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fresh engine build smokes at idle

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dsmjunkie97

10+ Year Contributor
36
1
May 22, 2008
Reading, Pennsylvania
Hello, i have a 95 gsx with a fresh 6-bolt engine. My issue is it seems to be burning some oil at idle. I only have 20 miles on so far and the a/f ratio is perfect at idle. The engine has new internals, machine work, and new rings and valve seals. It does not smoke on initial start up but once it starts to idle it smoke pretty good constantly. Once i start driving it stops smoking until it idles for again for a minute. I have had 2 different turbos on it and same result. I do not have a pcv hooked up just the vent to the intake tube. Maybe my rings are not seated yet? Any helpful tips for diagnosis would be appreciated, thanks in advance.
 
I guess it would by eliminating some of the crankcase pressure, but does my symtoms fall in line with my rings not being seated do you think?

I would tend to think that it would smoke all the time if my rings were not seated yet or properly?
 
Yup. Dino oil thick no rich conditions would be best. Little boost at first lots of on off throttle will help
 
Yeah, After my first rebuild of my head I had smoke at Idle also. The shop that built it told me it would take around 150 to 250 miles for it to stop. It finally went away after 180 miles and never had any more troubles with smoke until I upgraded my turbo and blew my headgasket. Did your head gasket set properly. I'm a newbie also, so just a suggestion. Good Luck and hope it clears up for you.
 
Have you done a compression test? My engine smoked after fresh rings and bearings, didn't touch head. Had oil on piston tops, pulled head and cleaned,lapped valves and installed new valve seals. No more smoke and 175psi across the board! I have less than 100 miles on this engine, car not legal, just a few runs up and down the road.
 
Well i now have 500+ miles on the build here also with an oil change with non synthetic oil, and it still smokes after idling for a little bit. I can't notice any smoking while driving or under boost but after it stops and ildles for about 45 seconds to a minute it smoke enough to be noticeable, stinky, and blue. It seems as though it is only while the engine is under vacuum. I think i am going to pull the exhaust manifold off and see if any particular runner has signs of burnt oil and go from there. I sure hope it is a valve seal rather than piston rings or a disturbed oil ring.
 
It took my GSX 700+ Miles for the rings to finally seat to where there was no smoke.

How did you break it in?

You have to be sure to show the engine a good amount of use within the first 50 miles. Take it through every RPM range, let it boost, and use non-synthetic oil. If you don't, then the rings will not seat properly. About 70-80% of the seating process takes place in the first 20 minutes as it has to do with the roughness of the honed cylinders VS the surface of the rings to 'seat' themselves with a sort of fingerprint.

I'd say keep driving it, get on it a little, and see how it acts. Don't use synthetic until after 1000 miles.
 
When you buy a brand new car, they always tell you that break in is 1500 - 2000 miles. You're supposed to be "easy" on the car during this time so everything can seat nicely and whatnot. I would say wait another 500 miles and see if it stops smoking.
 
When i first broke it in i did light throttle cruising, did a few low boost pulls, and i was all over the rpm range on non synthetic oil.

I will definitely take your advise and drive it another 500-1000 miles and see what happens, i also just flat out never drive the darn thing because i have a company car. It took 2 months at least to put 500 miles on it but i will take it on a long road trip and around and hopefully i'll get lucky and everything will seat properly.
 
It took my GSX 700+ Miles for the rings to finally seat to where there was no smoke.

How did you break it in?

You have to be sure to show the engine a good amount of use within the first 50 miles. Take it through every RPM range, let it boost, and use non-synthetic oil. If you don't, then the rings will not seat properly. About 70-80% of the seating process takes place in the first 20 minutes as it has to do with the roughness of the honed cylinders VS the surface of the rings to 'seat' themselves with a sort of fingerprint.

I'd say keep driving it, get on it a little, and see how it acts. Don't use synthetic until after 1000 miles.

This is exactly right. You have to do this to get the rings to seat properly. You can't baby it and expect great results.
 
Grats on the new engine. I'de be worry free for at least the "break in' period. Anything after that would be a red flag.
 
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