Turbine problem on CDI, low power even after replacement

[Luca]

Good morning,
  I am writing to you about a problem with the turbine, I have a smart 450 diesel CDI with 240,000 km from 2000.

Since I bought it used (with 170,000 km) the turbine has always whistled a bit and has always been dirty, probably due to blow-by.

A month ago, within a few days, the classic whistling of the turbine began to stop being heard, the smoke increased when accelerating and the car lost a lot of power (especially when going uphill).

So I did the following:
- coreassy replacement, with complete cleaning of the turbine and compressor scrolls (the new turbine runs very well by hand)
- drained the oil before reconnecting the delivery (see photo)
- oiled the turbine before mounting it
- deep cleaning of the turbine oil delivery and drain pipes
- check that the oil drain was not clogged (I let the oil drip with a funnel)
- oil and oil filter replacement (synthetic 5W-40 oil)
- disassembly of the camshaft cover and cleaning of the blow-by breather cover (it was not clogged, just dirty)
- once mounted, I checked that oil was coming out of the turbine (photo with cold engine at 2 degrees celsius and idling)
- visually checked the hoses and intercooler (didn't see any cracks or crevices)
- reconnected the wastegete piston with preload (this turbine does not have variable geometry)

Also I noticed that the old turbine had no play and the shaft turned really well so maybe it just didn't go?

Now to make some tests I left the blow-by pipe disconnected and closed the hole upstream of the turbine.

I have done about 300 km and I have noticed:
- black oil actually comes out of the blow-by pipe, which I think was the one that dirty the whole turbine. It seems to me that there is also some water vapor, but the car does not consume water.
- the car no longer produces black smoke when accelerating

The problem remains that I don't hear the whistle of the turbine and the car doesn't have the power it had before (it goes a little more, but not much).

I add that I have never seen any motor light on the dash, neither before nor after the coreassy replacement.

Does anyone have any idea what I can check?
Thanks a lot to everyone!

 

PHOTO OLD TURBINE

 

 

OIL BLEEDING PHOTO

 

 

 

TEST NEW TURBINE OIL DISCHARGE

 

Edited February 17, 2023 by Luca

[Getfuzzy]

Could the intercooler have developed a hole?

[tolsen]

I also think your intercooler has developed holes. 
 

Regarding oil in breather pipe,  simply fit a catch can. Let it drain back to sump if you can. 

[Luca]

Thanks, I should have some time in March to check the intercooler. Is it a big problem if meanwhile I use the car? I drive very quietly..

[MikeT]

If there is a hole in the intercooler, you will likely see oil dripping down the left side of the drivetrain, onto the gearbox casing and the ground.

 

Driving with a hole in the intercooler is OK - the car will just have less power.

[tyc]

Turbochargers have a wastegate adjustment. Is that setting correct?
The intercooler can also be broken.
The oil bleed plug on Smart 450 thermal engines is always at the lowest point of the oil pan - when it exists...
The OE oil sumps for the Smart 450 are without a drain plug, the oil is extracted by absorption. By opening only the oil filter ~0.5l leaked. How much oil did you fill up? (rhetorical)
Please, in the future, contact a skilled mechanic, because from what I can see, this time you committed it seriously. I would be happy if the engine survived.
OIL vapors come out of the blowby pipe when the engine is running, this is the basic training of any mechanic.

The picture shows the change of antifreeze! That's where the engine antifreeze bleeds!

[Willys]

Isn't this picture of the  oil feed line bung to the turbo, not the two adjacent coolant lines....This is the line that always is rusty usually so bad it leaks and requires changing.  

 

In this picture of my engine as I was rebuilding it you can see the turbo feed line and also the two oil filter coolant lines. The coolant lines are on the right and the oil feed line is on the left and far smaller.  It also is a banjo fitting, the return line is a non pressurized steel line with a rubber connecting pipe attached to the flat plate with 3 bolts on it.

Edited February 19, 2023 by Willys

[Luca]

7 hours ago, tyc said:

Turbochargers have a wastegate adjustment. Is that setting correct?
The intercooler can also be broken.
The oil bleed plug on Smart 450 thermal engines is always at the lowest point of the oil pan - when it exists...
The OE oil sumps for the Smart 450 are without a drain plug, the oil is extracted by absorption. By opening only the oil filter ~0.5l leaked. How much oil did you fill up? (rhetorical)
Please, in the future, contact a skilled mechanic, because from what I can see, this time you committed it seriously. I would be happy if the engine survived.
OIL vapors come out of the blowby pipe when the engine is running, this is the basic training of any mechanic.

