Vrs exhaust steam / smoke

[Cro Cop]

Hi

I am new to this forum and was wondering if anyone could please help me as i have a problem with my Octavia Vrs

The car is a 2004 model wiht 90 k miles and has a full service history ( longlife ), on occasion for some reason the car bellows out steam from the exhaust , not just when the car is cold , it can suddenly happen when the car is warm , its quiet alot ( as in cars pulling over to get out ot the way etc !)

The car is using no oil or water , and is still performing as it should , i have plugged the car into VAGCOM and nothing has shown up on there , no lights are showing on the dash and everything is normal apart from this.

When it happens it is quite bad , Please has anyone else experianced this or no what might be causing it ?

Thanks Jon

[TrevorB33]

i would have said turbo going, but if its not using oil then dunno maybe water in the exhaust system burning off as steam, but if you say its that bad then i would have thought it would be using oil or water

[Cro Cop]

i would have said turbo going, but if its not using oil then dunno maybe water in the exhaust system burning off as steam, but if you say its that bad then i would have thought it would be using oil or water

The car still drives perfectly , the smoke doesnt really come out under load either which makes me think its not turbo related , its much worse when idling , seems to build up and when you pull away and boot the car it gradually clears .

[TrevorB33]

just sounds like water residue in the exhaust

[Guest westallc]

just sounds like condensation thats all ( where is the car parked etc etc could have something to do with it)

most cars will do this

Edited 15 August, 2010 by westallc

[rk696]

Both my 2005 and 2002 vrs's have done this. It happens when queueing in traffic, or going through the mcd's drive through.

Normal I'd say. They never use any water or oil.

I think it's something to do with the exhaust gases being hotter than a non turbo car. (possibly??)

[Malc]

Both my 2005 and 2002 vrs's have done this. It happens when queueing in traffic, or going through the mcd's drive through.

Normal I'd say. They never use any water or oil.

I think it's something to do with the exhaust gases being hotter than a non turbo car. (possibly??)

As long as its light in colour your fine, mine does this when it gets colder, pretty much all the way to work (30mile commute).

Blue/Dark smoke then something is probably amiss.

[Cro Cop]

As long as its light in colour your fine, mine does this when it gets colder, pretty much all the way to work (30mile commute).

Blue/Dark smoke then something is probably amiss.

Thanks for the reply guys

It is quite alot like i said , ive even been pulled over by the boys in blue

I called the woman who i bought the car from and she said the car has recently hed a new turbo

Do you think its possible that some oil residue has collected in the intercooler when the last one failed and it is this coming out through the exhaust?

[Guest westallc]

what does it smell like???

sounds abit ott if you got pulled because of it

can you put a video up of it ??

[Cro Cop]

I dont really have the capability to put a vid up

its not a heavy smoke like oil but does hang in the air a bit

Smells a bit like something is definatly burning

[Guest westallc]

and your 100% sure no oil or water is being used???

[Cro Cop]

and your 100% sure no oil or water is being used???

Definatly no oil or water being used ....

Oil is clean as is the water , performance is as it should be and the car is averaging 37 mpg

You dont get it when the car is being driven hard or under load , its worse when the car i idling and at low revs

[David 8]

Fair play thats a new one.

Not much help am I, hope you get it sorted

[Bertee]

Definatly no oil or water being used ....

Oil is clean as is the water , performance is as it should be and the car is averaging 37 mpg

You dont get it when the car is being driven hard or under load , its worse when the car i idling and at low revs

Have you tried giving it a good long boot about? Might just need the system clearing out.

[Lew_VRS]

I dont really have the capability to put a vid up

its not a heavy smoke like oil but does hang in the air a bit

Smells a bit like something is definatly burning

maybe its **** from the old turbo still in the system, if its had a recent turbo then it might have been letting crap past which still might be in the system.. wouldn't worry massively if it is not losing coolant/oil.. but its strange.. maybe some old crap is in the system somewhere and partially solidified, when it warms it is heating it up and making it billow smoke? very odd really lol..

[felicia16v]

mine does this but only if i tootle about for a good while. i think its condensation collecting in the rear exh silencer and burning off.. wont do it if it has a good spanking to get the exhaust really hot

[SideshowBob]

Over winter mine was producing lots of steam, but it seems these are steamy cars, with an exhaust that's particularly good at holding water when the car's idling.

What I did, was hold few sheets of clean tissue paper over the exhaust for a few minutes while it was doing it. If it was oil, you'd see/smell it on the paper. On mine the paper was completely clean and smelled of nothing whatsoever, so it was just steam.

Once we got into spring/summer though it stopped doing it. With the warmer weather at the moment I don't expect any more than a brief bit on startup while it's running the secondary air pump.

[Cro Cop]

Over winter mine was producing lots of steam, but it seems these are steamy cars, with an exhaust that's particularly good at holding water when the car's idling.

What I did, was hold few sheets of clean tissue paper over the exhaust for a few minutes while it was doing it. If it was oil, you'd see/smell it on the paper. On mine the paper was completely clean and smelled of nothing whatsoever, so it was just steam.

Once we got into spring/summer though it stopped doing it. With the warmer weather at the moment I don't expect any more than a brief bit on startup while it's running the secondary air pump.

Thanks for all the replys on this one guys

This is definatly more than winter steam , theres so much coming out when it happens, ive tried giving the car a long run but this hasnt helped

Im sure somethign must be blocked somewhere maybe a breather pipe or some oil has got somewhere it shouldnt? ... i took the intake into the manifold off today and there is only the usual slight trace of oil in there so i am puzzled :(

[TrevorB33]

ah well its had a new turbo well they may not have drained the intercooler, pop the pipe off in the offside in front of the wheel and its prob got a good couple of litres in there, when my old car blew its turbo it had at least 2 litres in there and took a good 5 miles for all the old oil to be burnt out on the exhuast side too, even after the intercooler was drained

[Cro Cop]

ah well its had a new turbo well they may not have drained the intercooler, pop the pipe off in the offside in front of the wheel and its prob got a good couple of litres in there, when my old car blew its turbo it had at least 2 litres in there and took a good 5 miles for all the old oil to be burnt out on the exhuast side too, even after the intercooler was drained

Thanks

I will give this a try and let you know how i get on

Jon

[Cro Cop]

Thanks

I will give this a try and let you know how i get on

Jon

I today took the intercooler off my car , There was about a coffee mug sized amount of oil in the bottom of it , around a 3rd of a litre

Do you think could be the cause of it ?