White smoke out of oil fill cap when off, slight ticking sound

mx07gt

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
Location
Eagle Pass, TX
TDI
B5 Passat TDI
The car was bought with a cracked oil pan, no oil. Previous owner assured he did not run the car when he saw the oil puddle below (he cracked it with a yellow thingy at the parking lots). I hauled it away and bought it from him.

The car has 212k miles and bought it from him for a measly 1300 bucks. I finally got some time and replaced the oil pan with a junkyard unit, all bolts replaced and ''Right Stuff'' was used. Put it a new oil filter and 5w40 synth oil.

The first 3-4 seconds I started the car, it was LOUD (im guessing the engine was left dry, no oil, and it is what took the oil pump to fill her up). But when I let the engine idle some more, I noticed a slight ''ticking'' sound (I am familiar with how TDI's sound like and this one has a slight ticking not normal with my other TDI.

The ticking goes faster as the RPM's increase. Also noticed something strange. I turned the car off and took the oil fill cap off and a small cloud of white smoke came out, not too much.

Any ideas as what could be wrong with the car? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
look for small metal flakes in the oil (bearings), the previous owner may have mis-remembered
 

speed185187

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Location
Hartland, MI
TDI
Case 580 Super M,
that tick could also just be the IP. Mine makes a racket when it's first started and less than 50 degrees.
 

mx07gt

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
Location
Eagle Pass, TX
TDI
B5 Passat TDI
I would pull the valve cover and check.
I will try to get to that tomorrow morning, what should I be looking for?

that tick could also just be the IP. Mine makes a racket when it's first started and less than 50 degrees.
well yeah, but I let the car run for about 15 minutes and it kept making the same ticking noise. And its about 75F now.
 

DanG144

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2007
Location
Chapin, South Carolina, USA
TDI
2005 A4 Jetta 5spd
The white smoke can be moisture steaming off. Either from coolant leak or from prolonged condensation. Keep a very close eye on your oil, if it starts getting chocolate colored, you probably have a coolant leak.

Smell the white smoke, does it smell like, coolant? Diesel? burnt oil?

I would not worry too much about it for the first few hours of operation, unless it became gross. If your thermostat is still good and you are maintaining 90C, then it should evaporate off after a couple of hours of operation, and not come back, if it is simply atmospheric condensate.

The tic can be the IP, or an injector, or a valve/follower... permanent problem or just something gummed up from sitting too long.

Did you have any metal flakes in the pan you removed? That should tell the tale even better than the valve cover inspection, I would think.
 

mx07gt

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
Location
Eagle Pass, TX
TDI
B5 Passat TDI
No metal flakes or residue found on the broken pan, neither on the few oil it was left on it. I have not removed the valve cover yet. So based on that, no dAmage was done on the bottom end?

Also, is there any any way to chech if its the IP or the injectors?

Thanks for the help guys. I will try to take some pictures tomorrow
 
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