Burning oil - Heavy blue smoke - Please help

[powers1]

Originally Posted by b11nnl

Powers1 I changed the breather yesterday, good news is that the oil is not coming out of the dipstick.

Bad news is the car is still smoking like crazy. Went for a quick run, looked behind me and it's blue smoke everywhere.

My suspicion of rings could be likely, as it smokes more under load.
How can I confirm it's the rings? Any idea of cost? Any other ideas what it maybe? Also how long would I have to keep the car on since changing the breather before I know this is another issue, the car wasnt fully warm as I didnt want to risk more damage.

It hasn't lost power and idles fine and with no engine management lights on vary if it's rings.

Still paying for Christmas....last thing I needed.

Morning,you talk like you got a old banger there,mate,..instead of a high-tech Bmw diesel
Now you did the filter and oil no longer pours out,check your oil level .

Oh God if it was the rings ,you would need major "heart-engine " surgery..I hope it isnt.

Good thing about turbocharged cars is that when its burning excessive oil ,its usually the turbo well before the engine needs new piston/rings!
Even so,the turbo normally lasts around 200,000 kms (125,000 mph) before it starts leaking excessive oil to your inlet manifold.What makes the turbo leak oil is normally worn bearings on the rod that rotates the compressor.The only other way ,and this happened to a member here some 4 times,is when someone allows debris into your air-filter pipe directly to the turbo and upon hitting the compressor vanes,it unbalances the rod ,sometimes breaking it or letting a lot of oil leak out before it eventually seizes.

To check this ,all you need to do is remove the rubber pipe that connects to your EGR valve and you should see a LOT oil deposit there ...
In replacing the oil breather filter,you sorted one major issue but you still got another.

[b11nnl]

"To check this ,all you need to do is remove the rubber pipe that connects to your EGR valve and you should see a LOT oil deposit there ..."


The car is superb, when its working

Thanks mate (powers1) this is really good advice.

I will check the pipe that connects to the EGR valve tonight, is the oil deposit normal? If this is the case what should I replace...

Thanks mate

[powers1]

Originally Posted by b11nnl

"To check this ,all you need to do is remove the rubber pipe that connects to your EGR valve and you should see a LOT oil deposit there ..."


The car is superb, when its working

Thanks mate (powers1) this is really good advice.

I will check the pipe that connects to the EGR valve tonight, is the oil deposit normal? If this is the case what should I replace...

Thanks mate

This pipe I asked you to check for abnormal oil deposit ,is the more accessible for you to check.This is the last pipe of all the piping that connects your turbo to your inlet manifold.All the piping will have oil.
Its normal for you to find a small amount of vapour oil here ..but not a LOT!
If there is a LOT of oil here ,means your turbo is about to seize,if you dont fix it or get a new one.

You can also check (if you were really want to get down to business),the pipe that goes from turbo to intercooler and also remove the turbo pipe to air-filter and then you can also check the compressor vanes.

Dont forget to check your oil level as well..

Can you give me some history(mileage) and maintenance done on your car?Like air-filter,oil change ,etc....

[b11nnl]

Cheers powers1, makes sense. Will open them up tonight.

The car has done 114k miles, Full BMW service history, last service was 107k which had the oil change. Its one previous keeper who had it from new hence thought it was a well looked after car.

[Knocker]

I have a 2002 3.0D and the same thing happened to me. Oil out of Dipstick and smoke out back. The Dealer changed the Oil Seperator and the problem was fixed.

Hope this helps!!

My first post!!!!!

[schurikde]

Maybe you have to drive a few miles to burn all the oil from the exhaust.

[powers1]

If his turbo breaks and oil flows to exhaust,yes ,but lets hope this doesnt happen

[b11nnl]

Thanks, I had a look at the pipe last night before the EGR, I can see oil deposit here not nothing heavy.

Should I let the car run for a while and monitor the oil? This could still be the residue oil still remaining?

Knocker, how bad was the smoke from the back? Was it heavy blue smoke?

I can't help thinking that I didnt run the vehicle fully warm and test....in the hope I burn off any oil that still subsiding

Cheers

[powers1]

Originally Posted by tommyd73069

If this were a gas engine, I'd say the Oil Water Separator is prbably full of oil/water slushy. This will cause crankcase pressures to blow the dipstick out, seals to leak and oil to be pumped into the combustion chamber. The Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system prevents pressures from building in the motor. The system should run at a slight vacuum, so there's no room for pressure. If this is the same system on the diesel engine, you'll have run-on after shutting off the ignition once this becomes severe. Search the threads that deal with Oil Separator PCV issues. It's a winter curse of BMW owners. You'll find 100s of forum threads on this topic. It is a normal part of owning the Ultimate Driving Machine :-)

You obviously havent bothered to read all the thread!
The OP already replaced the oil breather filter and no longer has crankcase pressure.So thats sorted!..We are now just trying to determine why its "blue " smoking which I think its oil

[powers1]

Originally Posted by b11nnl

Thanks, I had a look at the pipe last night before the EGR, I can see oil deposit here not nothing heavy.

Should I let the car run for a while and monitor the oil? This could still be the residue oil still remaining?

Knocker, how bad was the smoke from the back? Was it heavy blue smoke?

I can't help thinking that I didnt run the vehicle fully warm and test....in the hope I burn off any oil that still subsiding

Cheers

First warm up the car by taking it for a 15 minute drive,let it rest for 5 minutes and then check your oil level?

You dont have any DTCs(error codes)?This could point you on another direction,like Ecu,fuel pump,coolant,turbo,rail presure sensors,etc.
Unless you got DTCs,blue smoke can only be excessive oil in intake system ,so your oil level will be going down gradually!Oil in intake can only be from engine itself or from turbo.
I asked you to check that pipe because it was the more accessible,but its also the one at the highest level,so a lot of oil would have dropped to intercooler.The only other pipe that is more or less accessible is the one on the photo,which comes out from the turbo.See if you can disconnect this pipe!
Unfortunately,to gain access and check the condition of the turbo,and to remove the air-intake pipe to it ,you will need to remove the complete air filter housing.