Hi everyone,

A few weeks ago i started up my 997.1TT after a 4-5hr rest period and was surprised to see a big cloud of light grey (??blue) smoke... I asked the Porsche centre service manager about it and he said thats normal for the turbo... he also said the car would use some oil compared to the Boxster S I have....

It's really only happened once the other day, filling the garage with smoke (unpleasant).... I have just spotted this post which makes me worried https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ml#post3144017

Could someone chime in and give me some advice... should I be pressuring the service centre to investigate further?

Cheers,

drvik

 

Absolutely normal on our cars with what you are describing.
Run a search on here about startup smoke and you will see that it is very common.

 

Yes very common, but also very embarrassing...

 

Yes, unnerving but common.

 

Yes thank you all, I've had a quick read around and it seems I'm not the only one... very embarrassing... I'll try the 2 minute cooldown trick... a bit hard since I always run late to everything

 

i have found that it is completely unpredictable when it will happen, whether i give it the 60sec idle or not

 

Yep, happens on my 997GT2. Did it since 286 miles when I bought it.

 

It happens to me sometimes . It may not smoke for a week and It may smoke 2 days in a row. Also, I found mine mostly come out from driver side pipe.

 

Completely normal . . .

Still trying to find the pattern of these smoke-starts. Mine tends to smoke on start up after it sits in the garage for about a week or so. On more frequent starts - it smokes less frequently.

I also noticed (could be just in my head thou) that going from M1 0w40 to M1 5W40 TDT oil seems to reduce this condition . . .

 

I would suggest to change from the 0-40w to Mobil 5-50w. My car seems to not burn as nearly as much oil as with the 0-40w.
http://store.avlube.com/mobil15w50.html

This is what Kevin from UMW has said about the puff off smoke.

"The cuase is a result of gravity and the lightweight oil. The oil will shed off the rings and puddle at the bottom of the cylinder liner. As soon as the engine starts, the oil is burnt. You should only see a random PUFF. If it is cronic, the turbocharger turbine seals are most likely needing replaced."

 

^^^^^^^^

 

common on Subie, 911 etc. flat motor designs.

 

The switch to Mobil 5w - 40 TDT has really helped with the smoking issue at start up for me (thats not why I switched oil viscosity). Its hard to find a pattern that causes the smoke but most of the time if my car is sitting for a few days and I start it (just to move it up a few feet to make room for the truck) then shut it down immediately, the next time I fire her up there is a good chance it will throw out a puff of smoke. Nothing to be concerned about really. My car hardly burns any oil at all apart from the occasional smoke signals.

 

So regarding Boxer engines/Start up smoke, my findings:

- Subaru Sti (tuned/exhaust etc) had it for 4 years : ZERO start up smoke
- 40 years Anniversary 996 (bone stock), 5 years: 7-8 times
- 997 Turbo Tip 2007, (stock-europipe): in my hands 3 months now, 4 times

Mat911

 

You will definitely get smoke with this sequence -
Start cold car (well 80 degrees out but sitting overnight)
Reposition car in garage for work (30 second run time)
Shut down
Start up and reposition car after work (30 second run time)
Shut down
Start car next morning - always smokes.

Never get smoke on starts after car has been warmed up and shut down.

Characteristic of the boxer engine.