1.7 engine smoke

[Gonzo]

Hey guys, when I accelerate a cloud of white smoke comes out, what could be the causes of this? & I've just put in this engine & I really don't have alot of power, do I need to adjust something? & what are the common oil leak spots? & how much should be leaking?

[Wayne 962]

Hi there. If you have white smoke, your mixture may not be properly set, and you may be running a bit too rich. This may account for your low power. However, on most 914s, if you're running too rich, the smoke is almost more bluish than white.

White smoke may also indicate unburned fuel, which may mean that the system is not timed optimally, or that there is a bunch of moisture in the system.

Is this cloud only when warming up, or is it all the time?

I doubt that it is anything to do with oil, or leaks past the guides or rings, because burnt oil usually leaves a cloud of black smoke.

Hope this helps,

Wayne

[Gonzo]

Thanks Wayne,
The smoke definitely comes out on acceleration only, it's color is kind of bluish, but this car has sat for almost 9 months. How do I correct the mixture? Also are the oil leaks common on these engines? & where are the common spots? & where could I get a good picture layout of the hose connections for the air cleaner, mainly where does the hose connect from the oil filler?

[Paul914]

The Haynes manual has full hose diagrams for 1.7 d-jet on page 40 .. also, Dave Darling has a nice layout picture for 2.0 at http://www.estinc.com/porsche/ddhose.html - not exactly the same for 1.7s, but its close enough to figure out. The hose from the oil filler (I assume thats what you meant) connect to a rubber "elbow connector" on the air intake box/distributor (or whatever you call it).

As for mixture adjustment, if all the components of your d-jet fi are properly functioning, there is very little adjustment necessary. The later 1.7's have an adjustment knob on the brain box, but it shouldn't be smoking too bad even if you have it set all the way lean (CCW).

Before you delve into messing with the FI, make sure all of your hoses are good (no vacuum leaks) and connected right. Also, CHECK YOUR IGN TIMING!! It sounds like this could be your culprit (along with the oil filler hose - believe it or not, this hose is quite important). Gap your points, and get a hold of a timing light and make sure you're where you should be ..

-Paul

[Wayne 962]

This sounds like really good advice. For more info on properly timing your 914, check out our tech article:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/914_timing/914_timing.htm

It covers both timing and dwell...

Thanks,

Wayne