Gearbox and idle acting odd in the cold

[Gambit]

Update.

I fitted the gearbox sensor at the weekend and it made nooooo difference what so ever.

I recently noticed a oil residue on the top of the turbo heatshield that is coming from the large hose that comes from the airbox. I understand a slight bit of oilwould go down into the smic, but why would it be up here?

[Martin F]

Oh dear, that's always the gamble when you don't have the benefit of a lengthy diagnosis to find the root cause. Are you noticing things even more with this cold weather?

As for the oil, there shouldn't really be any oil coming from the pipe between the airbox and the turbos unless the turbos are really in a bad way and allowing oil back into the intake. Normally there is oil inside the large pipe which goes into the inner wing.

Have you taken either of the pipes off yet to look inside?

[Gambit]

No I put my hand underneath the hose where it joins the cast inlet of the turbo's and got a wet black residue on my fingers.

Could this be the reason why I get a lurching sensation when giving light boost with the engine cold?... I mean if my foot judders slightly on the throttle the car bucks like it's puking and I get a loss of engine sound and a burp down the exhaust.

It still boost ok and sounds fine when warm, but I guess my oil seals could be shot to sh*t.

[Martin F]

I think that oil in the pipework would have to be pretty bad to cause the sorts of problems you're experiencing. If it was that bad that it had contaminated the MAP sensor then I can imagine you having those sorts of symptoms.

However IIRC when you removed your SMIC for repair you didn't mention anything about it being full of oil.

[Gambit]

It wasn't full no, but we did poor it out.... half a mug maybe.

[Martin F]

Errrr, that's quite a lot actually

Would expect only a film of oil and perhaps a few drops to come out.

[Gambit]

So what are we saying here?

[Martin F]

That either the turbo oil seals are on their way or your PCV valve.

If it was the PCV valve then it shouldn't really be in the intake to the turbos so unfortunately it looks like the more expensive part

[Gambit]

Odd one today.

Is there a sensor that monitors the weather outside the car (heat, sun whatever) and adjust something in the cars power/drive?

Reason I ask.
Took the car out today for the first time about lunchtime, engine cold weather bright sunny and warm, the throttle pedal is doing it's normal, if your foot wobbles the car lurches like you've got water in the fuel or something. It only does this mid day with the engine cold, not first thing in the morning when the weather and engine are cold. Today it is warmer than normal and it had a knock on effect.
I decided to give it a bit of toe to try and shake it off, so I put my foot half way down, the boost gauge climbed to .5 but the car was going nowhere, in order to get it to go I had to mash it into kickdown at which point it took off.

This I believe to be the cause of all my arse ache.

I've changed water temp sensor, gearbox speed sensor and cleaned the lambda.

[Martin F]

There's no sensor that would have that type of effect. The nearest thing is the barometric sensor inside the ECU, but that's there (as the name implies) to monitor air pressure and adjust fuelling appropriately.

It's funny because your second symptoms are pretty much what you'd expect if you had a faulty VSV or actuator.