How to recognize if my turbo is causing blue smoke from the exhaust vs a blown head gasket. I don't have anti freeze mixed with my oil but it smoke coming out the exhaust when the car is running. Also, my coolant fan doesn't seem to be working

You probably need a new head gasket and other gaskets. Oil and probably anti-freeze are leaking in to the engine works. The white smoke is almost always caused by anti-freeze.

If its running rough & you see clouds of blue/black smoke from the exhaust, that is a blown head or gasket or cracked engine block. Ck your anti freeze for oil mixture & oil for anti freeze. Try a compression test If all is well? Ck the valve cover gasket for leakage above that plug into the cylinder w the oil. Good luck Frank M.

white smoke is caused by-- water or anti-freeze entering cylinder . if in radiator or the overflow tank. it will look like a chocolate milk shake. check on oil dipstick for traces of water or anti-freeze. also, a bad head gasket will let water or anti-freeze in combustion area. head gasket symtoms if bad. Symptom #1: Chronic Engine Overheating
Symptom #2: Significant Drop in Coolant Level Symptom #3: Mixing of Coolant and Engine Oil
Symptom #4: White Smoke from Exhaust Pipe
popping of overflow cap Symptom #6: Air Bubbles in Radiator
Symptom #7: Engine Lacks Power GOOD-DAY!

ENGINE SMOKES BLUE THE ENGINE BURNING OIL DUE TO WORN PISTON RINGS , WORN VALVE GUIDES AND SEAL./ ENGINE SMOKE BLACK ENGINE GETTING RICH FUEL MIXTURE CAUSED BY DIRTY AIR FILTER, WEAK IGNITION SPARK, FAULTY FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR OR LEAKING FUEL INJECTOR, EVAP CANISTER GAS SOAKED./ ENGINE SMOKING WHITE ENGINE BURNING ANTIFREEZE DUE LEAKING INTAKE GASKET OR BLOWN HEAD GASKET. IF ENGINE HAS A LIGHT WHITE BLUE SMOKE ENGINE BURNING TRANSMISSION FLUID DUE TO A RUPTURE VACUUM MODULATOR DIAPHRAM ON TRANSMISSION.

this is usually caused by anti freeze getting into combustion chamber. a blown head gasket will cause this. check the oil and see if anti freeze is getting in it. if its in oil you will see water droplets on oil stick. does the vehicle run bad, does it misfire, are you looseing power. these are the signs of a bad headgasket. does anti freeze disappear in cooling system, does it smoke all of the time!! if so its probably the head gasket, if above symtoms are there.

Blue smoke from the exhaust is cause by coolant\water mixing in the combustion chamber. The smoke will also have a sweet smell to it. A simple way to confirm this is to check your coolant level. Also if you take the radiator cap off while the engine is running you should get exhaust fumes coming out since the mixing will be both ways. Although this is not always the case the coolant can mix with the engine oil as well so check that as well. The oil will have a milky brown color to it.
There are several things that can cause this but the most common is a blown head gasket. It could also include a warped or cracked head as well.

This usually happens after the engine overheated for a prolonged period of time.

You should get this taken care of A.S.A.P.
Hope this helps and good luck.
Please let me know if you need anything else.

Coolant is mixing with the engine oil.Blown head gasket,or cracked,or warped head.

this is caused by a blown cylinder head gasket.

you more than likely have a blown head gasket ...

blue smoke out of 1.8 turbo its allways bad oil seal inside turbo.need new turbo or rebuild OEM. with 24 years experience working with vw never seen single headhasket go bad on 1.8 turbo engines.blue smoke its 100% turbo every time