Smoke from exhaust
 

My car was leaking oil, and I realized that it was leaking from the turbo return line. I purchased the McMaster Carr replacement recommended by the board here. My friend who helped me install it said even though it was a little long, and didn't go constantly down, it would be fine.

I drove home and it seemed okay. Last night, I swapped the stock cat with a test pipe As I drove my car to school today, I noticed that it would smoke when I put any load on the turbo.

It seems after searching the forums, it's because the return line might be pooling. Does that sound right? This GReddy kit is starting to annoy me. Grrrr

How long have you had the kit? Stock greddy return? What color smoke? How is your crankcase breather line routed?

had the kit for a while. No problems until i swapped the return line. smoke is white. crankcase breather is routed after the turbo (I don't have any place to mount the breather before the turbo because the maf goes right into the turbo and the filter goes right on the MAF.

ding ding ding!

Has it always been routed this way? What you are doing is pressurizing the crankcase, which is forcing air into the return line. This pushes the oil back into the turbo where is blows past the seals into your exhaust.

Here's your solution:

https://www.miataturbo.net/forums/at...8&d=1158612378

1/8" NPT tap
1/8" to 3/8" slip on fitting
total cost = $5

He is also suggesting that you paint your valve cover yellow to solve the problem.
Total cost 3.75

Well, it's always been routed this way :\

for shits and giggles try at least removing it form where it's at now and plug the hole in the intake path. With the line to the crankcase open to the air, see if there is a difference.

If routing the drain line around the engine bay with about 5 feet of hose make sure there are no flat spots. I suspect bad drainage and crankcase pressurization are your culprits.

:rofl: Pretty good, newb.

I bet the breather line was always routed after the turbo and removing the cat let him see the smoke.

That line is supposed to see vacuum, not boost.

actually i was catless and didn't see smoke for a while. I put the cat for testing. Anyways, I did 2 things:

1) Put the line before the turbo just like the picture
2) cut the return like about 8" and routed it for better return.

Took the car on a test drive and it seems good. We'll know tomorrow I guess, when I drive to school (20mi)

:x:

They'll never learn will they, brain? That's o.k., because that's why we built this posse...yeah we built this posse...WE BUILT THIS POSSE ON CRANKCASE BREATHER LINES!

Whoa, time for bed.

hahahaha. good times.

smoke is gone. :)

Brian we need to start adding kill marks to the sides of our rides

Oh man, that's good...although it'd be difficult to capture what our "kill" is in a simple drawing/picture.

how about some fox body profiles so we look cool, but we know the real meaning?

Hmmm....I like the cut of your jib, man.