Hi all, i'm new to this site and already got a problem. I have a wrx 03 blobeye wagon that had a new engine 1 year ago and has done 9k on it. it got a new complete lump. Had the big service done a week today, done by a subaru dealership. When i picked it up and drove off it blew a tiny bit of blue smoke while pulling away at around 10-20mph, did not think much of it at the time. then the next day later it blew blue smoke when sitting in traffic idling, then stopped when pulled away. it only smokes for no more than 5-10 sec's. It has never blew any type of smoke ever since owning it, i rang the dealership to say what's happening and they said their is nothing that we could of done to make it start blowing blue smoke. The service was the full works plugs, oils, filters the lot.

It stopped blowing blue smoke for the last 3 days untill i was on my way home tonight from work when it started to smoke again for about 10-20sec's this time. but it only ever smokes when on idle as far as i know. well when i look out the back their is none coming out. only on idle. besides the day i got it back from the dealership when it smoked when pulling away. plus never smokes on start up or cold starts, just when it's idling now.

I might add that it still runs perfectly fine and still pulls hard with no effort at all. i thought it might be the turbo as it's the only thing that has not been replaced. If it is the turbo wouldn't it smoke on start up???????? i'm not to clever at all with this stuff so please bare with me.

Any info and help that could be pointed out would be grateful, plus thankyou for taking some time to read this.

kurt

 

have you checked the oil level .

 

yer every day since the service and in the beggining it went down to half full. then i topped it up to full again and didn't move until today when it started to do it again. it only goes down when it starts to smoke, otherwise it stays the same.

thanks for the reply

 

This could be turbo realated I would Of though the seals in the turbo are shot forgive me if Im wrong

 

Did you check the oil when the engine was COLD?

Have you topped it up correctly? I know on classics the dip stick shows a couple different points for filling. One for hot and one for cold.

 

i've checked it cold and hot to see what it reads, and have only filled it up when cold in morning to the cold fill point on stick.

 

spoke to extreme scoobies today and he thinks that it most likely is the valve stem seals from what it seems to be doing. as the turbo is still working completely normal and no noise. seems to kick out smoke when idling which draws attention to the valve stem seals. does anyone think the same??????? or any info?????

 

It could be the stem seals but to be honest that's far from likely on an engine that is apparently just a year old. On a unit of that age it's unfortunately more likely to be the result of piston/ring damage than anything else. Even if the engine (or the heads) had been in the car since 2003 it's still unlikely you'd get significant loss through them.

It might help us to know why it needed an engine replacement a year ago. Also was this a brand new unit fitted by a main dealer or a reputable specialist, or...?

 

how much smoke? Clouds of it or just a little bit? If its lots its more likely to be turbo than guide oil seals.

 

I still would look towards the turbo seals if there gone it wouldnt make any difference to the way the car runs or the turbo performs ect, Iv had a few turbos on other cars do the same thing , valve steam seals most the time smoke from cold start up not so much idle

 

The engine was a complete new unit fitted by subaru dealer in luton (slip end). Got a bill indoors for £5000 for a complete unit bought and then put in by them. They told me that they buy the lump in complete made and then they drop it in. The reason for new lump was bottom end was knocking at only 52K and has only done 9k since then.

do you really think it could be piston or rings??????

thanks for reply's

 

i wouldn't say it's cloulds of smoke but a puff for about 10-20sec's then stops. it hasn't happen for a couple of days now. if it is the turbo how much oil would be in the turbo pipes????? going to take it off this weekend.

thanks for help guys

 

depends what sides the seals have gone if its exhaust side which is the side it sounds like then you wouldnt get oil in the pipes and it would start to smoke on idle when the exhaust is hot hence burning the oil passing though the system.

If it was inlet side depending on how bad the seal is gone depends on how much oil would be in the pipes and would prob smoke from hot or cold

 

so wat we are saying is i have got to take the turbo off and have look both sides then???????

i understand that my car has a td04 turbo on it ??????? if it is the turbo that is gone i was thinking of putting a vf34 or a vf30 on it. if so, i would of thought i would need it mapping again??????? it's got a prodive pack on it, but i have changed the exhaust on it to a cat back haywood & scott system. wat do ya think people?????