View Full Version : Z20LET Problems
Hi Guys - New member here.
My Mk4 GSi turbo is turning out to be a bag of fun! Just had the head replaced after the water pump fell to bits and the cambelt jumped off.
Now before that fix, and after, i have white smoke floating out of the front of the car - especially after a hard run. I also get a (burnt) oily smell in the cabin when i come to a halt. And the car does seem to use an unusually high amount of oil.
Read a few posts on here, and the main views are that turbo oil returns and breather pipes tend to be the culprit...any advice would be greatly recieved...i want to take the motor to the nurburgring in april and i want it working!
What sort of millage has the engine done?
White smoke often means headgasket but in this case it just could be the remaining water in the exhaust evapourating?
As for the oil smell check all your breathers and check all the oil joins around the turbo etc. If its using an insane amount of oil depending upon millage this could be illustrating the need for piston rings?
Milage is about 61500. The smoke is only from the engine bay, not the exhaust.
It has just (200 miles ago) had new gaskets and new a head, so i hold doubts at the gasket.
I've checked the breathers - the one way valve was broken when i got it, but it has now been replaced (few months ago). Problem persisted even after replacement. Was also missing a jubilee clip on the main breather (bottom right, feeds to sump), installed one of them and still the problem is there.
Oil usage i'd guess maybe a litre a week, less so at the moment because i'm running the new head in.
When my car was loosing oil it turnbed out to be the turbo return pipe... or something like that
It had split and was replaced with a revised part.
White smoke from the engine bay? Check for any water leaks could be a hose or a water bottle of some kind, also loosing a litrre of oil a week is quite excessive :( I'd leave a drip tray under the car and check for any leaks in the areas.
check the breather under the cross over pipe these tend to go and get squashed and makes back pressure in cam cover
Just changed my breather today, smell is like smokey bacon crisps in the car.
90423733 for CYLINDER HEAD COVER TO TURBOCHARGER (rear)
90423667 for VENTILATION PIPE TO CYLINDER HEAD (front)
also check the one way valve, this was also sheered on mine also did the rocker cover gasket.
They are the two breathers at the top left of the rocker cover i take it?
Also check the oil cap. The O ring might be goosed.
well i used to have the exact same problem, and mine turned out to be oil seeping out of the bearing housing on the turbo and dripping on to the exhaust which is very very dangerous, which is what caused the burnt oil smell, it is worth checking the oil return pipe on the underside of the turbo which goes into a banjo fitting just above the sump as the gaskets or pipe may have corroded.
i changet mine for a vxr unit along withe lots and lots of people on here.
hope this helps
They are the two breathers at the top left of the rocker cover i take it?
What was the outcome of this, i have the exact same issue...
I fixed it with a new VXR turbo and a load of other bits, spent about a grand in total, works a treat now though, no loss of any fluids and much smoother.
Turns out my z20let turbo had a leak between the compressor and turbine housing...yay
I fixed it with a new VXR turbo and a load of other bits, spent about a grand in total, works a treat now though, no loss of any fluids and much smoother.
Turns out my z20let turbo had a leak between the compressor and turbine housing...yay
Bugger (although good for you), mine is the VXR unit already and is just over 1 year old :(
Cany see any evidence of oil around the actual turbo.. was yours obvious?
Oh mine was an oily mess. Oil and clumps of oily dirt all over the bottom, and the sump pan area was all oiled up too.
So has yours got the white smoke rising from it?
yes mate, not all the time, just on the odd occasion when i pull up in traffic.. lift the bonnet to be greeted by bluey / white smoke.
Can smell hot oil often in the cabin as well. Probably not helped by the missing grommit on the firewall to the engine bay but only happening recently.. very odd!