The Top DSM Community on the Web

For 1990-1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, Plymouth Laser, and Galant VR-4 Owners. Log in to remove most ads.

Please Support Rix Racing
Please Support Morrison Fabrication

Smoking at idle....but only at idle.... wtf??

This site may earn a commission from merchant
affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Gee-Es-Tee

15+ Year Contributor
253
1
Oct 19, 2004
Atlanta, Georgia
OK, I ran a search but it doesnt seem to pull up a page to answer my question.

Just recently if I were to start my car and let it idle to warm up, it would start to smoke. But it only does it if i let it idle for awhile... if i just start it and drive away, everything seems fine! I'm not too sure what this could be coming from... I'm still running on stock exhaust (the cat is clogged, could that be the problem? ITs causing the check engine light to come on!!). I had some friends look at it, could it possibly be the turbo going to shit? Bad seals, etc? Help before it gets worse!!! AH! :cry:

All is appreciated! :thumb:
 
I had the same problem when I bought my car and it turned out to be the valve stem seals. A few things you can do to check:

Pull out the spark plugs. Are any of them oil fouled? If they are then it could be the valve stem stem seals or the piston rings.

If you have a compression tester check the compression. ON A WARM ENGINE!

Add a drop of oil to the cylinders, then check comprssion again.

Does it go up? If it does its rings.

If it does not move it's the valve stem seals.

Smoking at idle is almost always the turbo or the valve stem seals.
If it smokes under the boost its the turbo or the piston rings.

Good luck!

Brian
 
i'm boosted said:
Add a drop of oil to the cylinders, then check comprssion again.


i was thinking more like a teaspoon

i dunno if a drop will cut it
 
Hey guys I really appreciate it, the posts have helped out alot. Hopefully before the end of the weekend I'll have this whole problem sorted out! :thumb:
 
my car used to smoke only at idle. The problum was the head gasket was blown between cylinders 3 and 4. The compression in bolth cylinders was 50 psi and that was after a wet test. The reason it didnt smoke while driving was becuase the pressure inside the cylenders was greater then the water pressure at higher rpms but when at an idle my god did it smoke.
 
skater182 said:
my car used to smoke only at idle. The problum was the head gasket was blown between cylinders 3 and 4. The compression in bolth cylinders was 50 psi and that was after a wet test. The reason it didnt smoke while driving was becuase the pressure inside the cylenders was greater then the water pressure at higher rpms but when at an idle my god did it smoke.
I just want to ask the same question but for a non-turbo and you have answered the question. Thanks a lot! By the way, are there any reasons for a non-turbo 1g dsm smoke only at idle? :confused: Thanks for you guys help!! ;)
 
1fast97gsx said:
its funny that nobody even asked what color the smoke is. Blue smoke would mean there is a problem, it's normal to see a little whitish / gray smoke at idle on cold days.

I completely missed that color was not determined. Everytime I hear about a DSM smoking it's always oil. Thanks. Bluish smoke is oil, black smoke is fuel, and white smoke is water. Like 1fast97gsx said during cold weather your car will smoke on start up. I do not have a cat so it's worse. As for the non-turbo the same things as above applies except for the turbo of course.

Brian
 
Gee-Es-Tee said:
OK, I ran a search but it doesnt seem to pull up a page to answer my question.

Hey, I'm just wondering if your car stills drives normal. This is happening to me and got worst. My car stills drives normal but smokes a hole lot now. Its at the shop to be determine. I got scared, after taking out my spark plugs and one spark plug well gushed out with a bit of smoke.
 
BOOSTn20psi said:
Gee-Es-Tee said:
OK, I ran a search but it doesnt seem to pull up a page to answer my question.

Hey, I'm just wondering if your car stills drives normal. This is happening to me and got worst. My car stills drives normal but smokes a hole lot now. Its at the shop to be determine. I got scared, after taking out my spark plugs and one spark plug well gushed out with a bit of smoke.


Yeah, it drives and boosts normally... but I think something else is up. After reading on "knock" i'm thinking something is causing that...or something... of that sort. It boosts but i dont feel the same acceleration I am used to.

Its time for me to run a search...
 
i'm boosted said:
I completely missed that color was not determined. Everytime I hear about a DSM smoking it's always oil. Thanks. Bluish smoke is oil, black smoke is fuel, and white smoke is water. Like 1fast97gsx said during cold weather your car will smoke on start up. I do not have a cat so it's worse. As for the non-turbo the same things as above applies except for the turbo of course.

Brian
I am new to here...... so I want to ask, if my car smoking blurish smoke when the car idle, what should I check on it and what should I do? What's wrong os my car? Thanks for the help from you guys. :)
 
Support Vendors who Support the DSM Community
Boosted Fabrication ECM Tuning ExtremePSI Fuel Injector Clinic Innovation Products Jacks Transmissions JNZ Tuning Kiggly Racing Morrison Fabrications MyMitsubishiStore.com RixRacing RockAuto RTM Racing STM Tuned

Latest posts

Build Thread Updates

Vendor Updates

Latest Classifieds

Back
Top