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Black smoke when accelerating + high oil consumption (?) [correction: white smoke]

edusson

New member
Location
Dallas
Hi Roh Echt,

Thank you for the extensive reply. Funny I had seen your video but didn't realize it was yours! :)
Also checked what you mentioned and sure enough, they had replaced the PCV in a service long back. Both front and back. So that matches everything. "P" version.
sketch-1589054687702.png

I just ordered one + plus the IC hose seal... If that doesn't do it, will probably just take it in. Fun learning and not too expensive of a experiment. Will keep you posted. Luckily these days I don't get to drive much coz I'm taking my time... 😅
Cheers!
 

ROH ECHT

K04 PLAY
Location
PDX OR
Car(s)
2007 MKV GTI
after you do those and you still see smoke...have the fuel trims looked at. Black smoke is likely from running rich...blue from oil. Mine looked white before I did my rebuild but it was due to oil, not coolant. So, color isn't a clear indicator. Otherwise, if the trims look good, you may be facing valve stem seals and guides.
 

Alexanselmo8

New member
Location
Alabama
I was having similar issues and replaced with a catch can and now it just fills every drive and once filled sucks into turbo and then through intake from rear outlet on africa plate. Check out my thread. This guys issue may lead to mine also if his pcv doesnt fix
 

edusson

New member
Location
Dallas
Just brief report, sorry for late reply (somehow don't get notifications). Changed the PCV couple of weeks ago but I think I am still losing oil. I can't 100% tell as I have barely driven the car. Will monitor and get back. Didn't have time to do anything else either...

Also, just to clarify, I have seen only twice smoke from the back (I believe black) in all this time (months). First time with the #3 of my original post. Second recently (I want to say, can't recall exactly, after I had changed the PCV, that's why I think I still got the issue). In both cases I had the loud rattling on WOT. Truth is that I don't step on it like I used to but I tried replicating it today and couldn't... In that sense, the rattling felt all the way below the car, so, Alex, the catalytic converter theory may make sense (?) Anyhow, will be back with any updates.
 

vwengineer

Ready to race!
Location
Switzerland
Any update on this?

I noticed grey smoke on mine when going WOT at high RPM on two successive hard acceleration in 2nd and 3rd. It seems there is a clear delay of 1-2 seconds before the smoke after the car began to accelerate fully. Also no smoke at high load, low RPM.

Not sure if it's oil at all, the smoke is visible in the rear view mirror but not thick, more like dust actually.


I see 3 things:

1) I am running 95 octane gas (European), the car runs on this since at least 150'000km, however I disconnected the battery yesterday so maybe the ECU is not really trimmed to this fuel, detects knock under high boost/high RPM and enriches a lot (which would explain the delay)

2) Faulty PCV which would explain small oil leaks around the vacuum pump (even with a new gasket) and the oil cooler. It however shows no other symptoms

3) Piston rings/valve seals, possible with the age of this engine I should do a compression/leak down test but the smoke is not blue. I do not think its the turbo either since it doesn't smoke at high load/low RPM
 

edusson

New member
Location
Dallas
Sorry for delay (again, somehow no notifications...) But actually no update... I had to pass my state inspection so couple of weeks back I took it to my usual mechanic and told them to check this out too. I was super disappointed, almost had to argue with them. They said that the oil I see coming from the IC hose by the turbo is just a small thing and that they have several customers with this level of oil consumption and never found the reason. Didn't give me any other kind of meaningful explanation and felt like they didn't want to spend any time on it. At least they didn't charge me...

I noticed grey smoke on mine when going WOT at high RPM on two successive hard acceleration in 2nd and 3rd. It seems there is a clear delay of 1-2 seconds before the smoke after the car began to accelerate fully. Also no smoke at high load, low RPM
Man, that description matches exactly what I saw. When it happened (WOT on 2nd/3rd, not at higher gears/low rpm) and the first time I also thought it may have been dust but the 2nd was way too much coincidence. I am sure it was smoke. Did you get the rattling? I think the rattling may have come from low oil level but no idea (if I really was low then). Now I keep an eye on it and never (in ~2kmiles) got any of this but the loss still there. Not sure about the delay (I think all this happened half way in the WOT, maybe in 1s, to the point I lifted my foot of the gas instantly because I freaked out).

