White Smoke from Qashqai exhaust

whitelightrider

Hi Folks,

Driving my car yesterday and I noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust. On further inspection it seems to be coming out when I accelerate, nothing when the car is idling.
No indicator lights on the dash that anything is wrong. Trying to get in touch with the mechanic to book it in today but its worrying.

Any ideas on what might be wrong? Its a 2010 Qashqai diesel

YbFocus

White smoke on acceleration sounds like oil in the exhaust.
Not wanting to cause fear but it's likely a turbo oil seal leaking and the oil is being heated to the point where it makes that white smoke.

Check your oil level asap to be safe.

whitelightrider

YbFocus wrote: »

White smoke on acceleration sounds like oil in the exhaust.
Not wanting to cause fear but it's likely a turbo oil seal leaking and the oil is being heated to the point where it makes that white smoke.

Check your oil level asap to be safe.

Ill check the oil level in a few mins. It was showing as low on Saturday and the mechanic topped it up for me. But its started again yesterday morning.

YbFocus

whitelightrider wrote: »

Ill check the oil level in a few mins. It was showing as low on Saturday and the mechanic topped it up for me. But its started again yesterday morning.

If it has lost any amount since Saturday you're more than likely in trouble I'm afraid.

whitelightrider

Is it dangerous to drive the car? Garage cant take it in until Wednesday morning

whitelightrider

Also just checked it there and the level hasnt gone down since Saturday

Superwofy

whitelightrider wrote: »

Also just checked it there and the level hasnt gone down since Saturday

Oil burning is usually indicated by blue-ish smoke.

White smoke is usually caused by water vapors. If your engine is still exhausting a large amount of white smoke after warming up (i.e condensation is gone from inside the exhaust system), it may be burning coolant.

This can be caused by many things including warped cylinder heads, a damaged head gasket, etc.

Check your coolant level (not while hot!!!).

pred racer

There could be some water in the diesel, happened to me before when my ex wife didn't close the filler cap properly.
Can easily wreck the fuel pump (it wrecked mine :eek: )

billy few mates

Is this happening all the time or only when you start it first thing in the morning...?
My wife had a 2008 model in the past and that thing used to throw out a big cloud of smoke first thing every morning but we never had to put a drop of oil in into it between services, and in fact never had to do anything to it at all. She reckoned it was the best car she ever had and replaced it with a 14 model earlier this year.
I think it's something they all do.

pred racer

billy few mates wrote: »

Is this happening all the time or only when you start it first thing in the morning...?
My wife had a 2008 model in the past and that thing used to throw out a big cloud of smoke first thing every morning but we never had to put a drop of oil in into it between services, and in fact never had to do anything to it at all. She reckoned it was the best car she ever had and replaced it with a 14 model earlier this year.
I think it's something they all do.

White smoke at startup is a dodgy glow plug.

whitelightrider

Hey folks,

This seems to happen when Im accerlerating and not when the car is actually idle. Nothing when you start the car that I can see, only when you're actually driving.

YbFocus

Blue smoke when its burning a small amount in the cylinders, when it's good and thick though it's proper white looking.
Look at diesel overrun for example.

I reckon it's the oil seals. Could be wrong but its the obvious choice.

Pov06

Those engines in the Qashqai are quite rough in my experience.

My neighbour has one and every time he starts it the thing sounds like it's misfiring and smoking white smoke.

Not pleasant coming from a fairly new-ish car.

Not all of them are probably like this but that's what I've seen.

billy few mates

Pov06 wrote: »

Those engines in the Qashqai are quite rough in my experience.

My neighbour has one and every time he starts it the thing sounds like it's misfiring and smoking white smoke.

Not pleasant coming from a fairly new-ish car.

Not all of them are probably like this but that's what I've seen.

That's what our one was like but after the initial startup it went fine.

OP, take it out for a drive on a good stretch of motorway and while you're in the cruise take your foot off the throttle for a few seconds and let it coast for a bit, then put your boot to the floor for a second and watch the rear view mirror and see do you see a massive cloud of smoke.
I had this with my old Scirocco many years ago and it turned out to be the valve stem oil seals were worn. Not a huge deal for me (at the time) I just removed the Head and replaced them (along with the piston rings and shells) and it was fine for years afterwards, it would be expensive to have it done in a garage though.
Just to add, it's years since I did anything on cars and I don't know how this engine is set up so what I had may not be relevant, if so disregard....

rex-x

Superwofy wrote: »

Oil burning is usually indicated by blue-ish smoke.

White smoke is usually caused by water vapors. If your engine is still exhausting a large amount of white smoke after warming up (i.e condensation is gone from inside the exhaust system), it may be burning coolant.

