

So anybody got any ideas?

?

I'm wearing adult sized pampers until I can speak to SP tomorrow.

kanujunkie · April 2, 2006, 19:11

silly Q, but it is smoke and not condensation, you did say it was dampish conditions mostly??

markiii · April 2, 2006, 19:15

I'm guessing it's water thast turning to steam due to way hioger than normal temps

mg · April 2, 2006, 19:21

I always thought white 'smoke' was condensation or coolant leak?

(d*mn... missed the 2 above...)

Anonymous · April 2, 2006, 19:42

Phew s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

That would figure as normally my 2 is garaged and never left out overnight.
Plus when you start the car it's clear for the first few seconds then the "smoke" starts. There is an awful lot of it though s:? :? s:?

Now I wish that I'd logged on in the hotel reception. I would then have been able to get some sleep on Friday and Saturday nights.

spit · April 2, 2006, 19:54

Hope it hasn't spoilt your weekend too much.

I get the same after a night out too David - noticeably more since the turbut! But its vapour, not smoke. You can tell the difference 'cos it "wisps" away - smoke tends to linger and fade (and smell!).

Just as a precaution, keep an eye on your coolant level aswell as oil, and don't forget that your oil won't last as long as it used to s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Anonymous · April 2, 2006, 19:57

Quote from: "spit"Hope it hasn't spoilt your weekend too much.

I get the same after a night out too David - noticeably more since the turbut! But its vapour, not smoke. You can tell the difference 'cos it "wisps" away - smoke tends to linger and fade (and smell!).

Just as a precaution, keep an eye on your coolant level aswell as oil, and don't forget that your oil won't last as long as it used to s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

48 hours with little or no sleep certainly took the edge off the break. s:wink: :wink: s:wink:
But the near 300 mile drive back was ruined by me keeping my speed down and spending too much time looking at the warning lights and temperature gauge (waiting for something to happen)

Tem · April 2, 2006, 20:04

Quote from: "DavidM"There is an awful lot of it though s:? :? s:?

It's probably what the others said. But it never hurts to keep an eye on your oil and coolant levels, just in case. If you aren't losing anything you'll get a piece of mind. If you are, better fix it sooner than later. s8)

s8)

ninjinski · April 2, 2006, 21:44

David I've had that too recently on start up - Pulling off and it looks like the car is about to explode F1 style!

Doesnt look to pleasant when someone is behind - Im sure they are saying there is an engine on the way out! Hoping its moisture but it sure is white and a lot at times!!! s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

kanujunkie · April 2, 2006, 22:30

i'm going to SP tomorrow, i'll mention it and see what they say

Anonymous · April 3, 2006, 07:14

Quote from: "ninjinski"David I've had that too recently on start up - Pulling off and it looks like the car is about to explode F1 style!

Doesnt look to pleasant when someone is behind - I'm sure they are saying there is an engine on the way out! Hoping its moisture but it sure is white and a lot at times!!! s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

Yes, I went on the DC trip to Brugge after telling everyone about my TTET being fitted. Was very embarrassing/worrying when a C reg mk1 owner said it looked terminal s:cry: :cry: s:cry:
I'll be calling SP this morning just to check

Liz · April 3, 2006, 09:36

Does the oil sit on the rings overnight, it happens to the Porker, I hate starting it up and there is a cloud of white smoke out of the back...but it is normal.

aaronjb · April 3, 2006, 09:40

My guess would be that it's a combination of damp weather causing more condensation inside the exhaust, and the car running richer with the turbo when cold (which causes even more water to be produced in the exhaust), and that it's nothing to worry about..

Give the C reg Mk1 owner a slap next time s;)

s;)

kanujunkie · April 3, 2006, 19:00

just to clarify on this, TTE have confirmed this is steam/condensation caused by the expansion of gasses inside the exhaust box, apparently the quantity is very much dependant on the size of the box

aaronjb · April 3, 2006, 19:03

Quote from: "kanujunkie"just to clarify on this, TTE have confirmed this is steam/condensation caused by the expansion of gasses inside the exhaust box, apparently the quantity is very much dependant on the size of the box

Well I was half right.. nothing to worry about, and give the Mk1 owner a slap s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Anonymous · April 3, 2006, 19:27

just outa curiosity, I had this on an old escort ( s:oops: :oops: s:oops: ) i used to own! turned out to be the valve stem seals apparently, could that happen to the '2?

