This just started happening about a week ago. If the car sits at idle for more than 5 minutes it starts smoking. The smoke looks like oil, but it smells more like fuel. Once you rev the car up it cleans out and won't smoke for another 5 minutes. The car does not seem to be burning oil either. While driving it does not smoke at all no matter how hard it is driven. Only after revving up from idle. The car has a Turboxs stealth back exhaust with high flow cat. I have never had boost creep or hit fuel cut. The car still runs strong and does not run any different than when I bought it. The only two possible causes of this problem that I can think of is a bad motor or leaking turbo. I hope I can figure this out; any info someone could give me would be very helpful.

Thanks,
Joe

Not that I know what I'm talking about, but it sounds like maybe its running VERY rich at idle.

I thought this, but it is still on the stock ecu. I use to have this issue on my 2002 wrx. It had a unichip, turboxs tbe, and samco hoses. It is a very odd condition that me, as a mechanic have never seen. i am use to Hondas which when smoke the way that my sti is smoking generally barelly idle. The weird thing is it is an odd smell that does not smell like oil.

possibly very rich... try resetting the ecu and see what happens?

Robert~

I've seen multiple WRXs start smoking while sitting idle for extended periods of time.

I first saw this happen to several people at an winter autocross where several people where running the heater in the morning with the car idling.

this exact problem was happening on my old 02 wrx, it was the turbo seal, replaced the turbo and it stopped. only did it on long periods of idling and usually worse if it was sitting up hill

seals? what does it smell like?

LOL sounds familiar! I had the same issue on my car. Here is the deal, the PCV system is plumbing oil into your runner/plentum. If you pull your I/C and TB and look inside you will find a pool of oil in the bottom of the plentum. When you let your car idle there is a large vacuum that draws the oil out of the plentum down the runner and into the combustion chamber. Thus smoke out the tail pipe.

The fix: You need to run a catch can fot the hose that runs from the PCV to the plentum/ runner. I did that have not had a problem since.

Nothing bad just need to get a catch can.

<

Thanks for all the replies i will order a catch can to see if this fixes the issue. I wanted to get one anyway so makes sense to try. if this doesn't fix it i will see if the turbo is leaking, but either way atleast i have somethings to try.



Thanks,
Joe

acuratech:

I would pull off the I/C and the T/B and have a look. At least you would know the cause and you can clean it out.

Matt

I already had the intercooler off the car. Oil was puddled at the base near the trottle body opening, but this doesn't eliminate either idea of what was wrong. I will try the cheaper fix first since it is a good idea to have a catch can installed anyway.


Thanks,
Joe

acuratech:

It is the PCV system that is putting the oil in there. If you look inside your I/C you will see that there is no oil in there. That would eliminate the valve cover breathers and the compressor side seal as a cause. The only other place that oil has a chance to enter the intake system is from the PCV system.

M