Q – Help! My 96 Turbo is making me crazy. I love the car but I can’t stand it any more. It smokes so badly that I could fog for mosquitoes and charge for it. The final straw was when I started it last week and my neighbor came over and asked if he should call the fire department. I am serious! I even made a video of it. And to make matters worse, now it acts like I am losing power and I feel a hesitation.
It only has 20K on the odometer. I have religiously followed the dealer’s recommendation about oil and filters and it has never been anywhere BUT the dealer. Last visit, my service advisor said that the smoke was normal and that I should change to a heavier grade of oil. What could have gone wrong with it? Dave
A – Dave, I emphasize with you. I had to quit driving my turbo when it had the same problem. I couldn’t take it to parties any more, it was embarrassing! Fortunately your turbo can’t have the same problem as mine. From repeated flogging, I roasted the oil seals in mine. At 20k, I am certain that is NOT your problem.
It is an easily corrected design flaw. When Porsche redesigned the turbo for the early 90’s, they mounted two turbos, down low in the chassis for faster acceleration and packaging. They also provided an oil reservoir for fresh oil at each turbo. The problem is, when you turn the engine off, residual oil, under pressure…fills the turbos and causes the smoke on start up. I would bet that this IS your problem.
The cure consists of two new oil lines with check valves to shut off oil flow after the engine is shut down. Unfortunately, many of these cars were diagnosed with “bad turbos” which of course did not cure the problem. For a time, while the cars were under warranty, Porsche would fix them free with updated lines. Although it is expensive, once you have the kit installed and clean up the mess, there is no permanent damage. It is a lot less expensive than replacing the turbos.
Even so, for a while the car will still smoke. I prescribe a fast drive on an unobstructed stretch of road to literally “blow out the pipes” This will clean some of the oil residue out of the turbos, pipes, intercooler and the intake. The oxygen sensors (a vital fuel trim component) are certainly coated with oil residue and it takes heat and time before the car will regain full power.
As far as the advice you received, service campaigns, updates, and recalls are the tools that an advisor should utilize when giving advice. You would be doing him a service to let him know about the cure if he ever runs into this again. As many professionals will tell you, free advice is usually worth what you pay for it and he simply did not do the research.
And although this might cure the smoking problem, what about your mental health? The answer for you may be “auto therapy”. Auto therapy requires discipline and repeated test drives. After a dozen or so smokeless start ups, you should start feeling better. Meditation in your car will also help with your therapy. My personal motorhead mantra is “c….h….r….o….m….e”. Take a deep breath and try to say it very slowly so the sound creates a resonance in your head. I also recommend auto yoga which involves various postures and movements which will improve concentration and promote a feeling of deep peace and contentment. Some hacks have called this “detailing” but they miss the point. It works for me. Try it.
As far as the neighbor, next time you see him, ask that smart aleck if he would care for a ride. Then slip it into first, smoke all four tires, snatch a few gears, and then tell him to hold on while you do a “brake test”. It may not change his mind, but for a few seconds, he will be speechless. And Porsche glory is restored. — MC