Lots of Smoke, oil loss. Geared BSM

Hi Everyone,
I have a 2004 Passat TDI, which has a Geared BSM for ~15k miles, and a rocketchip tune for longer.

Yesterday, when merging into traffic, I get on it pretty hard on a not-warm engine (I know, I'm not nice to my BHW engine), I heard a pop and smoke starts pouring out of the exhuast, I look in my rearview and see massive smokescreen type smoke behind me. Nearby cars are slowing due to reduced visibility. Car goes into limp mode. I turn around and limp home, no oil pressure light, and I park it. total drive was ~1 mile.
After work, I use VCDS, only 1 code, Lambda oxygen sensor, implausible signal, clear the code.
Coolant looks ok, no drop in reservoir level, still nice and pink.
Oil level is way down, but level is visible on dipstick. I add 3 Liters of oil to get to a good level.
Start car, still smoking at idle. Open coolant reservoir cap, no bubble, no drop in level.
If I were loosing coolant I would suspect the EGR cooler (I was hoping for this). I searched in previous posts, it seems head gaskets rarely fail.
Any suggestions? Greatly appreciate any help.
Dan

I wonder if you blew out the seal in the turbo?

Dan,
I've had that happen to me 3 or 4 times (self inflicted due to my own maintenance), it's one of your 3" intercooler hoses that popped off. This isn't a big deal at all, just pop the offending hose back on and make sure you hear the metal clip 'click' when it's back in place. I'd check the upper hoses first, then check the underside. Let us know what hose it was when you find it.

Yeah the turbo is a definately a possible source of oil getting onto the engine.
If I disconnect the tube connecting the pressured output side of the turbo, then is the smoke stops, (and oil is pouring out of the tube) then I'll know its the turbo.
Sounds like a good test to run tonight.
Thanks Peiphil, I hadn't thought of that.

@rydogg,
I should have specified that the smoke was white.
I have had an intercooler hose hole caused by rubbing on a Starter / Ground Cable. The smoke was black and it was a typical over fueling issue.
If this was the case I would also get an "Underboost" code, as the ECU is requesting a certin boost, and most of that pressured air is escaping.
I'll definately check the intercooler hoses. I hope it's that easy.

Thanks Rydogg

When I cooked a crappy Gpopshop remand turbo, it did the exact same thing. I didn't get a runaway either but the white smoke was thick and lost oil. If it does look like new turbo time, check out my thread on the BV43A install. Mine works great with the TDtuning stage 2 with one tweak from the tuner. In fact, do it anyways. You won't be disappointed. If your lower pressure hose to the IC crossover pipe is busted, you'd be replacing it anyway

Here's a turbo:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=424072

I would get a BV43A but Frans does not have any right now

deckerfl said:

@rydogg, I should have specified that the smoke was white.

Click to expand...

Darned, I definitely had black smoke. Sounds more like the turbo then, bummer. I was fooled by your "pop" noise, as I hinted before, I'm very familiar with the pop, followed by loss of power and black smoke. Good luck!

Thanks Oil Hammer and 50Harleyrider,
50Harleyrider, I was reading some of your posts and
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=389422&page=5
here, member 77 K20, describes almost the exact same thing... A loud pop and then white smoke and oil loss.

Yesterday evening I pulled the upper IC hose after the IC, before it connects to the plastic part is the intake tract, and alot of oil came pouring out. I started it up and it ran, but was still smoking, I let it run for ~ 5min, and it kept smoking, but I think its from residual oil that has gotten into the exhaust system.
This morning I pulled the lower IC hose at the turbo outlet and about 1.5L of oil came out. More would have come out but my driveway has a slant the other way.

To complicate things more. I wanted to run it again, with the IC hose off right after the turbo to make sure the turbo is the source of the oil leak. I refilled the oil to a safe level, had the lower IC hose off right at the turbo output, before the steel "Pancake pipe" and I thurn the key and it turn over have a revolution and stops. again, turn key, half a crank revolution and it stops. I think one cylinder has enough oil in it to prevent turnover. Hydrolocked?
I'm pretty convinced it's the turbo, so I'll start looking for a turbo. Hopefully I can get a BV43A, because that looks fun. If not for now a used stock turbo.

Sounds like the turbo shaft is broken. oil will be in both the intake and exhaust. Ask me how I know.

easy enough to check - pull the hose from the air cleaner to the turb inlet and check the shaft - two hose clamps and 2 10mm

And remove glow plugs to let oil out before you bend a rod!

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the help.
Out of town for the weekend, but when I get back I'll check to see I I have a broken shaft and pull the glow plugs. Do I need to suction out the oil somehow ? I'll do some research. Don't need a bent Rod oh Bora parts has BV43A in stock. I will order one tonight.
Thanks again. Dan

With the glow plugs out throw a rag over the engine and turn the key.
The excess oil will shoot out the glowplug holes.
I don't want to ruin your day but I have seen other diesels that bent rods from hydro locking (truck laying on its side)
The starter motor had enough power to bend them!