The picture shows the change of antifreeze! That's where the engine antifreeze bleeds!

 

Thanks @tyc, I try to answer your points.

- The nuts that set the preload of the wastagate have been screwed where were before. Is there a better way to tune this?

- I've changed the oil sump with one that has a bolt few years ago. I,'ve changed the oil from there.

- As @Willysointed out the hole in the picture is the feeding line of the turbo. The oil that you see bleeding was new oil, I've changed the oil and the oil filter and than I did the bleed without starting the engine. It was just a fast bleed of a bit of oil. The picture that you see was taken from a video I made to be sure that the procedure was successful.

-Yes there is oil vapour in the breather pipe, but also some steam. I watched some videos about the catch can suggested by @tolsen and I have seen that the catch can usually fills by a mixture of oil and water.

Edited February 19, 2023 by Luca

[tyc]

When the engine is off, the oil drains into the oil sump. From such a height, only the antifreeze in the engine flows with such a rate. There is a little oil in the turbo, and when it runs out, another one must be pumped in with the help of the engine.

The previous adjustment was for the original turbocharger and not for the current turbocharger. The adjustment can be restored with the help of MB Star and a hobbyist. If there is the possibility of a test with a Smart 450 CDI from 2000...2002 that runs well and the real-time reading of the turbo pressure at the speed of ... and the slope of the ramp of ... is perfect. Noting the pressure and after adjusting the wastgate until similar results are obtained.

 

[Willys]

2 hours ago, tyc said:

From such a height, only the antifreeze in the engine flows with such a rate.

You could be correct...now I think about this.....unless the entire block is full of oil for some reason?  Is this the initial spurt of oil directly after the fitting was released? Hmmm....I doubt it...so can anyone enlarge this picture to see what is going on..? The oil hasn't got an end to the flow as in going deep into the container.....? Seems fishy now I think about it...lol...?   Hmmmmm.....?

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by Willys

[LooseLugNuts]

i remember adjusting my wastegate by driving it with the rear cover removed...possibly the bumper/crash bar too for easy access

 

and then by driving it hard and paying attention to manifold pressure readings you can keep increasing adjustment...i cant remember what pressure i was aiming for but when you get too far it lets you know by going into limp mode and sets an overboost code

[Willys]

I set mine at 16.4 psi so I rarely go above it.....I also use a scangageII to monitor it as I drive.  

[tyc]

The antifreeze emulsifies the oil thanks to the water pump.
The original Smart 450 antifreeze is dark blue, with protection for animals (very bitter). In low light it looks like burnt oil...
That's where the antifreeze from the engine block drains... 1.5 l flows. The oil is 3 l, it can be drained into a 5 l can, but it spills if the can doesn't have a cap.
The role of antifreeze is to transport heat ... water has the highest capacity, but unfortunately it freezes at 0 degrees Celsius; antifreeze is a compromise formula, it resists frost but has a lower capacity. Oil is a rather expensive coolant, it does not freeze but has a lower capacity than antifreeze; instead, lubricate the pump well!

[LooseLugNuts]

are you arguing about the ports?..the port shown with fluid dumping out of it in the picture is the oil supply for the turbo

 

the coolant drain for the block is higher and about 3 inches right of that...just on the other side of the turbo oil return line

[Willys]

34 minutes ago, LooseLugNuts said:

are you arguing about the ports?..the port shown with fluid dumping out of it in the picture is the oil supply for the turbo

 

the coolant drain for the block is higher and about 3 inches right of that...just on the other side of the turbo oil return line

Just look closely at the pic I put up it clearly shows what is what and where everything is....imho....or did I miss something?

IF so please explain it to me ....thanks.

[LooseLugNuts]

yeah your picture is right...im having a hard time understanding the point these other two are trying to make....maybe something is getting lost in translations

[Mjolinor]

It is probably time to move on.

 

 

 

[tyc]

Of course, it was lost in translation...the 'translated' picture is one with poor lighting and an unfavorable angle.

We can move on, it seems that the problem is solved one way or another.