HELP!! White Smoke, gone into Limp mode

2000 Jetta TDI. 190000 miles. Pulled out of my driveway and on my way to run errands. Car went into (I assume) Limp mode and belching clouds of white smoke, did a U-turn and came back home, distance of about 1/4 mile, and shut off car. Engine is cool to touch, oil and coolant levels seem O.K. Anyone have any ideas as to what my problem may be? Thanks.

the white smoke would indicate coolant so probably a failed EGR cooler allowing coolant into the gas stream up to the intake and into the engine.

Whitish (slightly yellow) smoke can also be caused by a turbo failure and oil getting burned in the exhaust, especially if coolant levels are normal after you see a huge cloud of smoke - oil smokes more (visibly) than water...

Check your intercooler for oil, also check your turbo shaft for axial play/whether the wheel is okay to make sure. Don't run the engine as it is now before you find out what's wrong.

Regards

not turbo limp mode

hi

i agree with nexus665

oil in the intercooler
which can cause the engine to run on its own oil
and damage the engine

so do not start engine again until you have cleaned
all the oil out of the intercooler

the reason the oil is in the intercooler :

engine breather fault ( cam cover ) or piston rings worn :

the back pressure from the sump does not allow
the oil from the turbo to drain quick enough , so the oil is pushed
out of both seal's in the turbo , so oil will leak out of the turbo
in to the intercooler.then from intercooler to pistons out of the turbo and in to the exhaust.

so in order :
make sure oil is at correct level
clean intercooler
clean all pipe work from air box to turbo intercooler to inlet manifold
clean cam cover + other breathers on the engine
clean egr valve

run engine ( not on the road )
to burn most of the oil out of the exhaust

then gently drive the car for about 30 miles
to clear the rest of the oil in the exhaust

check oil level
if oil level is ok

drive for 50 miles at around 50 mph

now you should be ok

let me know if this helps

turbovanes.com

Thanks for the replies/help. Will be towing car to mechanic (he thinks turbo problem also) tomorrow. Will let you know how it works out.

TDI newbie

turbovanes.com said:

hi
i agree with nexus665
oil in the intercooler
which can cause the engine to run on its own oil
and damage the engine
so do not start engine again until you have cleaned
all the oil out of the intercooler
the reason the oil is in the intercooler :
engine breather fault ( cam cover ) or piston rings worn :
the back pressure from the sump does not allow
the oil from the turbo to drain quick enough , so the oil is pushed
out of both seal's in the turbo , so oil will leak out of the turbo
in to the intercooler.then from intercooler to pistons out of the turbo and in to the exhaust.
so in order :
make sure oil is at correct level
clean intercooler
clean all pipe work from air box to turbo intercooler to inlet manifold
clean cam cover + other breathers on the engine
clean egr valve
run engine ( not on the road )
to burn most of the oil out of the exhaust
then gently drive the car for about 30 miles
to clear the rest of the oil in the exhaust
check oil level
if oil level is ok
drive for 50 miles at around 50 mph
now you should be ok
let me know if this helps
turbovanes.com

Click to expand...

Hey TurboVanes.com,

Thanks alot for the post, same exact symptoms on a 2001 jetta 295,000. between a half and a liter of oil in the intercooler (not measured exactly because half of it spilled on the floor.) Just have a couple questions

1.Assuming that my piston rings are ok, can the cam breather just be cleaned and reinstalled or should I replace it? I'm pretty sure that it caused the problem. and what other breathers need to be cleaned/ replaced specifically

2. Will the turbo be ok? Any special treatment needed?

Thanks again you're a lifesaver
-Tadpole517

I asked revgov, and he said it turned out to be the head gasket, and it's runnin' great since it was replaced.