2002 Jetta TDI - MAJOR Oil burning

[Casper66]

Just picked up a 2002 Jetta Wagon with the 1.9 TDI engine. Very low price as the ad said "engine knocks, ran out of oil".

I figured if it can't be fixed easily I would drip in another engine - a lot of them available.

Got to the town with the tow dolly, put my battery in the Jetta and power came on fine. Checked oil, at the very bottom of the dipstick so I topped it up. Opened the windows so the mouse house smell would start airing out. Then, started it and drove onto the tow dolly. Started just fine and was only on for a minute, max.

The guy said it knocks. I only heard the normal diesel knock - but would wait til I got home to check. So, a few hours later after towing it to the farm...

I started and warmed it up. Sounded fine. Sluggish running and then white smoke started out of the tailpipe. A LOT of White smoke - like a fog machine gone nuts. Enough to completely envelop the car.

Stopped, got out and checked the engine. NO oil showing on the dipstick. Waited a few minutes and tried again - same thing.

No oil leaking below the car. Not a drop.

So, re-filled the oil and started it again. Let it run a bit til the guage showed it was warm. White smoke still but not completely bad as I was only idling. After warm I stepped on the fuel pedal and again with the Cloud Effect smoke. So I turned it off.

Topped up oil again and now that it was warm checked things over a bit. NO water in the crankcase - oil was just fine - clean and no problems showing.

Checked anti-freeze reservoir, both stopped and then running. NO oil or bubbles and no sign of anything other than the antifreeze. Clean and easy to see through - not even any scum.

With it running I pulled out the dipstick, revved the engine and - no blowing out the dipstick hole.

Turned it off and figured I better ask about what the problem may be. If fixable I'll do so. If not or too spendy - I'll drop in another TDI engine.

Air cleaner opened - and after I cleaned out the mouse nest in it (open side, not engine side) and washed and soaked the plastic parts to get rid of mouse urine smell - it ran a bit better but still with the White smoking.

Air filter line at the top of the rocker cover did not show oil coming in. So - where am I getting the major oil burning from? When I say major - it eats 2 quarts within 5-10 minutes time.

Help and suggestions welcome. I do have an 82 diesel pickup and have had a half dozen Rabbit diesels so am not completely new to VW diesels. Much work I can do - thanks to HS Auto shop decades ago, farm & basic mechanic stuff.

 

[Prairieview]

Pistons and cylinder walls must have deep vertical erosions. Autopsy it and let us'ns know. Where in the world do you have easy pickin's on alh engines? I have to go deep into Denver or south of Denver to get anything......period.

 

[ghohouston]

Could be the turbo. I'd remove the intake and exhaust pipes, check for excessive shaft play, and oil leakage. The downpipe should be 100% dry. The intake will most likely have some oil in it. You can run the engine with the intake pipe removed (in a non dusty environment of course) for a few minutes I'd say somewhere between 1,300 and 2,000 rpm's, and check to make sure a large puddle of oil hasn't leaked out of the compressor side of the turbo.

 

[AndyBees]

Yes, I'd rule out the Turbo as the culprit first thing. Also, make sure the air path from the air filter box to the Intake is not obstructed. Lastly, check the EGR assembly to make sure the ASV (Anti- Shutter Valve) is not blocking air flow. Clouds of white smoke is a sign of restricted air flow, especially if smells like raw diesel fuel.

Keep us posted!

 

[oilhammer]

Sounds like a tooefed turbocharger to me.... but if the engine has been damaged because of it, you may be in for more work than just that.

 

[fatmobile]

When there is oil starvation the turbo is usually the first thing to lock up.
If it's still spinning you might be OK.

 

[Tdijarhead]

My vote is on the turbo also. Check the lower intercooler pipe behind the passenger front tire. I’ll bet there is oil in it, probably a lot of oil.

 

[csstevej]

^^^^^^What he said , my vote too , turbo ^^^^^

 

[VW_Factor]

2003 ALH, had a turbo go kapoot. Thankfully it didn't ingest oil on the intake side and induce a runaway, it was only the exhaust side that blew to pieces, lost the oil seal; essentially pumps oil into the exhaust pipe that way.

Creates tons of "oil" smoke.

Certainly check that, its pretty easy to get at and check out. Before you go digging into the internals of the engine.

 

[ghohouston]

As bad as your consumption sounds, you probably have oil coming out of the tailpipe. You can feel in the tailpipe and see if it's wet. If so, then it's almost definitely a bad turbo.

 

[VWdrummer]

When I blew my turbo I managed to fog out an entire neighborhood. Is it even possible for the valve seals to leak enough to provide constant smoke?
Just hoping it is not the cylinder walls.

good luck

 

[Tdijarhead]

As bad as your consumption sounds, you probably have oil coming out of the tailpipe. You can feel in the tailpipe and see if it's wet. If so, then it's almost definitely a bad turbo.

When my turbo blew I had oil droplets all over the back window and bumper. (Golf)

 

[AndyBees]

When I blew my turbo I managed to fog out an entire neighborhood. Is it even possible for the valve seals to leak enough to provide constant smoke?
Just hoping it is not the cylinder walls. good luck

- If the PCV system is working properly, very little oil will pass by worn Intake Valve Stem seals. Also, the pressure from the Turbo boost would keep oil pushed back. There is at least some Turbo pressure even at idle.
- I believe back pressure in the Exhaust Manifold would keep oil from passing by worn Exhaust Valve Stem seal.

In either situation, I believe any oil that might pass would be minimal.