Sometimes, after a spirited run, I get smoke that appears to come from round the turbo.

How do I go about finding out where it's coming from and curing it, or shouldn't I worry?

The turbo heat shield is still in place and the turbo is heat wrapped.

I had a look from below and above when the oil change was done, but could see nothing. The turbo is realtively easy to see as I have an FMIC.

Is there somewhere it's LIKELY to be?

 

Could it be moisture from the heat wrap?

I used to get it off my headers if the roads were really wet!

Doug

 

No, it really smells of burnt oil/hot oil. Sometimes even INSIDE the car

 

Are you sure it's smoke and not steam?
Whatever it is, it could possibly be a leak from either the water or oil connections.

 

Sure it's not the rocker cover gaskets? They tend to go on the bottom corner nearest the turbo on the driver's side so it will seem like it's appearing from that vacinity.

Any spots of oil on the driveway?

 

Nope, no oil spots.

 

I'm getting this too, I couldn't see any leaks either but I have a feeling its water

 

I had this on my previous 93 WRX - lots of burning oil smoke coming from the turbo area, when the engine/headers got really hot when hooning.

I showed it to Paul @ Zen and he said it's usually an oil pipe (breather?) that perishes/cracks. It's over the rear of the block, under where the TMIC would be cited.

 

I had the same problem. Drivers rocker gasket was weeping slightly. No noticeable drips etc. Oil was weeping on to manifold/up pipe, making it smoke pretty badly. Looked like it was from the turbo bit wasn't.

 

If its a minor oil leak, you may not notice anything on the floor - if it is the rocker gasket most of it will burn off on the headers/up-pipe.

 

Sounds like rocker gasket. Smoke being funnelled up the chimney / Turbo heat shield if that is the shield you mean.

I can't think of anything on or near the Turbo that would smoke itself.

If you can get your hand down to the driver side back corner of the rocker box (its tight) and feel for oil / drips etc that will tell you. It will only get worse too, its an easy fix though thankfully. You need to remember to get the main gaskets, spark plug gaskets and you can get the rubber bolt gaskets too. I used some blue gasket sealer, cannot remember what its called but be liberal. No more leaks / smoke!

 

That area is supposed to have been re-sealed...twice.

I'll check from underneath, no undertray.

 

Well, worth a look. I know, its frustrating, I had to do it twice, used more sealent then it worked...

 

How big a job is changing the rocker cover gaskets? Is it An hour a side?

 

So do you lose much oil when you remove it?
And do you need all new gaskets?
What's the blue sealant?

 

No, don't lose much oil, fiddly but doable. You need 1 large and two small gaskets per side, 3bond is recommended. I used some other stuff and it was fine. Replace all gaskets as you don't want to have to do it again. Oh and clean up the edges before applying new seals. Must be loads of write ups on here...