Lude Generation

Boring update... MOT'd today.
Pass with zero advisories (ok, chip in windscreen, but I don't count that!)
11,350 miles done last year in this Most I've done in a single car in a single year, for a long, long time (and considering I don't ever drive to/for work, it's a lot)

Tester commented that I'd obviously been doing some good stuff on it and that the exhaust section I'd fitted was really good quality - says he normally finds pattern exhausts for french cars are a nightmare to fit/poor quality, so he had noted down where I had got mine from, for future reference
He was busy working on a big tractor when I arrived, which was a bit of a surprise Turns out he used to be an agricultural mechanic before starting up this garage.

I've done more than that miles in my work van over the last 2 months! Done 24k in the laguna over the last 12 months. And the ventral before that had nearly 40k put on in 1 year! Did 40k in he 2 years I had the rx8. Although with the lude...done about 10k in 2 years

First spot of actual bother with the ol girl.
Out of Saturday and commented to Lisa that I had started to notice a bit of Turbo noise on lift off.
Stuck it through the car wash on the way home (roof rack still on ) and when I pulled away noticed it was smoking like a bitch. It does it when you rev stationary or under load. No warning lights or problems running.
Not investigated yet, but my money is on part of the intake loose/split, or possibly Turbo on the way out.

My monies on a split intercooler hose.

Finally had time to look this over at the weekend, though tbf it hasn't been smokey since, which is strange.
Took off the intercooler hoses and all good. Likewise couldn't see anyhing wrong with the intercooler itself. I took some pics but have just remembered they are on my other phone, so haven't uploaded them yet
There was quite a build up of black oily crap visible through the throttle body, on the bend into the IM and the outside of the turbo is nice and oily (but not from the oil pipe unions). I had cleaned all this off last time I was under there when changing the exhaust, so... I think it possibly is the Turbo on the way out.
I didn't have time to get it to on the ramp, so wasn't able to get the intake pipe off the Turbo and give it a good ol feeling up. That will have to wait for some other time.
Used the opportunity to tidy up a few more bits of less than perfect electrical containment (previous mechanics breaking clips etc).