Smoke coming from VTA breather

[335i_nick]

I am trying to figure out my smoking issue. I get some smoke from the exhaust but thats whatever at this point. My main concern is this smelly white smoke coming from my crankcase breather filter.

I have the MMP relocation inlets on Pure stage 2s. I have a RB pcv, and the vent side is venting to atmosphere with a small K&N filter on it.

I get white smoke coming out of it, and it smells terrible. I think it's oil vapor. I've gotten the car above 212* quite a bit lately to get out any condensation. It's still there.

I don't run a catch can. Am I looking at excessive blow by?

 

[Bmwfixerguy1]

I'm assuming this is the flapper side?
Do you have the flapper installed?

Is the valve cover visibly cracked in the coil valley. Usually between cyl 2 and 3iah area

 

[Xm-n54]

I am trying to figure out my smoking issue. I get some smoke from the exhaust but thats whatever at this point. My main concern is this smelly white smoke coming from my crankcase breather filter.

I have the MMP relocation inlets on Pure stage 2s. I have a RB pcv, and the vent side is venting to atmosphere with a small K&N filter on it.

I get white smoke coming out of it, and it smells terrible. I think it's oil vapor. I've gotten the car above 212* quite a bit lately to get out any condensation. It's still there.

I don't run a catch can. Am I looking at excessive blow by?

Is the small filter needed if it is just venting to the atmosphere? It's not doing any sucking, is it?

 

[335i_nick]

I'm assuming this is the flapper side?
Do you have the flapper installed?

Is the valve cover visibly cracked in the coil valley. Usually between cyl 2 and 3iah area

Yes flapper side, no flapper is not installed. No VC is not cracked. I just replaced gasket and checked thoroughly.

 

[dyezak]

Primary cause for crankcase pressure/blow by/pcv smoke/whatever you call it on an N54 is valve cover cracks or gasket issues. Not the only reason...but the most common. Go to the RB external pcv and plug your intake ports and eliminate the problem entirely.

 

[335i_nick]

Primary cause for crankcase pressure/blow by/pcv smoke/whatever you call it on an N54 is valve cover cracks or gasket issues. Not the only reason...but the most common. Go to the RB external pcv and plug your intake ports and eliminate the problem entirely.

Forgot to add I have the intake ports plugged.

 

[dyezak]

Time for a compression check

 

[Bmwfixerguy1]

Is the small filter needed if it is just venting to the atmosphere? It's not doing any sucking, is it?

Yes it will draw vacuum. That's why the flapper is there with a restricted orfice

 

[335i_nick]

Time for a compression check

Yes. Going to do that this weekend. Thank you

 

[AK135i]

I had your same issue, I had 3 cylinders with low compression.

 

[BMWE92_Harry]

Do you have a picture of your PCV setup?
Let us know what the result of the compression.

 

[JAperformance]

did you solve your problem?

 

[335i_nick]

did you solve your problem?

Nope. Still smoke coming from the back of the valve cover actually. I think my VC is cracked now.

Gonna inspect closer.

 

[JAperformance]

Nope. Still smoke coming from the back of the valve cover actually. I think my VC is cracked now.

Gonna inspect closer.

Have you tought about the Vader breather kit? I had similar issue but it’s not always that smokes. Im going that route now that I’m going single

 

[STE92]

OP you resolve the issue?

 

[Rob@RBTurbo]

You can not plug your head ports with the internal pcv valve as it will then not work as you've thus plugged its' vacuum reference. The silver lining is that now that you have your head ports plugged you're best plan of action would be to go to our RB External PCV, and you may also want to consinder recirculating your vent hose side back into a turbo inlet such that you are not pushing oil out your small K&N to burn off the engine and cause more smell.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[drepai]

How much white smoke? I was under the impression that once you plug your head ports and vent the crankcase to atmosphere it will smell awful and produce a bit of smoke. Mine did it before I revised my PCV system and the smell was unbearable. Here's how much it would smoke:

Once I put together a new PCV setup the smoke and smell went away completely. Obviously the blowby that's causing it is still there but now I don't have to deal with the terrible smell and smoke because it's being sucked through a catch can and back into the intake manifold. Plus I get vacuum on the crankcase which is good. Again, as far as I know some white smoke from a VTA setup is the result of normal crankcase gasses and nothing to worry about (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). Here's my current setup:

High side: valve cover > OEM flapper valve > BMC OCC > VTA way under the car
Low side: valve cover > ACF PCV delete fitting > OEM PCV valve (to regulate vacuum) > OCC > vibrant check valve (don't want boost on the catch can and don't trust the OEM PCV valve alone to hold boost) > intake manifold

There are cleaner ways to do this but I didn't feel like spending much money.