Loads of white smoke when starting car m240i

[Chestrockwell]

Parked up at mb world to have a sandwich in the car, turned it off, then realised it’s hot and need the aircon so turned it back on, car felt like it was vibrating a bit, almost as if it was struggling to stay on, I check mirror and there’s loads of white smoke to turned it off immediately.

The car doesn’t have a dipstick but I knew it wasn’t the oil because it had a major service in June, I paid extra for them to flush the oil tank and the car gives a notification when oil is ‘near the minimum’ which it hasn’t done.

Coolant is on the max

I asked my sent a video of the smoke to my friend and he said RIP Turbo

After I was certain it wasn’t oil or coolant, I turned it back on and it smoked again but then stopped.

I drove home very slowly and there was no smoke

Now I’m sitting here scratching my head wondering how much this is going to set me back

Any ideas?

Thank you

[Chestrockwell]

I just turned it on and off again, no white smoke

I have the Carly obd reader, reset the codes

Nothing on there about turbo or any engine faults

[smashy]

Good Luck sorting it out,this any good https://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2...

Actually if you google white smoke M240i forum loads of threads pop up

Edited by smashy on Sunday 1st September 15:02

[Chestrockwell]

Now there appears to be something leaking from front left/passenger side

[danb79]

Always thought white smoke = coolant and blue/grey smoke = oil

Are you sure it wasn't just condensation (ie water that's trapped in the back box etc)? Or was it a LOT of smoke/thick plume etc?

Re the moisture in the pics above; is that not just the HVAC / aircon draining?

[Chestrockwell]

Forgot to upload pic of smoke

[Chestrockwell]

danb79 said:

Always thought white smoke = coolant and blue/grey smoke = oil

Are you sure it wasn't just condensation (ie water that's trapped in the back box etc)? Or was it a LOT of smoke/thick plume etc?

Re the moisture in the pics above; is that not just the HVAC / aircon draining?

I thought that regarding the moisture however I thought it worth asking just in case it’s related

[danb79]

Chestrockwell said:

Forgot to upload pic of smoke

That's deffo more than condensation

No idea what it is though unfortunately...

What does it smell like (acrid - burning oil, or slightly sweet - coolant)

[E30M3SE]

Chestrockwell said:

Forgot to upload pic of smoke

That's not white smoke that's blue, so you're burning oil from some where. As your firend said, 'RIP turbo' is the likely culprit.

[LiamD]

That smoke looks similar to when the turbo failed on my old Astra GSI

[MarkJS]

PCV valve would be my first port of call.

[Pizzaeatingking]

I'd look at the PCV first too, common on the B58 to the point where I carry a spare in the car just incase

[Chestrockwell]

thanks everyone for help and input

i started car earlier and there was no smoke, took it for a spin, everything was fine!

monday tomorrow so will call mechanic and get it checked out.

in the meantime, do you think i should drive it or should i leave it?

[VRSrob14]

I had something similar on my 2016 340i and diagnosed it to be the PCV valve, randomly started happening with no prior warning and only noticed when i started the car the realised id left the kids water bottles in the boot, walked round the back and noticed the white smoke!. Really easy DIY job to do and once i took my Valve off I noticed I had a small tear in the rubber seal on top, replaced with a £12 eBay job and no more smoke.