Oil coming out exhaust, and a lot of smoke.

Hi,
I am kicking myself because a friend offered me a coupon for a free oil change, and the place I took it to overfilled the oil by quite a bit. I usually always change my own oil, and this is a prime example why. The day after the oil change I checked the dipstick, and it was over an inch past the fill line. I took it back to them, they said they drained only a half quart. Checked the oil again before I left. The next day I drove a couple miles, and had a huge cloud of smoke coming out of my exhaust. I parked the car and let it run a few minutes, looked at the heavy smoke coming out and noticed almost half a quart of oil out the tailpipe. Shut it off, and checked oil again to find it empty. I had it towed to a shop, and now they say it needs a new turbo. Just wondering if anybody has any advise on what all I will need to do to get my 2000 Jetta TDI running right again? Thanks.

WOW, just wow. Just wondering why you would drive it overfilled just to let those Jack-asses drain some oil? Anyway damage is already done.

I don't think the overfill had anything to do with the turbo failing.

You're just lucky it dumped it into your exhaust and not into your intake.

Put on a new turbo and motor on.

Of course, it does beg the question, what kind of oil would they put in there for free?

If I could go back and change things, I would not have taken it back to them, amongst other things I could change. Hindsight is 20/20 right.

belome said:

I don't think the overfill had anything to do with the turbo failing.

You're just lucky it dumped it into your exhaust and not into your intake.

Put on a new turbo and motor on.

Of course, it does beg the question, what kind of oil would they put in there for free?

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I am not so sure the turbo has failed. Just going by what the shop said. When I was driving it, other than the smoke, it had normal power.

Lucky is right! If I am not mistaken, if it had gotten into the intake, it could have burned all the oil as fuel at high rpm's?

I am interested to see what the condition the turbo is in?

I'm not sure how else oil could get in the exhaust.

And yes, when I turbo fails and it goes into the intake... you get a runaway which normally hurts the motor badly.

belome said:

I don't think the overfill had anything to do with the turbo failing...

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If the level of the oil was above the turbo oil return line port in the crankcase, it can restrict oil flow through the turbo, forcing oil past the seals. The Garrett turbo installation instructions are very specific about that.

If the turbo is indeed pooched, that shop owes the OP a new one. My $0.02.

But would that permanently damage it or just cause it to leak until the level dropped?

No way overfilling the oil by half a quart can cause the turbo to fail like that. Shop doesn't owe the OP anything.

Bigger question is what oil did they use?

Does it have original turbo and how many miles are on the car?

turbocharged798 said:

No way overfilling the oil by half a quart can cause the turbo to fail like that. Shop doesn't owe the OP anything.

Bigger question is what oil did they use?

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On point

Crankshaft would be immersed in oil

OP said over an inch above fill line. Full line?

They said they drained a half quart.

Something doesn't add up.

turbocharged798 said:

No way overfilling the oil by half a quart can cause the turbo to fail like that. Shop doesn't owe the OP anything...

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IF it was only overfilled by ½ of a quart…

KLXD said:

OP said over an inch above fill line. Full line?

They said they drained a half quart.

Something doesn't add up.

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Waaay more than ½ of a quart if the level was "over an inch above the fill line".

Here's what Mr. Garrett has to say:

Dimitri16V said:

On point
Crankshaft would be immersed in oil

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No, not on point. If the crankshaft was immersed, it stands to reason that the oil level was above the oil return line causing the turbo to leak internally. See the Garrett instructions in my previous post. I'm not going to crawl under our Golf in this kind of weather to have a look, but my guess is that the return on the ALH is below that level.

riverbeetle said:

...When I was driving it, other than the smoke, it had normal power…

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My suggestion to the OP is that he put the proper amount of the correct oil in the car, with a new filter and give it a try.

The drain hole is 1.5 in above the center line of the crank. the motor leans back a few degrees but not much. To seal the hole it would take 2 QT of a over fill.

I would think the Turbo ex side seal failed nothing to do with the oil over fill.

Bob Mann

riverbeetle said:

…I checked the dipstick, and it was over an inch past the fill line…

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Bob, see the quote from the original post above. My guess is that it would take at least 2 quarts to get it that high.

CNGVW said:

The drain hole is 1.5 in above the center line of the crank. the motor leans back a few degrees but not much. To seal the hole it would take 2 QT of a over fill.

I would think the Turbo ex side seal failed nothing to do with the oil over fill.

Bob Mann

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If you think that the overfill had nothing to do with the leak, how do you explain the timing of the event. Coincidence? Doubtful. Logic would point to the overfill restricting return oil flow and forcing the oil past the seal. Like I said earlier, my suggestion to the OP is that he put the proper amount of the correct oil in the car, with a new filter and give it a try.

1854sailor said:

Bob, see the quote from the original post above. My guess is that it would take at least 2 quarts to get it that high.



If you think that the overfill had nothing to do with the leak, how do you explain the timing of the event. Coincidence? Doubtful. Logic would point to the overfill restricting return oil flow and forcing the oil past the seal. Like I said earlier, my suggestion to the OP is that he put the proper amount of the correct oil in the car, with a new filter and give it a try.

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......may be prudent to check intercooler for oil too.

maxmoo said:

......may be prudent to check intercooler for oil too.

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Couldn't hurt.

You could check the turbo for shaft play.

I don't believe in coincident your oil change place f'ed your car up. You better hold them responsible.

1854sailor said:

If the level of the oil was above the turbo oil return line port in the crankcase, it can restrict oil flow through the turbo, forcing oil past the seals. The Garrett turbo installation instructions are very specific about that.
If the turbo is indeed pooched, that shop owes the OP a new one. My $0.02.

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That's exactly what the shop said. Thanks for the wise words.

KLXD said:

But would that permanently damage it or just cause it to leak until the level dropped?

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That's what I was wondering?

KLXD said:

OP said over an inch above fill line. Full line?

They said they drained a half quart.

Something doesn't add up.

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Just to clarify. It was filled an inch over the full line. The shop said they drained a half quart, I don't really know if that's the case since I didn't see the amount they actually drained. By that time who knows how much was in the turbo, intake, and exhaust?