Huge clouds of smoke after turbo swap

[pmey335]

Hey guys, so I recently ordered DynamicAutowerx Stage 2+ for my BMW N54.

Now that I have installed the turbos, I am experiencing a big issue: the car is smoking incredibly much. Clouds of white smoke (which I’m guessing is oil related).

Before the turbos, my car smoked but not this much. Is this normal after a turbo swap?

i let the engine idle for 25 mins and then again a day later for 10-15 and as soon as I put it in drive, the car just starts smoking by the clouds.

Any insight that maybe I did wrong?? I’m really lost here

 

[doublespaces]

What was your previous turbo setup? What is your PCV setup?

It will not smoke at all until you put it into drive? Is there something you do that will stop the smoke?

 

[pmey335]

What was your previous turbo setup? What is your PCV setup?

It will not smoke at all until you put it into drive? Is there something you do that will stop the smoke?

previous turbo setup was the OEM turbos. It will smoke regardless in Neutral or Park, but when I put it in reverse or drive I’m guessing since it’s under load it smokes more.
Right now, no oil catch can I had a rlly bad eBay crappy one, I’m ordering a BMS or Mishimoto rn
Any help or pointers would be awesome

 

[Milan]

Cracked valve cover?

 

[pmey335]

Cracked valve cover?

thats what I’m going to change next, any other ideas?? This is rlly helpful

 

[doublespaces]

previous turbo setup was the OEM turbos. It will smoke regardless in Neutral or Park, but when I put it in reverse or drive I’m guessing since it’s under load it smokes more.
Right now, no oil catch can I had a rlly bad eBay crappy one, I’m ordering a BMS or Mishimoto rn
Any help or pointers would be awesome

But do you have the stock pcv valve? Plugged head ports? Stock flapper valve?

I had a discussion with someone on Facebook today, it seems oil doesn't gravity drain very well on some turbos and without the vacuum assist from the engine they would smoke when the pcv was deleted so their solution was to put the pcv back on to cover up the oil drain problem.

 

[pmey335]

But do you have the stock pcv valve? Plugged head ports? Stock flapper valve?

I had a discussion with someone on Facebook today, it seems oil doesn't gravity drain very well on some turbos and without the vacuum assist from the engine they would smoke when the pcv was deleted so their solution was to put the pcv back on to cover up the oil drain problem.

I had an oil catch can before and saw it lightly smoke (before I changed the turbos), after the swap however, I took the cheap OCC out and went straight from the PCV valve to the flapper valve (stock system)

 

[pmey335]

But do you have the stock pcv valve? Plugged head ports? Stock flapper valve?

I had a discussion with someone on Facebook today, it seems oil doesn't gravity drain very well on some turbos and without the vacuum assist from the engine they would smoke when the pcv was deleted so their solution was to put the pcv back on to cover up the oil drain problem.

No plugged headports, thinking about getting the RB external PCV system

 

[doublespaces]

I had an oil catch can before and saw it lightly smoke (before I changed the turbos), after the swap however, I took the cheap OCC out and went straight from the PCV valve to the flapper valve (stock system)

I don't understand this. There are two ports on the back of the valve cover, please describe where they route.(the pcv valve has a plastic cap in stock form and doesn't technically go out)

 

[martymil]

For a properly working PCV system some things to look for

Check the flapper valve is working and the seal is not cracked, mine was.

Change your PCV valve in your rocker cover with an rb one, I changed one yesterday on a customers car that was leaking just buy blowing through it
with your mouth as it wasn't sealing properly.

Check you drains aren't kinked and restricting oil drain as this is the most likely issue why your turbos are belowing smoke.

I really like the rb high flow drains and are fitted to both my 1m and 335, some will tell you dont need them but I'd look into them.

 

[pmey335]

For a properly working PCV system some things to look for

Check the flapper valve is working and the seal is not cracked, mine was.

Change your PCV valve in your rocker cover with an rb one, I changed one yesterday on a customers car that was leaking just buy blowing through it
with your mouth as it wasn't sealing properly.

Check you drains aren't kinked and restricting oil drain as this is the most likely issue why your turbos are belowing smoke.

I really like the rb high flow drains and are fitted to both my 1m and 335, some will tell you dont need them but I'd look into them.

I will get the RB kit tbh, great info much appreciated

I don't understand this. There are two ports on the back of the valve cover, please describe where they route.(the pcv valve has a plastic cap in stock form and doesn't technically go out)

My bad, PCV valve is stock and flapper valve goes to intake inlet port

 

[doublespaces]

Have you ever changed the VC before?

 

[pmey335]

Have you ever changed the VC before?

I haven't no, I got the RB External PCV should be here in a couple days; but my question is why would it barely smoke with the stock turbos and now new turbos are in and it smokes like hell

 

[martymil]

Simple answer which is the most likely fault, drains.

Most likely damaged or restricted during install and the turbos are not draining properly and oil is pushing past the seals.

Easily checked pull of your ic and check if any oil is in the ic because if its pushing past the seals there be oil going in the exhaust and ic

 

[pmey335]

Simple answer which is the most likely fault, drains.

Most likely damaged or restricted during install and the turbos are not draining properly and oil is pushing past the seals.

Easily checked pull of your ic and check if any oil is in the ic because if its pushing past the seals there be oil going in the exhaust and ic

Yup Im guessing I messed it up somehow first time tackling this big of a job, I will check and report back hopefully this thread will help someone going thru the same headache

 

[Chris@VargasTurboTech]

If the car was smoking before and turbo replacement didn't cure it, then definitely 100% look to PCV/VC or even kinked drain lines before looking at turbos. That said... if the car was NOT smoking before, and you have a reasonable sense of not leaning on the VC (people crack it all the time doing that... this guy (only one time) included), perform due diligence with basics, let's just call it "maintenance" then look in the turbo direction.

Chris

 

[doublespaces]

Easily checked pull of your ic and check if any oil is in the ic because if its pushing past the seals there be oil going in the exhaust and ic

I'll add that if someone in general notices oil in their intercooler, this doesn't necessarily mean you've got problems as oil can be in there naturally from oil vapors being sucked In from the flapper port. Depending on the catch can you use, where you mount it and other factors. I haven't had this issue personally but I do know that oil vapor/residue does get back in that side.

 

[martymil]

As lomg as you have a catch can on the high side you won't get oil in the hotside and ic unless something is wrong with the turbo or not draining properly and if you don't it will only be a little bit if turbos are ok

 

[doublespaces]

Pcv delete people have a more active 'high side', it all becomes high side for them. So all that stuff that got sucked out normally needs pushed out and you'll see more activity there.

 

[martymil]

That's another topic, we are talking about his setup now to help him out.