Blowing oil at 23,700 miles?

[20VGTi]

I have an 02 VW GTI 1.8T...here's my quandry...

Ok, as the topic states, I think I may be...is this possible? This morning, while getting on the highway I kind of laid into the throttle in 3rd gear, looking behind my in my rearview I swear I saw blueish smoke up until about 5500 RPM when I shifted into 4th. Now, I pretty much baby my car, I never realy drive it hard at all...mabye on the highway once in a while I get on it, but for the most part I pamper it, I love my car too much. My oil history is: first change with conventional at 500 miles Penzoil 5W-30, then again with conventional Penzoil at 2500 5W-30, switched to synthetic at 5000 (valvoline synpower 5W-40), 8000 Mobil 1 0W-40, 12,000 LubroMoly Vollsynthese 5W-40, 18,000 Mobil 1 0W-40...which I'm still running at 23,700. Each time I used a new oil filter, either the stock filter or a Mobil 1, and I add maybe a 1/4 quart for every 5-6K. Anyone know what this could be, or had something experience? Is it blow-by, the turbo, breather valve/PCV...any ideas? This kind of worries me, this car is meticulously maintained and as I said I rarely beat on the car...just get on the throttle every once in a while. Shouldn't be happening with only 23,700 on the clock. Any help, info is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Drew99GT]

With turbo cars, it's not unusual to blow a bit of smoke under boost, especially black sooty smoke, which means your running safely on the rich side while under boost. If your sure it was blue, that would concern me a bit, but that still isn't unheard of in a healthy turbo engine. I'm more familiar with Eagle Talons and Mitsu. Eclipses, and they all do that to an extent. Even a bit of blue smoke as well on a healthy stock motor. The PCV usually closes completely when under boost as boost in the intake manifold pushes the plunger in the valve to the closed position, BUT, that turns the fresh air line from the valve cover into the turbo inlet pipe into suction, and it will have a lot of vacuum through it under boost. As long as you didn't see a CLOUD of blue smoke, I'd say your all good, but keep an eye on it

 

[20VGTi]

Thanks Drew...on my way to work on Friday I'll do the same thing...get on it hard and see what happens I guess. It could've been more black indicating rich F/A mixture, but I'll have to see it again, hopefully I won't. After I saw it this morning I was doing about 80 or so and put it in 4th and matted the throttle...I didn't see anything at all, altough my RPM weren't as high either.

[ December 24, 2003, 03:13 PM: Message edited by: 20VGTi ]

 

[dustyjoe1]

Try sticking with one oil for more than one oci

 

[Nosmo King]

I think I know your problem.
You are over filling.
The dip stick is tricky and if you fill to the top kink, you will have overfilled.

Other than that, the oil burning motors were fixed back in 01'.

So

 

[20VGTi]

quote:

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Try sticking with one oil for more than one oci

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I know...I agree, it's just hard to get the recommended 5W-40 wt my car calls for, so I get whatever I can. I'll be running LubroMoly 5W-40 from now on though, place in NH has it.

 

[20VGTi]

quote:

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I think I know your problem.
You are over filling.
The dip stick is tricky and if you fill to the top kink, you will have overfilled.

Other than that, the oil burning motors were fixed back in 01'.

So

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That's what I would think too, I've done that before. I checked this AM and the oil was just a tiny bit below the top cross marks (xxxx), so I added a little bit...this may be why, but I didn't add to much, or so I though. Say I did add too much, how would I burn it, or what would cause it to burn?

Thanks for all the replies...

 

[Robbie Alexander]

quote:

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Originally posted by 20VGTi:
-*-* gear, looking behind my in my rearview I swear I saw blueish smoke up until about 5500 RPM when I shifted into 4th. -*-*-*

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I always see black... hehehehe
Well I'd just keep an eye on it. YOU can still burn more oil... you are safe there.
Sounds like maybe you need to LAY on the peddle for awhile! One and awile... it's good to floor the lady once and awhile or at least a few times a month and just hold her hand to the magic mile for a minute or two.... I like to do this every day, buy the average Joe can do this once or twice a month.
Blue???
HUmmmmmmm
Keep an eye on it and see if you see any seepage on the engine anywhere... also with 23K have you ever change the PCV ???