Thanks Peiphil,
I certainly hope I didn't bend a rod. I'm going to be cautionsly optimistic for now.
I think I ceratinly found the source of the loss of oil. No wonder I was having trouble keeping oil inside the engine. Frans doesn't have any turbos right now, so I'll put in a used GT1749A for now and get a BV43A to have on the shelf.
Here's a pic of the turbo carnage. The Cold side completely broke off.

Uhhh, at a loss for words.....

Also bits and pieces of that will be lodged in the charge hose heading to the intercooler!

How does that happen?

Vibration broke the aluminum housing allowing the turbo to break in two!

Take another look at the picture!
It broke the casting all the way around.
it did not just come loose!
Also these turbos spin at 10 k not 100k
I love turbos my truck, my car and even my snowmobile run them!

Something I have always found odd is that unlike the gasser cars the Passat TDI does not have any support brackets until you get back to the "suitcase" muffler.

The cold side shaft that is exposed in the pic IMO is no longer attached to the hot side it seems. I can move it 20-30 degrees left to right. and it won't spin or pull out. The damaged turbine edges sure are sharp. The shaft definitely appears broken to me. And when I broke, I was at WOT. And I have and RC2 tune, so it was definitely spinning fast, with high boost pressure.

@Peiphill, great point, there's going to be all kinds of debris, I'll have to take off the intake tract and clean it thoroughly.

On another note, I'm getting the blown turbo out now. Frans doesn't have any BV43A's in stock, so I get a good used 1749A for now, and hope to upgrade later at a better time.
All the turbo nuts have been relatively easy to get at except one. I have the EGR cooler off. Where the Turbo and exhaust maifold meet there are 3 nuts, one top and 2 below. The top nut is only a few mm forward of the Exhaust manifold's EGR connection. I can get a 12mm closed end wrench on it but don't have room to move it. There's enough room for a 12mm socket but can't get the wrench on it?
Has anybody had this issue? I can post a pic.
I think if I get the turbo's vacuum I'll have enough room, but I haven't gotten the actuator off yet, I got the two 10mm nots off from underneath, but now there's the actuator arm that has a funky circlip that I'm not sure i have the tool for.
Thanks again, Dan

Sorry Quick I had a brain fart there.
Had a completely different turbine in mind when I typed that!
The little KKK turbo on my sled runs at 135k

deckerfl said:

On another note, I'm getting the blown turbo out now. Frans doesn't have any BV43A's in stock, so I get a good used 1749A for now, and hope to upgrade later at a better time.
All the turbo nuts have been relatively easy to get at except one. I have the EGR cooler off. Where the Turbo and exhaust maifold meet there are 3 nuts, one top and 2 below. The top nut is only a few mm forward of the Exhaust manifold's EGR connection. I can get a 12mm closed end wrench on it but don't have room to move it. There's enough room for a 12mm socket but can't get the wrench on it?
Has anybody had this issue? I can post a pic.
I think if I get the turbo's vacuum I'll have enough room, but I haven't gotten the actuator off yet, I got the two 10mm nots off from underneath, but now there's the actuator arm that has a funky circlip that I'm not sure i have the tool for.
Thanks again, Dan

Click to expand...

I forgot that the search function is my friend. From a previous 50HarleyRider "Turbo Removal" thread, it looks like I have to remove the Intake manifold to get to this nut, and to be able to properly torque it down when the new turbo is on.

Hey Decker,

That third bolt on turbo to manifold on bottom inside triangle is a pain.

I got a ring spanner thst is S shaped. The one I had was actually too Fat , for want of a better word to fit around the nut with limited space between nut and manifold.

I actually had to grind down the profile of outside of wrench to get it to fit snugly and allow turn. Spray with PB blaster to loosen.
Mine was an El- cheapo set from Harbor freight but did the trick. I also got a turbo from Frans and very happy so far.
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Hey Chrismak,
Thanks a million for that suggestion. I got the S-Shaped metric wrench kit and it really helped me access that turbo/manifold lower rear bolt.
I took the intake off and cleaned it, there was a fair amount of black waxy sludge buildup. Not catastrophic, but probably 4-5mm buildup on all surfaces downstream of the EGR.
Turbo is replaced, EGR cooler removed and intake & exhaust manifolds blocked off. I pulled the glow plugs and turned it over to get the oil out of the cylinders. Glow plugs back in and she runs!!! Still smoke coming from the exhaust but it was lesseneing with each mile driven. It must be from all the oil that got dumped into the exhaust.
Before the new turbo, I litterally had oil poring out of the exhaust so there must be alot of oil in the exhaust system.