Signs of a blown Turbo

[Tyler]

What are the main signs of a blown turbo. Is it just blue smoke out the back and if so would it blow blue smoke out all the time or is that dependant on how badly damaged it is, i have noticed that my car has started drinking oil, and blue smoke kicks out the back every now and again...

It started off with blue smoke blowing out the back after i have pushed the car hard, not really whilst pushing it, so normally i would put my foot down and then come to a set of traffic lights slow down if not stop, then a puff of blue smoke would appear, but now i dont even have to push it and some times blue smoke appears.

When i put the turbo in the was little play in the shaft left to right, and the turbo makes a wining noise under pressure. And it is not holding boost that well anymore.

[scatz]

Not necessarily turbo related, could be piston rings, valve stem seals etc! Does it do it at idle or only under throttle?

[andy-m]

not tried this on a scoob, but on some cars, if its piston rings goin and therefore poor compression, removing the oil filler cap while the car idles is a good test. Revs drop and/or become erratic or the engine stalls if the piston rings are goin.

[Tyler]

Piston ring's was kind of next in line but didn't want to think that, once in a blue moon it will chuck out blue smoke, but only when i have really put my foot down before... Knowing my luck it prob is the piston rings.... Ow Joy....

Cheers Andy i will give that a go...

[Justin]

Quick check is to see if there is any oil in the intercooler / pipework / on throttle body etc.

Then it could be breathers if still plumbed in, or turbo.

Turbo can go one of 2 ways, hot side or cold side. Hot side the smoke is usually grey as it is burnt oil, cold side it is blue since it is combusted oil

[Tyler]

Thanks Justin, at some point i will need to check that, filling up oil all of the time is a nightmare....

[phil1981]

You could do a compresion test to see if it still has compression

[Tyler]

Someone had mentioned that to me before, i think it was Jaffa. I have never done that before what exactly do i need to do??

[phil1981]

You just need a compresion tester.
Take out Spark plugs 1 at a time and screw in compresion tester in place and turn engine over. You should get a reading of about the same on all 4.
Bod came over and done mine, he borrowed dans kit

[Tyler]

Cheers Phil, i might have to take the car up to TFS then because i live quite far from them... Cheers though.

[phil1981]

Mine had absolutly no compresion on number 4.
You could always look at the spark plugs and see if one is more black than the others

[Tyler]

Cheers Phill i will give that a go also...

[Tyler]

I fitted my new turbo on Saturday.... (Yes in the rain) and when i took off the intercooler pipe it was covered in oil, so hopefully the blowing out smoke was just the turbo... Fingers crossed...

Thanks for all the advise guy's...