For me wasn't the PCV (I checked it, looked ok, but also changed it just in case). I think my next step is going to be to check the valve cover, as ROH ECHT was suggesting... but honestly not sure when I'll get to it. Super busy with work. I agree with your #3.

By the way, does it happen to you all the time?
 

vwengineer

Ready to race!
Location
Switzerland
No there was no rattling. Since my post (~1000 miles) it never occurred again (or I didn't see it)...

I am not sure of what happened this day, but as it was a one time event, I don't think it's the PCV.

I also have oil in the IC hose which is normal as I understood.
 

edusson

New member
Location
Dallas
Well, an update, probably the last one... Sorry took so long... Things were looking fine except for the oil consumption but couple of days ago in the same street spot (ironic), I floored it on second gear and a big cloud of white smoke came up. This time didn't get me by surprise and lasted couple of seconds so I had a good look at it and it was indeed white. Sorry for the original misleading post saying it was black. Also lost boost but no strange noises, this time. Let the gas go and went back to normal (although I didn't step on it anymore). Later checked the oil (which I had just refilled to about half level couple of days before) and I was on the minimum again!

Anyhow, reading a bit more, it looked to me like the turbo, so decided to take it into the dealer yesterday and they just confirmed it. 😭😭 Oil leaking from the turbo into the IC. Actually I think that is what happens running normally. When I floor it I think it goes the other way too... Said need a full replacement, $3k. May call someone else for another estimate but I do have other problems that I knew I need to fix (one of the radiator fans is also not working and I got a broken CV boot). Bottom line, this is really starting to feel like a new car. My poor GTI... 😭

Thank you everyone. Really appreciate everyone's comments. Just thought I would report it in case it helps someone else.

Cheers!
 

ROH ECHT

K04 PLAY
Location
PDX OR
Car(s)
2007 MKV GTI
The PCV is usually not the issue unless its valves get suck and crankcase vapors increase because of it. Then if this causes smoke in the exhaust, it is because the valve guide or piston ring wear allows oil to blow-by into combustion before blowing out from seals.

Generally, high oil loss and smoke is from worn internals in the head, piston rings, or the turbo. And these are what you hope it not to be but it is just going to happen at their age. Where mine was a pinched ring in the #4 piston and worn valve guides....another will find something else to be the cause altogether. a bit of blackish smoke under load in low revs may be just running rich...but if losing oil...then you need to look into those bits that are worn. How to determine? Takes a good amount of work. We can't say exactly what it will be.

You may consider rebuilding the turbo, because they charge a bit for a new turbo. Comp Turbo can rebuild and balance it for $425 or $450. But you need to remove it, then remove the turbo from the exhaust manifold, and then hope nothing with the WG is worn. The integrated WG in the exhaust manifold makes rebuilding our turbos not really worth doing. I suggest looking into a BW turbo because it will save a bit for the cost of oem.

BW; https://www.ecstuning.com/b-borgwar...q9t_Uul7-Dzi_g8wTkIqMzCHG-uHfccxoCX-kQAvD_BwE

OEM, but the same turbo; https://www.vwpartsvortex.com/oem-p...9Z3RpJnk9MjAwNyZ0PWJhc2UmZT0yLTBsLWw0LWdhcw==
 

edusson

New member
Location
Dallas
Yeah, was hoping that wouldn't be but you all pointed to turbo as a possibility from the very beginning... We worked out the easiest first :)
I called my usual mechanic (the same that said everything was fine :cautious:) and he was guessing about $1k (ball park) if we found a used one (or refurbished, can't recall). I think he said $600 labor + $400 for the turbo but he needed to check. That doesn't sound bad at all... Also just checked for the PN you gave me (06F145701H) and found this one (looks similar to your recommendation but the 30% discount...):
https://www.turbochargerpros.com/bu...TnZdciwHVWGe3xUocfSFFmZj_n6R2iOkaAv0jEALw_wcB
Thoughts?
 
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