 

[ralan]

Just a thought, but how is your air filter and all associated plumbing on the inlet side of the turbo? Partial blockage here will cause a lower than normal pressure and oil from the turbo bearings will get sucked past the turbo seal and get processed thru the engine. Remember, the turbo sucks on its air inlet side and blows on its outlet side.

Also, verify the pre-heat system works and is not stuck closed.

HTH

Ralan
-long time turbo owner/operator

 

[dustyjoe1]

I know...I agree, it's just hard to get the recommended 5W-40 wt my car calls for, so I get whatever I can. I'll be running LubroMoly 5W-40 from now on though, place in NH has it.

I don't have any experience with that oil, but I've heard from many old timers that an engine needs to get "used" to an oil. Personally I've run into a few cases where a perfectly good motor has started burning oil when brands are switched...after a while on the new brand it just stops burning. Just some food for thought.
happy holidays
r.

 

[Nosmo King]

quote:

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Originally posted by 20VGTi:

Say I did add too much, how would I burn it, or what would cause it to burn?

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An overfill on a VW will quickly burn off as the crank will be hitting the top of the oil in the pan and the ring pack will NOT be able to control all this extra oil being thrown about.
The oil will burn of and once down to the correct level, it should maintain there.

If you are getting blue smoke after the oil level has stabilized then you will have to look elsewhere.
I agree with other posters that you might want to look for a restriction somewhere causing a pressure build up.

 

[Robbie Alexander]

quote:

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Originally posted by 20VGTi:

quote:

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Keep an eye on it and see if you see any seepage on the engine anywhere... also with 23K have you ever change the PCV ???

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Robbie, no I haven't...didn't think I had to until about 40K, how often would you guys recommend me changing out the PCV?

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some threads here about it. It depends on you.
I have run them over 200K and they look clean and did it just because, and I change them at 20-30K or more depending.
Me, if the area comes off and I got the cash, I just do it BECAUSE, if the area starts to get wet, I replace it and the gasket, If I don't recall when it was or cant find my records, I replace it... If all is well and MPG has not budged, I usually leave it alone, UNLESS I'm around it replacing something else.
I think my book calls to check it for either 20 or 30K, but I figure, in there, for 4.00 I'll replace

 

[20VGTi]

quote:

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Originally posted by ralan:
Just a thought, but how is your air filter and all associated plumbing on the inlet side of the turbo? Partial blockage here will cause a lower than normal pressure and oil from the turbo bearings will get sucked past the turbo seal and get processed thru the engine. Remember, the turbo sucks on its air inlet side and blows on its outlet side.

Also, verify the pre-heat system works and is not stuck closed.

HTH

Ralan
-long time turbo owner/operator

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Ralan, thanks for the reply, my air filter should be fine, I have a K&N drop-in but I haven't checked it in about 6000 miles or so. Last time I did it looked fine, I just turned it 180 degrees so it would be sucking air across a cleaner part of the filter, I'll be cleaning it soon though. As for the pre-heat system, what exactly are you refering to? It's interesting you say that because the other day I hooked my vag-com (diagnostics software) up to my OBDII port and saw that o2 sensor failed the readiness test, as did the catalyst pre-heat and o2 pre-heat...all things to do with my smog/pollution control. I gotta find out why, but could this be a reason? I'll also check all the intake plumbing to the turbo this w/end when I change my oil. Thanks...

 

[20VGTi]

quote:

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Keep an eye on it and see if you see any seepage on the engine anywhere... also with 23K have you ever change the PCV ???

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Robbie, no I haven't...didn't think I had to until about 40K, how often would you guys recommend me changing out the PCV?