ok, here is an update from my previous post regarding the Z's white smoke spewing out the tailpipes. now, it still white smokes, but i have checked out the car for any obvious damage (ie rock hitting under the car, engine damage from racing, etc).

here is the prior link: https://my350z.com/forum/2003-2009-nissan-350z/155704-need-advice-white-smoke-at-idle-what-to-do-prior-to-dealer.html

here are the newest findings: the was NO rock damage from when i ran over a rock. also, the oil was NOT "milky" or foamy at all and oil levels are fine. the coolant level is normal. the car does not drip anything i notice or over heat.

i was going to take it into the nissan dealer this week b/c the car WAS running (just with the white smoke). however, now the car goes into some kind of weird "safe mode" or something. the computer now goes nuts - automatically puts the traction control OFF so the rear diff locks, the check engine light is finally on, and it won't let me rev over about 2500'ish RPM. WTF???

HAS ANYONE HEARD OF THIS BEFORE?? right now, i'm taking everything back off the cra so it can go back into the nissan dealer for warranty claims. took the intake and SAFC II off already. i have no idea what the deal is with this car. IF THERE IS INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE, DOES IT AUTOMATICALLY GO INTO A "SAFE MODE?" if so, can you still drive it slowly into the nissan dealer?

thanks for everything guys/gals. as usual, i really appreciate it!!

take care

 

The car can go into limp mode for a number of reasons, but it would have to be one that would be picked up by one of the cars' sensors. One example is a MAF overvoltage. Another could be a knock or temp sensor I suppose, but best to let Nissan make the final diagnosis since we have so little information to go on.

Have you pulled the code on the SES to see what it is?

 

I’m familiar with the safe mod, and from what you described, it sounds like the safe mode to me. Like you, I’m baffled by the white smoke: typical of coolant in the cylinders, and yet you cannot confirm with coolant in the oil. You got me.

I recommend that the Z be taken to the dealer on a flat bed truck. You may no make it to the dealer otherwise.

 

not yet kcobean, it's just been sitting in my garage for a couple of weeks until my appointment with a local performance shop. thanks guys!!

 

You can pull the code(s) without a scanner, see the ECU reset procedure on Technosquare's site:

http://www.technosquareinc.com/350reset.htm

When you hit step 3, count the blinks. If you get something like (blink blink blink {pause} blink blink {pause} blink blink blink {long pause}, then the code would be 323 (the long pause means it's cycling back to the beginning, or flashing the next code in memory). If you get a chance, do this and let us know what the codes are, I can look them up in the shop manual and tell you what they indicate. It might give you a head start on things.

 

wow, i'll try this tomorrow buddy. crossing my fingers on this stuff. YOU DA MAN!!

 

Just so that you know, 10 blinks is zero, not ten.

So 10, pause, 10, pause, 10, long pause = 000

 

man, this sucks - i can't seem to get the computer to reset even when using a stop watch! oh well, it's going in the shop soon i think.

 

hey every1,

turns out that the MAF caused all this trouble. even though i had terrible white smoke BEFORE the safe mode started up. what's worse is that is was not under warranty b/c they said that my screen was missing from the MAF. ****!

 

What screen?

 

they told me that the screen was missing in front of the MAF so it was NOT under warranty. they said also the wires were cut into on the ECU and therefore that "was the likely cause" of the MAF codes to trip and cause it to go bad. they said 3 MAF codes went off when they checked. the car is now white smoking more than ever before, which was the ONLY damn reason i initially took it in.

also, the MAF they replaced STILL does not have any freakin' screen in front of it.

 

The af does not have a screen on it..Their BS ing you, and what was cut on the ECU?Did you have a piggyback? I hate Nissan, they try and get out of every single warranty claim they can..Lame..

 

hi mrc!

man, i'm so ****in' pissed at this whole ****. i wish i wasn't so ignorant when it came to my car. i'm not a mechanic by any means so i basically have to believe what they tell me. today, however, when i looked for a screen and did not find one, the light bulb went off.

regarding the wiring cut into the ECU, i had the safc II installed. but this was taken out last freakin' year with NO problems!!

 

They don't know that. I would ask for more details about the screen they speak of. Maybe they mean the airbox or something?

 

look guys, the bottom line is that i took the car in b/c of WHITE SMOKE spewing out the exhaust, NOT b/c of a bad MAF. IF the MAF actually was the cause of this problem, i would not have complained nearly as much. however, they told me and charged me for a bad MAF, which supposed caused the problems. BUT now the car smokes just as bad if not worse!!! i'm losing my mind with this stuff. what a meery frekain' xmas!

 

Yep, the screwed you....that whole screen thing is a big load of CRAP! Those MAF sensors are expensive and they sold you one when you either didn't need it, or if you did, it SHOULD have been covered under warranty. That is UNLESS you're running an oiled filter intake system like the JWT Popcharger, then you'll have a hell of a time overturning that decision because oil from the filter has been known in the past to coat the hot-wire on the maf and mess up its' operation.

What mods are on your car again?

 

Actually the white smoke, is most likely the "CAUSE" of the MAF failure, and will most likely cause the new one to fail..It sounds to me you have a deeper problem, I would look at the cats and the O2 sensors..I can not tell you how many of those Super AFC's we got in our shop that someone botched the installs and caused tons of "gremlins"...

 

the only mods on the car currently are the exhaust and cat-delete pipes. that's it. there has NEVER been any oiled filter setup in front of the MAF. maybe we should make a new thread for people who have bad dealer stories so we know where to avoid?? man, this is so frustrating.

officially, the receipt says that it "appears" that the ECU wiring was "cut into" at some point and that was the "likely cause for the MAF failure." on the phone is when they told me about the "missing MAF screen." can anyone provide a decent argument about the ECU wiring that was "cut into."