Weird smoking problem!

[Crazy91GSX]

Hey guys.. Gotta smoke problemo with my 90 laser. 1000 miles on the rebuild, and for about the last 300, it has started to smoke. But, only at certian times.. It won't smoke under normal driving- at any time. Only when I get high in the rpm's and let off. Then, when I give it gas, it'll poof out white smoke (definitely oil smoke) for a few seconds and quit.

Good buddy of mine said he was almost 100% sure it was bad valve guides. Any other guesses?

 

[1993eclipseGS]

White smoke isn't oil.

Here:

white smoke - caused by water evaporating in the exhaust stream. Occasional puffs [are] usually from condensation in the exhaust pipes (especially in humid areas) or a water balloon up your stove-pipe. Continual white smoke [is usually due to] a warped head/head gasket and coolant entering your combustion chambers. If you're really unlucky, might be from a cracked head." Some people have reported that high boost levels may promote white smoke, for some reason. Turning the boost down some cures the problem. This might be related to worn out seals on the turbo, which can leak oil into the exhaust. A bad brake booster can potentially let brake fluid into the vacuum line, which also produces white smoke.

black/gray smoke - caused by uncombusted [unburned] fuel. Could be plugs, timing, clogged air filter, air/fuel mixture, wires, coil, etc. Start with the cheapest answer and work your way up.

blue smoke - 1) Failed oil ring(s) in the block
2) Failed valve seal(s) in the head
3) Failed turbo oil seal

Good luck.

 

[Its a laser]

I had blue smoke on start up and it was the turbo seal.Could white smoke at higher rpms be caused from the head lifting off the block letting water into the combustion chambers?Possibly a crack between water jacket and oil passage on the head?

When you rev it up does it smoke when dropping rpms?You sure theres not a blue tint to it?I was thinking valve seals.

 

[Crazy91GSX]

I had blue smoke on start up and it was the turbo seal.Could white smoke at higher rpms be caused from the head lifting off the block letting water into the combustion chambers?Possibly a crack between water jacket and oil passage on the head?

When you rev it up does it smoke when dropping rpms?You sure theres not a blue tint to it?I was thinking valve seals.

Nope, no blue tint. All white. smells like burnt oil however. I can see it being a turbo seal. I had the seals go out on an old turbo, and it smoked solid white.

No, it doesn't smoke when dropping rpm's.. just when your driving and AFTER you get on it, and put it in neutral, let the engine lag it down or shift to higher gear and let off.

 

[CorrupTTalon]

I have the same problem!

oh how comforting this is! i had to change the way i drive so i dont get a poof of smoke in the face when i go to stop.. i put in the clutch way before the stop so im all ready at idle when i come to a stop and there is no poof..

it also poofs when im coasting in a high gear life fith, meaning let off the gas and im boggin down then give it gas..

i have a new turbo. seals are new and NOT leaking.

it must be valves or rings man, BUT at a small level, meaning that when we are driving normaly like accellerating the smoke is burning in such small ammounts that you dont notice it.. BUT when youre boggin down or coastin youre letting the little amounts of smoke build up in the exhaust then when you give it gas you poof it out?

another thing i thought it was -- i blew a turbo and leaked a lot into my exhaust.. so i was thinking that i was burning it off.. but when it only smoked at those certain times it led me to believe it was somethig else!

 

[CorrupTTalon]

White smoke isn't oil.

Here:

white smoke - caused by water evaporating in the exhaust stream. Occasional puffs [are] usually from condensation in the exhaust pipes (especially in humid areas) or a water balloon up your stove-pipe. Continual white smoke [is usually due to] a warped head/head gasket and coolant entering your combustion chambers. If you're really unlucky, might be from a cracked head." Some people have reported that high boost levels may promote white smoke, for some reason. Turning the boost down some cures the problem. This might be related to worn out seals on the turbo, which can leak oil into the exhaust. A bad brake booster can potentially let brake fluid into the vacuum line, which also produces white smoke.

black/gray smoke - caused by uncombusted [unburned] fuel. Could be plugs, timing, clogged air filter, air/fuel mixture, wires, coil, etc. Start with the cheapest answer and work your way up.

blue smoke - 1) Failed oil ring(s) in the block
2) Failed valve seal(s) in the head
3) Failed turbo oil seal

Good luck.

uncombusted fuel would ignite once it hit your exhaust causing a backfire.. not make grey smoke.

 

[1993eclipseGS]

I got it straight from the vfaq page, I guess they're wrong.

When my car needed valve stem seals, It looked like white smoke. It would smoke after I gave it gas, At idle alittle bit, And once I came down from the rpms.

 

[ddavisaf]

1993eclipseGS: Your information is correct. Running rich aka. fuel dumping leads to black smoke. Which is uncombusted fuel.

Crazy91GSX: Pull off your LICP and see if there is an oil buildup on it, then you might want to remove the IC itself and see. I would recommend doing a Compression Test to see if you can more accurately pin point the problem. Oil can be white, but it means that it's oil already in your exhaust usually. Do a compression test and get back to us with the results.

CorrupTTalon: Changing the way you drive never once fixed a problem. You might want to address the problem before it gets worse and you're looking at more work for yourself

 

[theebluecrx]

White smoke isn't oil.

Here:

[.

blue smoke - 1) Failed oil ring(s) in the block
2) Failed valve seal(s) in the head
3) Failed turbo oil seal

Good luck.

Another cause i experiences blue smoke was a hole in the headgasket underneath a oil passage.The leak kicked my butt on finding out what it was until i finally blew the headgasket elsewhere and noticed it when i changed it.

 

[Crazy91GSX]

Well, the smoking got worse, So I started some investigation. Free revved the car in neutral, and no smoke at any time. Did a compression test and found 135-140psi in all four cylinders. I did find a good amount of oil in the ic system and turbo inlet, so I immediatly think that the turbo is bad.. change it out with a spare of my buddy's. When I get it all back together, I go drive it. Awaiting some smoke, as the system still needed to be blown out good, I noticed WAY too much smoke. and the car left a big puddle of antifreeze, but I couldnt find any leaks. Still more oil being built up in the turbo, exhaust mani and ic system, So I pull the head off. All the bolts were torquesd correctly, the gasket was damn near perfect and I searched for about an hour, and found no cracks in the head.

I did find oil on the back side of the intake manifold and the left rear corner of the gasket was pretty wet. As was the entire front of the head, underneath the exhaust gasket - oil built up.

I'M CLUELESS!!!

I have no idea now, other than valve seals or something, But I can't see that much smoke from seals.. It was horrible.. looks like I ran seafoam through the pcv valve.

I guess I'll take the head to the machine shop, have them leak test/warp check/etc.


any ideas???

 

[1993eclipseGS]

They are bad compression numbers. The service limit is 135 I believe.