Smoking Turbo - C5 1.6 Hdi (2005)

[jonnie45]

Hi

 

My C5 (1.6 HDI) Turbo has started smoking ( bluish ) smoke coming from the left hand side of the unit.

 

I will probably end up paying a pro but I like to know what the problem is myself before getting out the credit card.

 

I have been reading around and this is where I am at....

 

http://www.buymydreamhotel.com/c5.jpg

 

 

I have taken the hose off and placed it so that the three connnections on the hose line up with the

turbo on the left, what I believe is the crankcase positive pressure relief valve opening and the air intake.

 

Oil is coming in through where marked, the inlet from what I take to the relief valve outlet from the crank case.

 

The smoke comes from underneath the cowling or thereabouts that can be just about seen about 1/2 the way up the photo and above the words turbo inlet.

 

A thread on a megan ( ok its not citroen) thread suggested that this may account for the origin of the blue smoke coming from the turbo, the person posting suggested that whilst a little oil on the inside walls of the hose is natural it should not be a lot - I didnt need to pull my finger to coat it completely in oil it was enough just to dab my finger on the inside surface.

 

The inside of the pipe was coated with a fairly good coating of engine oil and when cleaned showed fresh deposits when the engine was run with the hose back in place.

 

If the oil is not supposed to be there, at least not in the quantities I found ( think paiting a thin coat of gloss varnish ) then the next question I have is is it natural for the blue smoke to come out under the bonnet instead of out the exhaust pipe? I had assumed that the turbo would be sealed.

 

So two questions really ?

 

Is the oil likely the be the root cause indicating an issue with the device on the crankcase which I believe is some kind of valve/oil separator ( at least following from the Megane thread ) ?

 

Is there something else wrong when the smoke makes it out somewhere around the turbo? Its hard to pin

down a precise location because....well its smoke.

 

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice, probably not steering towards a self fix unless its easy but I like

to know whats going on.

 

Jonnie

[paul.h]

How many miles has the car done and has it had frequent oil/filter changes using the correct oil ?

 

It could be the turbo is badly worn and needs replacing/overhauling which is a common thing on the 1.6 hdi. During this other bits also need replacing to prevent the new turbo also failing early. If it is worn then if not sorted it is possible the turbo could beak and put bits of metal in to the engine causing further damage.

[jonnie45]

How many miles has the car done and has it had frequent oil/filter changes using the correct oil ?

 

It could be the turbo is badly worn and needs replacing/overhauling which is a common thing on the 1.6 hdi. During this other bits also need replacing to prevent the new turbo also failing early. If it is worn then if not sorted it is possible the turbo could beak and put bits of metal in to the engine causing further damage.

 

 

Thanks Paul.

 

The car has done around 100K it had a full service history when I bought it one year ago so the oil has been changed regularly. I will be doing a change of oil myself once these issues are dealt with. Thinking through the fact that the smoke seems to be on the exhaust side of the turbo it does make me think that the turbo seals may well be worn on the hot side.