This can be caused by many things including warped cylinder heads, a damaged head gasket, etc.

Check your coolant level (not while hot!!!).

If oil goes through the engine via combustion process it will be blue, if it goes direct to the exhaust as with a turbo seal it will always be white

whitelightrider

Latest update - driving home and the car started to lose power. Was surprised it made it up the hill to the house. Booked into the garage on Wednesday but not risking taking it out tomorrow.

Dermo123

whitelightrider wrote: »

Latest update - driving home and the car started to lose power. Was surprised it made it up the hill to the house. Booked into the garage on Wednesday but not risking taking it out tomorrow.

Just wondering if it is a fuel issue?
Could someone have put petrol in by accident?
Or maybe bad diesel from a fuel station?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

whitelightrider

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Hey Fred, what was the solution/fix?

whitelightrider

Dermo123 wrote: »

Just wondering if it is a fuel issue?
Could someone have put petrol in by accident?
Or maybe bad diesel from a fuel station?

Could be Dermo. I put fresh diesel in it on the way home there so maybe it has something to do with it. Strange tho that it was losing power.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Superwofy

If he were running on 3 wouldn't the EML light be on? Either set by the knock sensor or failed glow plug?

vectra

Turbo dead?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

vectra

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Thought it would be whiteish blue smoke?

YbFocus

vectra wrote: »

Thought it would be whiteish blue smoke?

You would think alright but it's usually black one the turbo is gone as there is too little air entering the cylinders.
So you get the overfueling look!

whitelightrider

Well folks, car in the garage and it looks as though Ive a dead turbo. Lovely. Mechanic is trying to source a reconditioned turbo or see if mine can be reconditioned, but either way looks like its gona cost a bit.

YbFocus

Sorry to hear man,

Plenty of places will rebuild such a common turbo. Do not buy secondhand.
You may well end up doing the same very soon!

Oral Surgeon

New pope!!

whitelightrider wrote: »

Hi Folks,

Driving my car yesterday and I noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust. On further inspection it seems to be coming out when I accelerate, nothing when the car is idling.
No indicator lights on the dash that anything is wrong. Trying to get in touch with the mechanic to book it in today but its worrying.

Any ideas on what might be wrong? Its a 2010 Qashqai diesel

vectra

whitelightrider wrote: »

Well folks, car in the garage and it looks as though Ive a dead turbo. Lovely. Mechanic is trying to source a reconditioned turbo or see if mine can be reconditioned, but either way looks like its gona cost a bit.

Kind of guessed that was the problem
Sorry to hear but as said above. Be very very careful if you are offered a second hand one.

whitelightrider

Cheers folks. Spoke to the mechanic and he's looking to get my own one reconditioned. He said its common enough and he should have no problem. He's a good guy and I trust him with it.

Have to say Im definitely looking to shift on this car. Been getting different valuations for the car so gona see what happens in the next few weeks.

whitelightrider

Well final bill for the new turbo, fitted and the clear out of the oil sum is 1150.
Seems as though the local mechanic was either not servicing the car when he said he was, or was using crappy oil. Expensive lesson definitely learned.

YbFocus

It could have been else reasons or any number of others.

What was the reason for the turbo failure?
We're you told?

whitelightrider

YbFocus wrote: »

It could have been else reasons or any number of others.

What was the reason for the turbo failure?
We're you told?

im not sure to be honest. He did say that the oil sump had a lot of crap and sludge in it. He felt that maybe some of that got pulled into the turbo and it seized.

cadaliac

whitelightrider wrote: »

im not sure to be honest. He did say that the oil sump had a lot of crap and sludge in it. He felt that maybe some of that got pulled into the turbo and it seized.

Or the turbo was starved of oil and ceased

whitelightrider

cadaliac wrote: »

Or the turbo was starved of oil and ceased

That could be it. There were no warning lights on in the car to say that the oil was low at any stage which also is really weird.

toyotamechanic

Thats much for reconditioned turbo -1150.THere is good work to do with changing but still.
Is it 1.6?Qashqai New cost around 800-900e...2 companies to choose but price simillar

YbFocus

Well if there was a sludge problem then a couple of flakes of fresh oil wouldn't be long adding up.

walus

Unfortunately with all these complex diesel engines a proper servicing is vital. There was a time that the manufacturers were suggesting service intervals of 30k kilometres but have copped on since. Turbos in general require good quality oil for lubrication as well as cooling and I personally would make sure the motor gets new oil every 10k kilometres. Most oils out there would stay in grade for that interval and you would not have to worry about the quality of oil as such.