kanujunkie · April 3, 2006, 20:06

Quote from: "jamesr1"just outa curiosity, I had this on an old escort ( s:oops: :oops: s:oops: ) i used to own! turned out to be the valve stem seals apparently, could that happen to the '2?

in theory yes, but with the turbo in the system you have to take expansion rates into your decision. Yes on an NA there would be a chance of that, but with the turbine/compressor system the air has its energy literally ripped out of it and this can create the condensation effect. I spoke to Steve at SP today and he said that when he first saw Davids comments on what was happening and sent them to TTE in Germany, they're technical guy(Dennis) turned around straight away and said it was just condensation and if anyone should know, the guys who designed it are the ones

BenF · April 4, 2006, 21:05

You're worrying a little too much s:)

s:) Cold conditions with high humidity = lots of steam from the exhaust, as the moisture isn't so easily absorbed by the atmosphere.

The other way to get rid of it is to drive it and get the engine and exhaust up to temperature quickly.

If it really, really had let go, there'd be so much smoke coming from the exhaust it would be like driving along with your own pet fog bank following the car s:D

s:D

aaronjb · April 4, 2006, 21:08

Quote from: "BenF"it would be like driving along with your own pet fog bank following the car s:D s:D

I've never done that. Oh no. Not at all. Not a giant blue fog bank s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

Gazz · April 8, 2006, 18:10

Mines done this once since the turbo's been installed.

I started it up after leaving it all day, all OK no smoke, was sat in traffic about 5 mins later and there was a cloud round the car bigger than Jensen Buttons s:evil: :evil: s:evil:

After about 5 mins it just went away again.

I know its only condensation but it's a bit of a shock when it 1st happens. s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Anonymous · April 9, 2006, 18:50

Looks like I'm paranoid about my car having a problem s:oops: :oops: s:oops:
I've covered about 1300 miles since TTET fitted and have noticed that the oil level has reduced by about 1/8 inch from full and the coolant level seems lower as it's now only midway between the FULL and LOW lines although that could have been where it was from the start.
Whilst I have seen the oil level fall from full I'm now sure that it's caused by a small leak rather than the engine burning it. Where the Turbo Inlet Pipe (part no 2-2) is held to the cylinder head with the bracket (part no 12-4) and bolt (part no 2-6) I'm noticing a trace of clean looking oil on the base of the bolt. Yesterday I cleaned off the oil with a rag and after having covered nearly 400 the oil is back. There doesn't appear to be any dripping onto the garage floor so it's either very minor or only escapes under pressure.
Anyone any ideas?

Other than that the car is amazing s:P

s:P

Anonymous · April 9, 2006, 18:59

I have also had a bigger then normal usage of oil since install but I have put it down to a thiner oil and the fact that it now is running a turbo. I have covered 2000 miles now a topped to oil up about 300 miles ago. I havent noticed any oil spils arround the engine. Just thinking about the oil change in 3000 miles which should be fun.

Anonymous · April 9, 2006, 19:10

Quote from: "simonmr2"I have also had a bigger then normal usage of oil since install but I have put it down to a thiner oil and the fact that it now is running a turbo. I have covered 2000 miles now a topped to oil up about 300 miles ago. I havent noticed any oil spils arround the engine. Just thinking about the oil change in 3000 miles which should be fun.

Sinon, Did your 2 use oil before the TTET install?

Anonymous · April 9, 2006, 19:37

I have never needed to top up the oil before I had the turbo fitted. When I left SP the oil was full and 1700 miles later it was about half much like your self Matt did say that I amy need to top the oil and gave me the left over oil that they used so I am not to worried about it. Are you going to do the oil change yourself David or get Mr T to do it ?

Anonymous · April 9, 2006, 19:47

Quote from: "simonmr2"I have never needed to top up the oil before I had the turbo fitted. When I left SP the oil was full and 1700 miles later it was about half much like your self Matt did say that I amy need to top the oil and gave me the left over oil that they used so I am not to worried about it. Are you going to do the oil change yourself David or get Mr T to do it ?

I'm going to take it back to SP for the oil change as it's only 65 miles away.
Next week I'm going to start discussions with MrT about extending my warranty for a further 2 years after the 3 years run out in January 07. They refused when I told them about installing the TTET. If I cannot get them to change their minds then theres not much point me using MrT in the future so I'll get my servicing done at SP.