twkdCD595

Well as the title states.

Anyone seen this before or have any ideas what would cause this? Found this when I pulled the head recently to be freshened up. These deposits literally break up into fine powder easily if you touch them. They are evenly present in all 4 exhaust ports and turbine housing.

TheShodan

iTrader: (14)

Could be valvestem seals, guides, possibly. Definitely not in the turbo itself.

SovXietday

They call that the herp.

twkdCD595

I do not follow. Are you suggesting maybe it is burned oil deposits?

If so, I would not think it would be so evenly present across all cyl's exhaust ports... I have pictures of all 4 if needed but they all look just like that one. Inside of the turbine housing looks like this as well.

SovXietday

I also think I might have to go with burned oil deposits. Your compressor isn't leaking is it?

Either that, or you have some seriously funky **** in your fuel.

Edit: The more I look into it the more I see that fuel additives like to leave deposits like this behind. Leaded race fuel?

twkdCD595

There is no evidence of any oil residue in my charge piping or intercooler.

BTW this setup is been on a race grade E98 for the past year or so now... definitely good quality fuel... fresh and straight out of a sealed 55 gal drums every time. Previous to this I was on leaded sunoco 112 only and never seen this. Maybe this could be a byproduct of the ethanol cleaning the old lead deposits out?

Another theory. Could it be possible ethanol residue in the exhaust stream is causing these deposits to form after shutting off the engine. Seeing how they are so easily broken up when you touch them, it would be hard to believe they would not be 'blown out' of a running engine. For example... you have a very hot surface and you obviously have ethanol residue... that residue attracts some moisture in the air which then cooks off on the hot surface to form these?

OneBadTurboCRV

Most likely a hot/lean running engine. Pictures of spark plugs?

h2.4

How long has it been sitting? Looks like moisture, prolly from the E.

twkdCD595

It has been sitting/ stored for winter, so a good few months now in the garage.

In an interesting twist, I happened to mention this to a good friend this morning who seen the exact same thing on his evo VIII after also sitting for a few months. Similar to me he was running on leaded fuel (q16 in his case) and then pump e85 just before parking it for storage.

OneBadTurboCRV

You should give us the FULL story next time. Either way, look at the valves too...

twkdCD595

What 'FULL story'? It sounds like you have a conclusion I have missed someplace.

I am not sure what caused it and still am not... I am not withholding information. It is a discussion, hence me posting for peoples ideas to work through what maybe a cause. I could write a 10 page novel about the car but I am not sure if it is relevant so I was letting the discussion evolve on it's own.

OneBadTurboCRV

As with most diagnostic adventures, a full story of what was done prior to the problem, any other things pertinent to the situation. The look at your first post, then second, then third... we only then find out it has been sitting for months. This should never be done with ANY ethonol fuel as it is hygroscopic. The fuel should be purged and gas ran in its place. If your setup can't run with gasoline (too high of compression or what have you), then you should at least "pickle" the system with gasoline by cycling the fuel pump, but running it is preferred regardless. This has been well documented.

More of what I have seen from ethonal fuel is not like this. Then again, we don't let engine sit either.

twkdCD595

The feed/ return lines to the rail, fuel rail, id2000 injectors, regulator, etc have all been drained, removed, and flushed while it sits. They are sitting bagged up in a box on a shelf. The fuel lines from the tank are capped off. No ethanol is sitting in the motor.

The residue I am referring to in the above 'spit-balling for a cause' theory would have been the residue present from unburned fuel immediately after the last time I ran the car.

Let me clarify what I was saying. Possibly in those hours after shutting off the car last time I ran it, when some trace amounts of ethanol might still be in the exhaust ports/ turbine housing unburned, might it of attracted moisture in the air which burned off on the still hot surfaces to form the deposits. Again, I am just spit-balling for ideas here. I have no idea if that is possible and why I ended that idea with a '?'. As in to ask if anyone thinks that's plausible or seen anything like that before. I am just throwing out an ideas hoping someone will have input on.



ETA: Since I have no idea what caused the problem, I so not know if something is pertinent to the problem or not to post about. As I said I can write a 10 page novel about the car but I am not sure any of it is helpful and not just adding 'white noise' to this thread.

Anyone please feel free to ask me any question they think may be relevant to helping identify this, I will gladly answer them. I have no idea exactly how these deposits came about and am open to any ideas as they have me curious.

h2.4

That is moisture from sitting. that's why I asked if it was before. Probably from running ethanol and letting is sit. Doesn't look like that big of a deal.

Runnerdown

^^^ I agree. Looks like mild aluminum oxidation from moisture. No worries there.

B and B

iTrader: (3)

Yup... go to a junkyard and look around...you'll see this mysterious growth abounds...or under my workbench probly.

twkdCD595

Hrm, interesting. Never seen that happen before, I know a couple dsm's and a supra in the area on only e85 who's cars sit with ethanol in them all winter in a garage like me and they all said nothing like that. Although I did discover my friends evo has exactly the same thing.

Maybe something to do with previously running leaded fuel as well is a contributing factor.

It is not hurting anything that I can see... it breaks up the moment you touch it into powder and is not pitted the aluminum or anything. Still the normal layer of carbon coating on the runner under these deposits.

mike93eh2

what kind of oil are you using? do you lose any oil at all?

its just from additives in either your fuel or oil. wont hurt anything.

twkdCD595

Brad Penn and oil level is good... I do not lose any noticeable amount that I can tell.

mike93eh2

ive always used brad penn as well...and my exhaust ports look exactly like yours with the deposits.. i run leaded race gas though..no clue but i wouldnt worry about it. mines been running for over 6 years just fine.