Hi all I have the classic wrx turbo 1997.
Its my weekend car , every time I start up it smokes from the engine bay for the first ten minutes, the smoke is like its burning oil off from metal, but I cant see nothing obvious. I've been told that its normal for turbos to do this.

Can anyone help please?
Appreciate any replies

 

Does it have wrapped headers or exhaust? could well be oil leaking from rocker cover onto up-pipe which is fairly common. smoke will be coming from low down on drivers side> The fix if it is this is a new rocker cover gasget

 

not sure what wrapped headers means?
if you mean heat wrapped no its all standard. it only started happening when i changed the decat back to the cat!
how easy is it to change rocker cover on this engine?
cheers for speedy reply

 

If it is smoking from the engine bay something is "burning off". Whatever it is, it is not "normal" in my exeprience.

Is it actually oil or is it sweet smelling (coolant) or is it water?

 

ok so was the cat you put back covered in dirt and oil where it had been sitting? can take a fair while for oil to burn of them especially if its only a weekend car that never really gets hot

 

Sorry... just read the above about a new cat pipe. Whatever is on the pipe is being burnt off by the sounds of it. Should not take long to burn off though (once it is nice and hot) and should not keep happening.

 

not sure of the smell mate but it does give off a strong smell! around 3 months ago the camshaft seals went and oil went everywhere under the engine bay, when fixed they didnt steam clean the engine, they said it will just burn off but wouldnt of thought itd take this long! its only when i first start the car up when its cold and then as soon as its warm it doesnt do it! :S

 

cat was clean when went back on!

 

Cam cover gaskets...