Style

iTrader: (1)

Getting surface oil I think, burning off from turbo / downpipe sort of area. Checking the oil feed I think it is on the top, seems there are two copper washers and it's nipped up pretty tight. Can't imagine what else is leaking



So annoying its been one thing after the other at the moment with this car, its really doing my head in.

Think it's mostly coming from the underside of the turbo? Any ideas what this could be, or things to check?

Peter Pan

iTrader: (6)

Possibly the turbo oil feed pipe you see in the bottom of your picture, I had one go on mine just before Xmas.

bludgod

iTrader: (3)

rocker cover gaskets are one to check, could be dripping onto hot exhaust manifold and burning off that way.

Style

iTrader: (1)

Iyou mean the nut in the middle of the picture?

Don't think it's rocker gasket, it's definate coming from underside of the turbo / start of downpipe area.

I'll take a video of it smoking tomorrow.

Is it worth taking the turbo,off to get a proper look at everything?

bludgod

iTrader: (3)

no the rocker cover gasket is on the rocker cover - where the spark plugs go in it drips down there and onto the manifold and the smoke comes up the uppipe around the turbo and out the scoop

The Pink Ninja

iTrader: (23)

As above check the bottom of the cam cover drivers side, The seals on the bolts are prone to going over the years which leaks oil onto the up-pipe/headers

Style

iTrader: (1)

Cool, I'll get out and have a check tomorrow. Really hope this is the problem, would be a easy fix, think I did one on a classic some years ago.

Just had a thought, would coolant also smoke? just thinking it had a recon engine only just fitted, and imagine they would of replaced rocker gaskets, but can't be sure.

Hope it is the rocker gasket, will be made up If it is

bludgod

iTrader: (3)

coolant wouldn't give you the same time of smoke as you get from oil, normally you can smell the difference and the oil smoke is a little thicker. They may have reused the gaskets when rebuilding the engine if they were in good nick at the time - but even a small leak in the headers could cause excess heat in the area which would wear them out sooner.

Dubzy

iTrader: (4)

Also check the rubber oil return pipe from the bottom of the turbo, had one of these perish and leak before.

JonnyTenny

Sorry to bump an old post (didn't want to start a new one!) did you manage to get this sorted? I've just started having smoke from the bottom of the engine bay myself and it didn't smell like coolant so thinking I may have the same issue, just wanted to see if you got it fixed

Cheers!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

If you reach down when the engine is cold, run your fingers across the rocker cover to heads seal, is there oil? It's dead common.

RS_Matt

I got coolant leak from the header tank after a Subaru specialist failed to put the hose back on correctly, when the system pressured up water leaked down onto onto the up-pipe heat wrap causing significant smoke, luckily my wife diagnosed the smoke issue quickly and fitted the hose correctly.

JonnyTenny

I've had coolant problems lately but have recently replaced the radiator and fortunately its not a coolant burning smell.

Exhaust is a bit hot atm, I'm going to let that cool down and see where this oil is.

Glad to hear the rocker cover gasket isn't an expensive fix, just a shame it sounds a bit tricky as I prefer to do these things myself when possible!

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Oh it's doable, more so if you have ramps or access to a lift.

I'm too old now to b*gger about with stuff like that, and being an unlucky person, won't undertake jobs like that now, I would find the last bolt shearing off...every time.

JonnyTenny

So I took a look about - I couldn't really find too much oil but the smoke did seem to be coming from underneath the rocker cover gasket on the drivers side.

I've taken a few photos - from underneath, on a plate underneath the rocker cover which seemed to have smoke coming off it. From above, there's a cable / bolt or similar that was wet and dripping but I've another issue - there is a lot of coolant coming from underneath that same plate beneath the rocker cover where the smoke is coming from (but it's not coolant that's burning off, it's just hitting the floor.) where could coolant possibly be coming from? Seems like when I fill it, it goes straight out underneath, weird one and a little confused now!

1509joe

iTrader: (2)

Check the coolant pipe that comes from the bottom of the header tank and the turbo coolant pipes. Now looks like you have two problems. Pics aren't great but the one bolt I can make out appears to be the rear bottom rocker cover bolt. That if it is it will be your problem or part of it.

JonnyTenny

I took a look at the hoses coming from the header tank, but I think I'll have to go a little deeper as the coolant seemed to be coming from close to the bottom - zoomed in pic from above shows where it seemed to be coming from, and was coming out from a hole in a plate underneath the rocker cover on drivers side.

On the smoke issue - quite a bit of smoking from the top but what worried me is that it appeared in the first 5-10 seconds of starting the car. Looked to be coming more from the exhaust manifold than anything else, pictures didn't capture the smoke despite camera being decent.

Wish I had a garage, my dark cramped driveway is making this all the more difficult!