I am just wondering how can I tell if my turbos have gone? I know this is probably been talked about heaps and heaps before on the forum, but I must have missed it when it was brought up before. .My car is blowing smoke when the boost kicks in . I think it is a grey sought of smoke colour . When I am driving in the city it smokes but when I am out on the highway it dosnt smoke as much, But when the boost kicks in it does a little. What will my car be doing if the turbos have died, what symptoms should I look for? Can someone let me know The bad news or hopfully some good news. cheers Ben:zlove:
You may be just running rich. Maybe get a leakdown and compression test done. Normally if a turbo seal is gone, you'll blow a smoke screen, ask FATE
If the turbos did die i dont think you would be making boost at all... When the turbo seals let go it just lets the oil through and you do loose oil in the engine as well... Have you checked all your fluids? oil water to see what levels they are at? Also is the car manual or auto? If auto it does have a vac line that can at times suck fluid up it and can make white smoke which does not really stop... but if a turbo lets go you will know about it... The grey smoke could mean not enough fuel is buring or an injector is leaking... Could mean lots of things as long as its not blue its ok black can be fixed as its just overfueling... Do you know if you get smoke on start up? If so what colour is it... A leak down test might be a good idea to have done... Does it smoke all the time? or smoke only when you boost it? Have you also checked your pcv valves they could be either stuck open or stuck closed... But yeah start with the easy stuff like the pcv valves see what they are like give them a good clean if no go then you can either go buy oem or aftermarket... Aftermarket part number should be PCV-005 or PCV-022 I dont think they make the PVC-022 anymore but both are the same just one looks a little fatter then the other...
Your turbos are NOT DEAD! As pex said, when turbo (oil) seals leak, the smoke will be thick... will also be white. The oil drips into the turbine, and burns as it hits the hot housing. If it is a seal on the way out, it will only get worse quickly. Not sure if you saw Jo's Z blowing smoke on the cruise, but that looks to be turbo seal related. A leaking turbo seal will leak under boost, and at idle (depending on the severity of the leak). I can have a look at it for you, and let you know what I think? Remember, you engine has/had a lot of oil leaks... When your stock SMICs were removed, was there oil in them? When there is smoke, don't always assume turbo(s).
just a tip, dead turbos can still make boost, mine still made 17psi when they died. I guess it depends on how you determine cause of death. oil seals you'll still make boost. seized turbine, you won't.
I guess it comes down to what your definition of DEAD is. Personally, I don't define a leaking turbo seal as a dead turbo (Edit: but it is dying). Serve shaft play, and/or chewed fins, now I'd consider that close to dead
Fleet did they die or did they blow the turbo seal? I have had a blown turbo but not a dead turbo myself damm VL's I would say a dead turbo is just like what Sim has said and yes when the turbo seal does give away it is dying but who knows when it will give up the ghost...
my old high flows blew the turbo seals. I would still consider this as a condition of cactusness ie dead because they have to be removed and repaired.
Thats fair enough then... but like you said yourself That is correct as to what a dead turbo is if the turbine itself is seized just like when a motor is seized it wont work but a car can run with oil leaks just like a turbo will for how long no one knows...
Thanks for the help peoples!,Might not be as bad as I thought Thanks for the help peoples , maybe it is just the turbo seals, I hope . yeah Jono you can check it out for me, I just want to know what is wrong with my Z. Doing the seals would be a BIG JOB wouldnt it? you would have to take the engine out. cheers Ben:zlove:
No matter what the GO is if the turbos are not good it will be an engine out job.. Also makes life easy to get the turbo off as well... Not like a skyline can do it with the motor still in the car... Just double check your pvc valves and check if they are working well... here is the tech how to change them while still in the car... http://www.ttzd.com/tech/pcvtech.html
