Smoking engine - just started happening. opinions?

[k8atu]

Hi all,

I have searched the site and found many many threads documenting smoking engines... After a good run in the car and sitting on level ground at idle grey smoke starts pouring out of the exhaust.

YouTube - kemal_smoke_video.MOV

1987 Carrera Coupe, just had 90k service (last week, so valve adjustment should be A-OK) by very reputable Bay Area indy wrench, 86k on clock. Apart from SW chip completely stock. Engine still runs very strong and has never been opened. This has only started doing this in the last 2 days.

Any thoughts anyone? I was going to start with a leakdown test and follow my nose from there... The right way to start?

Many thanks in advance for your valued opinions.

Kemal

[Joe Bob]

"Typical" smoking problems are:

Over fill of the oil tank and/or doing the "spirited driving" option causing oil sucking into the intake.

STEEP driveway ingress and egress. Intake sucking....

The ride sitting for awhile and the oil seeps past cold rings. Oil burns as a matter of internal combustion.

Depending on how "grey" the smoke is....could be entrained water vapor. How long has it been since the last oil change? Got any "Mayo" on the filler neck?

OR the bad problem....failing valve guides.

Go out and beat the crap out of it.....report back.

[k8atu]

@JoeBob....

The video was taken after I had beaten the virtual Granny out of it mate - dont worry there :-)

Its a daily driver, and oil changed last week.

I'm thinking valve guides... Could it be injectors?

[JJ 911SC]

Call me skeptical... but it happened within a week from a 90k service, too coincidental for my confort!

Just go over every thing that happened since. What oil brand was in before, what is in now. Was it the first time that you had beaten the virtual Granny out of it?

Star playing the $64,000 question game.

[Joe Bob]

yeah,,,,,blame the wrench.

Back when I used them, I usually spent more time fixing the FUs than was worth it.

I ended up dealing with it myself.....got a DD and retired the P-Car to weekends and occasional use. When I got better....the wife got the DD and the P-Car was my daily beyotch.....

[JJ 911SC]

[QUOTE=Joe Bob;5938409]... Back when I used them, I usually spent more time fixing the FUs than was worth it.
QUOTE]

You said it Joe BTDT

[benr7132]

Kemal - that's my driveway. I think you owe me some royalties or something mate.

Sorry about the car old chap - I too vote that it seems very coincidental with the 90K service.

See you tomorrow in Walnut Creek.

[k8atu]

Originally Posted by benr7132

Kemal - that's my driveway. I think you owe me some royalties or something mate.

Sorry about the car old chap - I too vote that it seems very coincidental with the 90K service.

See you tomorrow in Walnut Creek.

hehehe indeed! Hows lunch tomorrow grab ya mate :-)

[benr7132]

I'm game - wife is doing a course this weekend so I'm at a rather lose end! :-)

[nesslar]

"Any thoughts anyone? I was going to start with a leakdown test and follow my nose from there... The right way to start?"
Yes; drain some oil out....they overfilled it. Probably did it cold; gotta do the valves that way.....and no telling who actually "topped off' the 12 quarts when you only need 10.5 or so.

[k8atu]

Originally Posted by nesslar

"Any thoughts anyone? I was going to start with a leakdown test and follow my nose from there... The right way to start?"
Yes; drain some oil out....they overfilled it. Probably did it cold; gotta do the valves that way.....and no telling who actually "topped off' the 12 quarts when you only need 10.5 or so.

Hi mate. It isn't overfilled. I have checked again today. (level ground, engine warmed up and running etc etc etc)

[Joe Bob]

Like I said.....could be vapor. Could be oil being burnt.....putting a hand on the exhaust and seeing if it's water or oil is easy.

Grey smoke is not oil.

Pulling a plug will tell you if it's oil being burned or running rich. Sit down, have a smoke and watch the tail pipe.

[k8atu]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

Like I said.....could be vapor. Could be oil being burnt.....putting a hand on the exhaust and seeing if it's water or oil is easy.

Grey smoke is not oil.

Pulling a plug will tell you if it's oil being burned or running rich. Sit down, have a smoke and watch the tail pipe.

I can't see it being oil after a 100 mph rip up the i680, topped off with a twisty run around the back of Mount Diablo for 20 miles... Can I?

[benr7132]

It's definitely grey smoke Kemal. What does that mean?

[benr7132]

Joe Bob, I think Kemal loves you now...

[k8atu]

Originally Posted by benr7132

Joe Bob, I think Kemal loves you now...

Well not quite, but kudos to Joe Bob... As an afterthought I told him the guy had disconnected the O2 sensor, with a claim it would give better performance, sacrificing only a few MPG. A lesson on O2 sensors later and reconnected as per Joe Bob instructions... Smoke gone and pulling like a Trojan.

Cheers mate - Perfect. I'm a happy man again

[BIGW]

Sweet!

[Joe Bob]

Well, if'n you disconnect the O2 sensor and expect it to run better? C'mon, what wrench would recommend THAT on a motronic system. You only disconnect to see if it runs worse....then you replace it or reconnect.

As soon as Kem said that his guy did that, I knew what the problem was.....sometimes if you are too close ot a situation it takes some one else to point out the obvious.....

Glad it worked out.

[JJ 911SC]

[QUOTE=JJ 911SC;5938397]Call me skeptical... but it happened within a week from a 90k service, too coincidental for my comfort!...
QUOTE]

Kemal

The first step of faultfinding (for anything) is to go back and see what was done/happenned just before, in you case as soon as you mentioned "1 week after the 90K" I could bet that it was related and no matter how "reputable the shop is".

How do I know??? Well, I took my car once to a "reputable shop" and when I get back home, I notice that my fan blower was not working (left unplug) anf my idle was all over the place (all air intake plumbing were loose) so I swear never again.

So, bought the lift, all the books and start posting. Thanks to Pelicants like Joe & al, there is nothing that I was not able to reselvove so far... BTW never had a sport car, never seen a Valve untill a month ago and did my first Taping a few week ago on a Porsche head

Have fun

JJ

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

(Defective), make that WORN valve guides, valves and/or rings can be diagnosed by a leak down and/or compression check to track individual issues.

What response to a leak down test do you get with worn valve guides?