Hey chaps, whenever I idle for a minute or so oil smoke starts to pour out the exhaust where is it coming from? Thinking turbo or valve stem seals but it did the same thing this time last year with a different head with brand new valve stem seals. So it sat around in my shed for six months till I put a second hand head on because the last one cracked and it was fine until recently.
Whats the deal?
New seals or turbo?
Any help would be great
Phil Frederick

Colour of smoke?

Did it overheat? Why are you cracking heads?

Have you blown you headgasket?

Are you chewing through oil?

Is your radiator pressurised on a cold start?

Colour of smoke? - oil smoke you can smell it fairly white though

Did it overheat? Why are you cracking heads? - i got the car with a cracked head no overheat

Have you blown you headgasket? - not sure have not done a comp test but it runs fine plenty of power

Are you chewing through oil? - it uses a little bit of oil but not heaps probably 100ml every 500ks

Is your radiator pressurised on a cold start? - no

sounds like turbo seals. What sort of condition is the turbo in? what type is it?

I had a very similar issue but it was due to the turbo oil drain pipe building up. Cruising etc it was fine but as soon as it sat idle for a minute or so smoke would pour out the exhaust with a very healthy motor. I had quite a sharp bend in the turbo oil drain pipe to direct it back in the sump and I gathered it was oil accumulating there and working out through the turbine. I changed turbos and it was fine.

it is just the stock t3 with standard manafolds and oil piping it was rebuilt a fey years ago and has been running 12 pound for about 8 months

Had a Z18et that blew white smoke, everyone said it was the turbo - had that rebuilt still smoked.

Then everyone said valve stem seals - replaced them, stilled smoked.

Gave it a compression test - all good

It turned out the oil rings were stuffed, full rebuild needed