MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => How to Guides / Troubleshooting => Topic started by: Squeeguk on November 29, 2012, 07:00:57 pm

Title: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: Squeeguk on November 29, 2012, 07:00:57 pm
Hey guys.

My car seems to smoke a lot when I put my foot down to accelerate. It's light grey smoke, according to the missus, and is really heavy. I noticed this the other night pulling out of a junction, with the nights drawing in, it's easier to see the smoke. I have no idea how long this has been going on. Other than this, it does not seem to smoke at all.

If it was a diesel, I would say, yeah ok, they smoke, but not a petrol engined car???? The car doesn't even have 21000 miles on it and has a full VW service history with recent cambelt.

Anybody got any ideas what it could be?
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: GrayMK5GTI on November 29, 2012, 07:34:18 pm
Hey guys.

My car seems to smoke a lot when I put my foot down to accelerate. It's light grey smoke, according to the missus, and is really heavy. I noticed this the other night pulling out of a junction, with the nights drawing in, it's easier to see the smoke. I have no idea how long this has been going on. Other than this, it does not seem to smoke at all.

If it was a diesel, I would say, yeah ok, they smoke, but not a petrol engined car???? The car doesn't even have 21000 miles on it and has a full VW service history with recent cambelt.

Anybody got any ideas what it could be?

Is it remapped? Some maps make the engine very rich at the top end which can cause smoke. I've seen it many times on a dyno.
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: Squeeguk on November 29, 2012, 07:57:15 pm
Nope, totally stock.
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: GrayMK5GTI on November 29, 2012, 08:10:55 pm
Hmm, could be a blocked air filter or PCV. Or even leaking turbo seals ( if it burning oil??)

May be worth finding someone near you with VCDS to do some logging  :happy2:
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: Squeeguk on November 29, 2012, 09:03:15 pm
Hahahaha. I have VCDS, what would I need to log??? I have no faults and doesn't seem to be burning any oil from what I can tell, nothing out of the ordinary.
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: homesqueeze on November 30, 2012, 06:46:28 pm
I believe that it can be a sign of a knackered turbo. But i'm no expert!!
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: PDT on November 30, 2012, 07:33:12 pm
Is this with a warm or cold engine?
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: Squeeguk on November 30, 2012, 07:53:36 pm
The engine was up to temp when we noticed this. Hope it's not the turbo. I know it's a good excuse to go K04, but don't have the dosh for that right now or for the foreseeable future.
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: Squeeguk on December 01, 2012, 12:03:44 pm
Any ideas on this Dave? Been looking at the K04 upgrades, and it's just way out of my price range. Hopefully it's nothing too serious.
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: Squeeguk on December 05, 2012, 11:11:52 pm
Anybody got any ideas on this or experienced this before? Want to get this sorted before something goes pop on me.
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: GrayMK5GTI on December 06, 2012, 10:05:52 pm
I think it's worth taking it down to your local specialist to get a definitive answer  :happy2:
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: Squeeguk on December 06, 2012, 10:46:51 pm
I have checked it with VCDS and everything checked out ok. Took it down to The Phirm today and they confirmed everything is as it should be. So nothing untoward found, will keep an eye on it. Very odd though.
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: rich83 on December 06, 2012, 10:51:24 pm
I think mine smokes a bit on full chat too...  :smiley:
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: Andy on December 06, 2012, 10:53:10 pm
think the petrol golfs that i have seen mapped have chucked a bit of smoke out the back
Title: Re: Loads of grey smoke when throttle applied. Any ideas why?
Post by: Leach76 on December 27, 2012, 02:09:58 pm
Is it doing it just when driving ? or on tick over ? is it when the engine is struggling a bit ? (ie foot down on a hill),
normally if its the turbo it will do it all of the time from 1st starting to spool,if its when your clogging it a bit it could be a boost pipe or joint opening up but this would normally cause dark/black smoke because of over-fuelling trying to compensate for the extra air getting in to the mix,again if grey smoke on tick over which clears when you rev it then starts again when revs drop that is also normally a sign of a turbo on way out