Right guys. This is an intermittent problem on this car. On startup both hot and cold sometimes it kicks out a single cloud of blue smoke. Seems
To be worse if it's a hot startup after say half hour of sitting while overnight not as bad. See video
http://s22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...t=8148ab54.mp4

Now the car is a blob wrx running a vf35 with supporting and mapped by Fb tuning. What I want to know is there anything I can do to trace the problem myself as it's insurance month so don't have money to waste. What are the odds on it been the turbo or more like bottom end?

 

Whats the oil level like??

 

Oil does drop slowly but in my care car has never been over filled. Car is properly warmed up and cooled after every drive too.

 

Valve Stem Seals?

 

I've seen 3-4 Imprezas smoking and it's always been turbos. Check the play on your turbo, usually it's quite big by the time you get smoke, but to be sure you'd have to pull off the turbo. The leakage is usually through the turbine seal so check on the exhaust side of the turbo for any oil. There might be some oil in the intake side but that's usually due to blow-by so nothing to be worried about.

 

I'll have a butchers at yanking the turbo off then, it just gets me that its still boosting fine and only on startup no matter if its hot or cold.

 

There is a little test you can do. Go for a run then leave the car to idle for 5 mins, give a good blip on the throttle. Blues smoke will point toward the turbo seal, no smoke will point towards valve seals.

 

As above.
I was getting a puff of smoke sat in traffic, but nothing under boost and boosting fine. Carried out the 5 min idle test and got a plume of blue / grey smoke when revved. Took the turbo off and found slight damage to the outer edges of turbo vanes. Great excuse for a bigger turbo....

 

I'll do the Test tonight on the way home from work. thanks guys

 

i have the exact same problem but on my wifes classic,please let me know your findings.

 

Its the turbo unfortunatly

Still not got round to changing it as using a company car so its just sat up in teh garage mainly apart from this week where i've had no choice but to use it while i'm sorting what i'm doing with it.