billow of smoke?

[JonW]

Driving along a road with the car warm, but having just been stopped at the shop for say 30 mins. Had been running for about 5mins after leaving the shop and I was on medium throttle at about 65kmh and I looked in the mirror and it was like i had just started the car at -5degC. I could see the exhaust smoke in the rearview up around the rear window. It cleared rightaway, and was fine right after, even when revving... just one of those things, or impending doom?

Car has just 3100kms on it and had just been on a long journey this morning and early arvo, Ie over an hour each way up the coast and back. I'm trying to do more long journeys now as VW say my short round town journeys are not helping the rings bed in and I needed some sustained (and varied) revs. So up the coast on the Freeway and back on the old pacific hwy. Car has had two oil topups due to oil lights, one at 1350 and one at approx just under 2700.

Interested to hear thoughts, not panicing.

[prcurrie]

what colour was it?

Had you hit the throttle a bit earlier (e.g. planted the foot)??? I sometimes get that when I've put my foot down and then a little later when I accelerate (not hard, car using it's torque) I get smoke. I've been told its a fuel dump.......

[JonW]

Thanks for answering. Hmmm hard to say what colour as it was via the rearview mirror, but i would say grey, ie just like when youve just started the car on a cold day.

Could well have been what you suggest, I had about 30secs earlier pulled our of a junction onto the road so had hit the throttle hardish to join the traffic and get a space etc.

[martinijosh]

Re: billow of smoke?

Oil smoke is usually blue, unburned fuel in the exhaust igniting usually black, water white.

[JonW]

I know, but... in traffic via the rear view in rain... not easy to see the colour.

[Rubbadub]

I've seen this after I've been trundling along, and then suddenly booted the car for overtaking. I'm guessing it's a build-up of soot??

For your reference, my car has used 1.5L of oil (or maybe a little more depending how full it was in the first place) in 6000km.

[wai]

With a petrol engine, if you get a blow of smoke after a period of light running with a high intake vacuum, this generally indicates worn valve stems or valve stem seals (if fitted). This is because you get a build up of oil in the intake and then when the throttle is opened, this is sucked in and you get a blow of smoke.

Black smoke is fuel (either prtrol or diesel) and blue/grey smoke is engine oil.

If it is work valve stems/seals, then this will be easily reproduceable.

[danielv10]

hey Jon I've noticed this too not only from my car (which uses oil) but also from lemonskin's (doesnt drink oil from what I know), during a cruise we went on. usually happened when we press down to accelerate hard from a slow pace. it was grey colour iirc.

[wai]

hey Jon I've noticed this too not only from my car (which uses oil) but also from lemonskin's (doesnt drink oil from what I know), during a cruise we went on. usually happened when we press down to accelerate hard from a slow pace. it was grey colour iirc.

It's oil making its way into the inlet manifold/ports and points to worn valve stems, or the clearance between the stem and guide at its maximum serviceable limit. I don't know if the VW engines have valve stem seals, as it may be those that have failed.

The way to see if it is a major problem is to see if the exhaust pipe outlet is oily. If it isn't then it is a case of monitoring oil consumption. You will find that manufacturers will say that 1 litre/1000 km is acceptable.

[amazeer]

Thats a harsh log distance diagnosis. If its just a one off on a wet cold day day. You could have just sprayed a whole heap of water up onto the exhaust. The square back of a hatch does interesting aerodynamic things and sucks air/dirt up under the back window. If you had a cloud of oil smoke following you, you can guarantee that there would be oil spatter all over the back of your car.

I wouldnt assume you have anything more than the "normal" gti issues at this point.

[wai]

Thats a harsh log distance diagnosis.

That's why I said to check the tail pipe and monitor oil consumption.

If you are using oil and there is not a patch of oil on the floor, then it has to be passing through the engine. If you are getting oil smoke almost all the time, it is generally rings that have gone. If it is only when you accelerate, it is generally valve guides. In any event, you monitor things, and then realise that manufacturers consider 1 litre/1000 km "normal".

Steam dissapates very quickly, but oil smoke hangs around.

[JonW]

Some interesting responses to my initial query, and Id like to thank everyone for posting.

From what I can gather, rightly or wrongly for these engines this kind of thing is normal. I will keep driving and see what happens. Its very close to brand new still and under warranty after all.

[martinijosh]

Re: billow of smoke?

While bedding in rings isn't that big a deal on modern cars, you could probably just assume its a little bit of blow by. Give it a few thousand km to settle itself and worry about it then, keep a close eye on oil level and don't wait for a warning light.

[danielv10]

It's oil making its way into the inlet manifold/ports and points to worn valve stems, or the clearance between the stem and guide at its maximum serviceable limit. I don't know if the VW engines have valve stem seals, as it may be those that have failed.

The way to see if it is a major problem is to see if the exhaust pipe outlet is oily. If it isn't then it is a case of monitoring oil consumption. You will find that manufacturers will say that 1 litre/1000 km is acceptable.

The exhaust isn't oily thankfully. Just sooty after a couple of drives though. Mine falls at around ~300ml/1000km (car done approx. 13000km). The mechanics and service team at VW dealer reassured me that oil consumption is normal on the GTI, to just top it up when required, and that it wouldn't affect the rest of the engine. But I'm sceptical...