I am getting a little smoke out of the tail pipe. It only happens after about 2-3 minutes after startup if I let the car idle. It does not happen on initial startup or if I start driving the car right after startup. If I drive right after startup, it will not smoke the remainder of the drive. I just put a new headgasket on. It happened before and after the headgasket install. I have Darton Mid sleves, 85MM bore, and forged pistons. I wonder if it is the water or oil warming up but the pistons have not expanded yet to seal the rings due to no load on the engine.

Your thoughts?

 

It's probably just condensation in your exhaust. Could also be a little blow by due to loose piston-wall clearances with the forged pistons as well. My car does this too when i fire it up and let it warm up it will smoke just a little bit and it will go away after a few minutes and never smokes when i drive it or let it sit after it's warm. I don't know how much your smoking when you fire it up though.

 

I was thinking more blowby than condensation. However, the smoke does not look quite blue, but it is more smoke than than steam from collant/condensation. It does not smoke too bad, just some big puffs when you rev it up after I let it sit an idle for a while.

 

did you bring the head to a machine shop/have it hot tanked when u did the headgasket? if so did you replace the valveseals

 

my old setup used to do somthing similar , didnt smoke underload or start up but if i let it warm up and idle it would puff a little blue smoke .went away if i drove it , then if i came to a alot of a traffic and was stood still for a while (3-4mins) it would smoke a bit, turned out to be the oil seal on the exhuast side of the turbo was on its way out , just somthing to look at .

 

Im curious I have a post just listed with is it safe to boost on a 85mm bore I have a B20 at 84mm currently but there is a scratch in one of the sleeves. so im looking to bore it out to 85mm but im being told that I will have major head gasket sealing issues when boosting at high pressures.

 

If its stock sleeves then no. you are on barrowed time with a cylinder wall that thin with boost. it may last it may not my moneys on a cracked sleeve anythgin over 10-12 psi with a t3/t4 50-60 trim but anythign is possible

to the OP its more than likely blowby. all cold forged internal motors have some specially in the cold months. but like stated above if you have the head hottanked or you cleaned inside of it with brake clean or carb clean then the valve seals could be leaking. thats somehtign very common

 

Im starting to have this problem, My turbo has VERY noticable shaft play side to side, but none in and out. It only does it when its warmed up, not as much when i first start it up when its cold. After coming to a stop whenever its warm, smoke just comes from the exhaust. It does not smoke when I get on it, only occasionally on decel which is most likely valve seals as I know it. The oil drain is perfectly fine. -3AN on the feed, -10AN return. The turbo has been run very low almost on NO oil before, and I think the problem is the seal. I actually have oil sitting in my exhaust.

 

i had the same problem last week. i mean it would smoke a bus sized cloud if i let it warm up from idle for 15 min. it was my turbo seals.

 

i still have this problem, i pull the plugs after letting it idle for a while smoking its *** off, and they look perfectly fine, the piston tops are dry, so i know its something post CC.

Anyone order just a rebuild kit and fix theirs?

 

I'd go for turbo causing the smoke. The shaft warms up slower than the housing causing it to smoke only when the turbo is warming up. Mine did it, repaired the turbo and it sorted it.

 

I had basically the same problem. Like most have already stated I just about narrowed it down to bad turbo seals. My turbo is currently in the shop for a rebuild and upgrade. It should cure my small smoking problem.

Since the only common thing between three different engines that have been in my car is the same was the turbo and all 3 engines have had the same problem.