Mystery exhaust smoke? Need your help!
#23
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Originally posted by slay2k
About 21k miles on the stock engine with the stock thermostat. Why ?
About 21k miles on the stock engine with the stock thermostat. Why ?
I had an `88 Shadow ES Turbo about 10 years ago. I rebuilt the engine and it smoked bad right from the start. I couldn't figure out what was wrong and neither could my machinist. After a few weeks of this, I got the bright idea to change my thermostat (160) to a stock one. After about an hour of driving, the smoke was noticeably less. Within days it was gone and never smoked again.
The rings would not seat because the engine wasn't getting to its full operating temperature. My machinist said that he saw that happen before with a V8 boat engine, but what happened to me was rare.
I guess in your case this would not apply...
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News update:
Started the car this morning (warmer out) to test for smoke. Turned it on, free-rev'd it to 4k, then to 5k... no smoke. Runs fine.
Weird ?
PS, Fall-Line: Die.
Started the car this morning (warmer out) to test for smoke. Turned it on, free-rev'd it to 4k, then to 5k... no smoke. Runs fine.
Weird ?
PS, Fall-Line: Die.
#28
Originally posted by slay2k
There's no oil anywhere around the turbos, wouldn't there be some if the bearings were faulty ?
There's no oil anywhere around the turbos, wouldn't there be some if the bearings were faulty ?
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Hey J,
No bluish smoke. No frothy oil on the dipstick. I don't think it's got anything to do with coolant. And no, I don't have cats... I have straight-thru pipes w/ resonators, so that can't be the issue either.
BTW, I drove the car yesterday and free-rev'd it, and the smoke is back. Very strange eh ? It's there one day, gone the next. WTF is going on.
No bluish smoke. No frothy oil on the dipstick. I don't think it's got anything to do with coolant. And no, I don't have cats... I have straight-thru pipes w/ resonators, so that can't be the issue either.
BTW, I drove the car yesterday and free-rev'd it, and the smoke is back. Very strange eh ? It's there one day, gone the next. WTF is going on.
#30
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Originally posted by slay2k
Hey J,
No bluish smoke. No frothy oil on the dipstick. I don't think it's got anything to do with coolant. And no, I don't have cats... I have straight-thru pipes w/ resonators, so that can't be the issue either.
BTW, I drove the car yesterday and free-rev'd it, and the smoke is back. Very strange eh ? It's there one day, gone the next. WTF is going on.
Hey J,
No bluish smoke. No frothy oil on the dipstick. I don't think it's got anything to do with coolant. And no, I don't have cats... I have straight-thru pipes w/ resonators, so that can't be the issue either.
BTW, I drove the car yesterday and free-rev'd it, and the smoke is back. Very strange eh ? It's there one day, gone the next. WTF is going on.
It could just be condensation in the exhaust. If it was something wrong with the motor itself it doesn't seem to me like it would come and go as you say it does.
Has the "smoke" ever appeared after an extended drive? (over 30 minutes) because that's plenty of time of any moisture in the exhaust to evaporate.
#31
I dont think it would be condensation with all the things he has described...It definitely isnt NORMAL to blow smoke from your tailpipe.What about an O2 sensor going bad causing unburnt mixture???Possible??
#32
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Yeah I don't think it's condensation either.
I *have* driven the car for over 30 min, pulled over... and the car still blew smoke. Then the next day it went away completely, and then the next it comes right back just like before.
I don't really know what I should do. I don't have enough funds available to just start building the motor up on the assumption that it's a piston or something of the sort. I simply want to get the issue found and fixed. I don't want a forged engine right now =(
What would you guys do in my shoes?
I *have* driven the car for over 30 min, pulled over... and the car still blew smoke. Then the next day it went away completely, and then the next it comes right back just like before.
I don't really know what I should do. I don't have enough funds available to just start building the motor up on the assumption that it's a piston or something of the sort. I simply want to get the issue found and fixed. I don't want a forged engine right now =(
What would you guys do in my shoes?
#33
Originally posted by slay2k
Yeah I don't think it's condensation either.
I *have* driven the car for over 30 min, pulled over... and the car still blew smoke. Then the next day it went away completely, and then the next it comes right back just like before.
