Blue smoke issue Focus ST

[Mackers91]

Hi all,

Just wondering if there's anyone on here with experience working on the T5 volvo lump in the focus.

Had it up on the North Coast drive at the weekend and it let out a few puffs of blue smoke when coming off boost.

So far I've taken the boost pipe off which connects to the throttle body which is completely dry no oil in sight.

I've heard the crank case breather pipe can become clogged up and cause issues like this so have a new one on the way.

Also heard about worn piston rings or bores. So have ordered a compression tester to help check this. The car only has 63k on it so I'm hopeful this isn't the case.

Turbo seals possibly? Don't really know how to check them would dropping the downpipe off and checking for oil splatters help?

Is there anything else I should be checking?

 

[Boabybooster]

Does it smoke if you leave it idling for a while?

 

[Mackers91]

Does it smoke if you leave it idling for a while?

No bud not at all. Only after coming boost its not using a noticeable amount of oil either

 

[Graham]

Give SCC Performance in the mainland a call, if they don't know what may be u, no on will

 

[Delboy23]

Possibly turbo oil seals. It down on power?

 

[Mackers91]

Possibly turbo oil seals. It down on power?

Driving perfect bar the smoke every so often still pulling like a train and boosting to 1.5 bar.

 

[Mark_C]

Check the PCV system over before going any further with expensive parts replacement. Are you getting much smoke out the dipstick tube for example ,or can you feel gas pushing against the oil filler cap if you take it off and hold it against the neck?

 

[Mackers91]

Check the PCV system over before going any further with expensive parts replacement. Are you getting much smoke out the dipstick tube for example ,or can you feel gas pushing against the oil filler cap if you take it off and hold it against the neck?

I had taken the dip stick out to check the oil filter diaphragm. Didn't feel any pressure build up, no smoke either. Going wait to until the new breather pipe comes and give it a good check over

 

[Marc]

Do you have Decat fitted?

 

[Mackers91]

Do you have Decat fitted?

I do indeed yeah! Only been on the car about a week.

 

[ossy2004]

Hopefully it's nothing to worry about chum. It happened only 2-3 times in that run on Sunday

 

[Marc]

I do indeed yeah! Only been on the car about a week.

Likely just unburnt fuel.

 

[Mark_C]

Unburnt fuel is black, blue is oil as in OP's description of the problem

 

[j44nty]

Where you the blue st focus infront of us (wrx) as we did notice the blue smoke on a few gear changes as we chatted about how nice the 5 cylinder engine sounds and then puff out came the smoke.
Maybe not even your car but thought i would say anyway incase it was you.

 

[Mark_C]

@j44nty you've got the man panicking now!

 

[j44nty]

@j44nty you've got the man panicking now!

Sorry i know but if it where mine i would want to know for sure to maybe help diagnose symptoms. The one in front of us puffed out during gear change after heavy load but at no other time did it smoke. We had our windows open and it smelt of unburnt fuel. On a side note pulls well and sounds awesome

 

[Mackers91]

Likely just unburnt fuel.

Have noticed its smelt like its been running pretty rich from its been fitted.

Sorry i know but if it where mine i would want to know for sure to maybe help diagnose symptoms. The one in front of us puffed out during gear change after heavy load but at no other time did it smoke. We had our windows open and it smelt of unburnt fuel. On a side note pulls well and sounds awesome

Yea that was me j44nty!

 

[Marc]

Unburnt fuel is black, blue is oil as in OP's description of the problem

Yeah, but he may be describing the colour wrong.

Reason I ask is I know a friend fitted a decat to his ST and it puffs a little black smoke when changing gear and under heavy load.

 

[ossy2004]

Defo blue mark.

It's only after (not during) heavy acceleration and when going to change gear from what I saw

 

[Mackers91]

Defo blue mark.

It's only after (not during) heavy acceleration and when going to change gear from what I saw

Exactly this yea, I've all the stuff ordered to refurb the PCV system should be here today so going to try that first and go from there.

 

[Normski]

Hopefully nothing bad bud, as has been said, get the obvious gasket areas checked.

Was it happening before the decat?

I was never behind you so can't add to how often or when it happened

 

[Mackers91]

Hopefully nothing bad bud, as has been said, get the obvious gasket areas checked.

Was it happening before the decat?

I was never behind you so can't add to how often or when it happened

To be honest mate I never noticed it before the Decat, I think I'll drop it off and put the Cat back on just to rule it out.

If it turns out to be the turbo then I suppose its just an excuse to go hybrid .

 

[Normski]

Yeah drop it off, have them test it before the cat's changed and after, see if it shows any change.

What about an RS turbo (if they can be had)? Always see 400bhp+ RS's, do they use standard turbo still?

 

[Mackers91]

Yeah drop it off, have them test it before the cat's changed and after, see if it shows any change.

What about an RS turbo (if they can be had)? Always see 400bhp+ RS's, do they use standard turbo still?

You can fit the RS turbo yeah but I think it's North of 2k to do it right.

I've found a recent thread on the ST-OC forum just there now of a few guys having the exact same issue so hopefully it leads somewhere again they seem to be working on the permise that the PCV system is clogged up so fingers crossed!

 

[roverspeed]

Might be worth blanking of the PCV into the inlet and let it vent to atmosphere from the crankcase and try it out like that. But maybe not much point if you have the parts on the way though.