T5 smoke under the bonnet in the morning

[Slav]

Hello.
My name is Slav and I’m a first timer on the forum.
Got VW Transporter 2005, Tdi 2.5, 4-motion. 200k km on the clock.
Problem: White smoke coming out from under the bonnet. It happens always in the morning (when I leave the van for 7-8 hours or more and then start the engine ). The smoke disappears after around 5miutes, kind of thick and “heavy” and very biting for eyes, doesn’t look like diesel fumes…(no cracks on manifold). I went to Ultra Tune service station with the problem, they told me that the Turbo is covered with soot and oil and it’s smoky, and we will have to replace it. So I spend $3.7k to put new turbo. Didn’t help much… so came back to the same service station as they gave my 1 year warranty for the job. The new diagnosis is “valve stem seals leaking” means basically that I will have to recondition the top part of the engine and that will cost me another $5k or more.
Questions: 1) Is there any other thing which could cause the problem?
2) Ultra Tune told me that the oil which gets through the worn seals into turbocharger won’t damage the turbo, the oil will burn out and then it’s fine. Is that true? I should say that every week there is more and more smoke coming out and there is something in my mind telling me… that is not good for the turbo and other things under the bonnet…
3) Is it necessary to pull out whole engine in Transporter to recondition the top part of the engine or it can sit inside the van during the job?
4) I was advised to use Nulon additive for engine oil. Is it worth it?
5) Every service station which I go, put 5W 40 engine oil, is it the right one for my van?
6) Another mechanic told me that the white smoke can cause by the failure of crankcase ventilation system and I should test it before reconditioning the engine? Do you have any experience with it?
7) How to check if the turbo which was pulled out of my van is ok or damaged? I kept the old part. Apparently, if you can’t move, the “little axle”(sorry I’m not a mechanic), which go across, left or right and the little fan spins ok, most likely the turbo is fine? My old turbo looks fine then.
Do you know any good place to recondition the engine? (West Melbourne)
Thanks a lot for your help
Regards

[passatstef]

hi mate.welcome.im sure i can help you with this problems.ultratune are no bodys and say **** to make you think to spend heaps there.

now with the turbo.if the oil is getting into your exhaust side of the turbo there is a seal and it will slowly fail over time with age and wear.now to correct this the turbo needs a rebuild kit in it and you can chose to do it your self or take it to somone to do it for you.dont do reco engine.you engine is fine.how meny km on the clock.if you want to give me a call pm me and ill send you the number for me.i work on them for a living in my own bussiness workshop man

[IN2VWS]

Yeah, Ultratune can change oil etc,. but they are not experts with Transporters.
You should be going to a VW specialist, whether it is genuine VW or an aftermarket place. Someone that works on these every day.

[h100vw]

It's already had a turbo and that didn't fix it passatstef and the mileage is in there too, 200K.

Definitely be taking it to a VW specialist, I'll let the melbourne locals point one out to you.

If you have smoke under the bonnet then it's not internal to the turbo. As that would be coming out the tailpipe.

There should be new gaskets either side of the turbo, so those joints should be gas tight.

Your biting to the eyes comment makes me think fuel

I have little experience of broken transporters but I expect that it would be pretty easy to see where your smoke is from. I had a similar sounding issue on a MK5 Gofl which turned out to be a split in an EGR pipe, out of sight around the back of the engine.

Regardless, the next time you go to Ultratune, I think it will be for some money back on the bad diagnosis.

VW specialist.

Gavin