I don't really know what I should do. I don't have enough funds available to just start building the motor up on the assumption that it's a piston or something of the sort. I simply want to get the issue found and fixed. I don't want a forged engine right now =(
What would you guys do in my shoes?
Yeah I don't think it's condensation either.
I *have* driven the car for over 30 min, pulled over... and the car still blew smoke. Then the next day it went away completely, and then the next it comes right back just like before.
I don't really know what I should do. I don't have enough funds available to just start building the motor up on the assumption that it's a piston or something of the sort. I simply want to get the issue found and fixed. I don't want a forged engine right now =(
What would you guys do in my shoes?
I would have narve check the turbos check the undercarriage for oil and check the O2 sensors if one is bad it could be excess Carbon Monixide gases you are seeing from an unburnt irratic mixture at idle...Check your idel A/F ratios when it does it..
#34
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I don't think they did a leakdown test.
They looked at the turbos and saw no oil around them anywhere. I'll talk to him about the O2 sensors. I can't measure the A/F right now since I don't have a gauge and their dyno isn't quite ready just yet.
Any other things I should ask/do ?
They looked at the turbos and saw no oil around them anywhere. I'll talk to him about the O2 sensors. I can't measure the A/F right now since I don't have a gauge and their dyno isn't quite ready just yet.
Any other things I should ask/do ?
#36
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What's a leakdown test exactly ? And what are the chances of this being like Gurgen thinks he had in his engine... a damaged piston/seal/ring/whatever ?
#38
Originally posted by Juztin
You might wanna do a compression/leakdown test elsewhere, and ask for a record of the numbers. Sounds like your getting shady service which is the last thing you need right now with your symptoms.
You might wanna do a compression/leakdown test elsewhere, and ask for a record of the numbers. Sounds like your getting shady service which is the last thing you need right now with your symptoms.
could be a valve seat,or ring not sealing 100% getting occasional blowbye...
Only time will tell if it gets worse..You seem to have FI troubles constantly man!!!Get rid of the Z and get an EVO!!
#39
Stick your (or get a friend to) nose right into the smoke at the exhaust tip. You'll know from the smell if it is oil or coolant. Aslo, hold your hand in front of the exhaust to see if water will condensate on it.
Also, look for:
Once I saw an engine that smoked only when the rings on a certain piston lined up a certain way. Since the rings rotate around the piston (I'm not sure how much is normal) the car would smoke only when the rings happend to be in a certain alignment.
After or during a "smoking session", pull the plugs and inspect them. Since something IS BURNING you should be able to identify it.
Also, look for:
- smoke coming out of your dipstick hole or pvc hole.
- Bubbles in your coolant with the car running.
- Oil residue in the intake tube.
- Low oil or coolant level.
- Unusual temperature readings.
- Drain your oil and/or your coolant and examine it closely.
Once I saw an engine that smoked only when the rings on a certain piston lined up a certain way. Since the rings rotate around the piston (I'm not sure how much is normal) the car would smoke only when the rings happend to be in a certain alignment.
After or during a "smoking session", pull the plugs and inspect them. Since something IS BURNING you should be able to identify it.
Last edited by JCat; 10-03-2004 at 06:07 PM.
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Originally posted by Daking350z
175 sounds a bit low on the compression 190-210 I thought was norm on our engines..I know mikescylinders were all 190 except for the blown one at 85...
could be a valve seat,or ring not sealing 100% getting occasional blowbye...
Only time will tell if it gets worse..You seem to have FI troubles constantly man!!!Get rid of the Z and get an EVO!!
175 sounds a bit low on the compression 190-210 I thought was norm on our engines..I know mikescylinders were all 190 except for the blown one at 85...
could be a valve seat,or ring not sealing 100% getting occasional blowbye...
Only time will tell if it gets worse..You seem to have FI troubles constantly man!!!Get rid of the Z and get an EVO!!
With regards to having FI troubles, no sh*t :] Although I did enjoy the PE kit for a whole 2-3 months without any issues, unlike the Greddy. Your Evo comment is funny because I've actually seriously considered that car. If only it didn't look like a pile of dung.
I love the Z, if only I could fix this issue I'd be perfectly set.