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White Smoke / Car Is Smoking White [Merged 7-9]

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Apeximprt2nr

15+ Year Contributor
620
5
Apr 20, 2005
Northern, New_Jersey
Alright guys, well I just finished my 14B install in my 95 GSX. All is well besides some minor oil leaks on the return line and the SS feed line at the filter housing. There was also a VERY minor coolant leak from the front banjo bolt on the turbo. I tightened it a tad and I think i went away. Now the turbo is spooling really late because I think there may be a leak before the turbo.
Now on to the problems.

1. The turbo does not smoke at all besides at WOT sometimes it blows out whiteish grey smoke. I'm trying to think of where it could be burning coolant. It never did this before the turbo install.

2. There was some white smoke the past 2 days at the manifold. I'm thinking its the shitload of PB Blaster that I sprayed all over the car but I'm not sure.

3. There's a smell coming from my engine that I can smell if I pop my hood and it becomes more noticeable when I'm driving and really get on it. It smells like burning plastic sort of, with a mix of burning rubber. The lower heat shield is not on the car because it's a pain to get on and I haven't put it back on because I haven't had time. Nothing is touching anything hot so I 'm confused...The only possible thing is maybe I pout on a new 4 ply exhaust mani. gasket as well as antiseize on most of the bolts and the turbo-mani. bolts.

Any help? Thanks.
 
A compression test won't tell you much about a head gasket issue, although low compression on adjacent cylinders is a symptom of one type of HG failure.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/336535-do-you-have-blown-head-gasket.html

A much better approach is to do a leak-down test as kbiker76 mentioned.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/338152-compression-leak-down-testing.html

I agree. A leak-down test is more specific and will yield better results in diagnosing the issue. However, the OP mentioned the white smoke out the exhaust (as in the title too), which according to your article (excellent write up btw!) is indicative of headgasket failure between cylinders allowing coolant to get in the combustion chamber and thus producing the white smoke. A compression test will show low compressio numbers at the adjacent cylinders. Granted, if that is the case, the leak can be elswhere in the combustion chamber (piston rings, valve seals, etc), but in the same sense, if it yields good compression numbers, it can be ruled out. I suggested this test because it is quick and easy to do with just a $20 compression test kit. I should have elaborated that low numbers should be followed up with a leak-down test to find the source of the leak.

But regardless, based on what I've read, if I had to guess I'd say he is experiencing a HG failure according to your #2 scenario in the article...a failure between cylinders allowing coolant into the combustion chamber.

EDIT

I also noticed he said the car doesn't overheat but loses coolant...

my car does not over heat and it just lost coolant that i put on last week when i did a flush , it may be the turbo seal or many other things but im not sure how to figure it out exactly but do the process of elimination one thing at a time till i fix it . i will leave the head gasket for last since its the most work and expensive one..

Which further supports my theory.
 
i will go today and get the leak test tool at an autoparts and i will do the test myself and post the results , what should be the range of results i should be getting
 
Okay this is my problem I have a 95gst, about 17k on the rebuild and supposedly 3 on the Mhi 20g and when I start it up in the mornin it dumps out large amounts of steady white as can be smoke and if I rev it up, a lot more comes out. And my car running rich, like all I smell is from the muffler is gas and it sprays out some brownish colord droplets, I believe its fuel. The car will smoke until you start drivin it and then itll clear up, other wise it doesn't smoke unless you get on it a bit and hits full boost. I'm not sure whats wrong with it but it is loosing some oil and I checked my catch can and its empty and I don't smell oil or see any leakin, so I'm at a loss in where its goin please help thankss!
 
Does it smoke every time you start it? Or only after sitting for a while.

If it only smokes after sitting for a while it may be your valve seals leaking.

Do check the charge pipes for oil in them. And a compression test can rule out any issues with the headgasket.
 
Definitely sounds like a coolant issue.

I know the factory water temperature gauge isn't that accurate but it should give you an idea if it's running hotter than normal. Anywhere between 185-215 degrees fairenheit is normal operating temperature.
 
I'll check the coolant when I get home, and im pretty sure its white it really looks it, ill take a close look at it. And no it doesnt smoke everytime at idle only after it sits for a while and like I said after I start drivin it it clears up and my factory tempature.gauge recently quit workin,like at first it was goin in an out and then it would start movin when my rpms did and now it just barely works
 
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i posted this before and stated that white smoke when reved up and now its when i rev up and slow down almost to a complete stop , it is not the head gasket because i did a few test and all came out good , people tell me its the blown turbo true or false?
 
What were the numbers on the hg, could be bad rings, valve stems, and the turbo seals. We cant tell you what it is could be several things.
 
im having the same problem, but what to do if all cylinders are same compression (140), and i did notice my coolant was low.
 
I have been having a problem with my 96 Eclipse where it stalled to start I was told it was the crankshaft sensor so I replaced it and it wouldn't start at first. After a few tries it did start and blew out white smoke but it has only done it that one time. Now I can only start the car if I unplug the battery and it resets the check engine light but it runs with no boost power, sounds like it's feeding too much gas and the engine taps sounding like a diesel engine. Not trying to go off subject but could the white smoke only that one time mean a head gasket problem too?
 
OOk so I've recently bought a 95 gst has 165k on it. Now I've ran a dry compression test and came back with.160,150,160,160 is that ok? Also I'm blowing white smoke out of the exhaust most of the time. Sometimes small amount sometimes larger amounts(usually during first start up/running 15 mins).oh it also seems like its idleing weird it idles at 750. Would the fuel seloniod have nething to do.with that bc mines bad. I checked for shaft play in turbo none. But there was a little oil on wall of turbo where intake connects. I'm wondering if I have a blown hg or turbo or what. It doesn't overheat. Looks like there is oil in reservoir. I've bought arp studs and felpro gasket so I can't change the hg this weekend just wanted some input.
 
White Smoke, is mostly Coolant Burning.

Do a Compression Leak down Test.

It will tell you where your is the problem.

Now, If you are saying that you have oil in the water, Then Is more sure that, you have a bad Head Gasket.

Do a Leak down test, That's your best bet to start,,,,,

Also, If your Fuel solenoid is not good, You can have some issue, Unless you have an aftermarket FPR.
 
How was the compression test done?
Warm, with all the spark plugs out and the TB Fully open?

What turbo do you have? Is it water cooled also?

Have you checked the TB pre heater passage?

How much coolent are you loosing? in what period of time?
 
Compression was done with car at running temp. It's a completely stock gst I've bought new t belt and balance shaft belt both gates. I got a new water pump all of those won't be put on till next weekend. Also new intake. Like I said got hg and arp studs to put in if needed( which i can do this weekend). I'll try to take to get leak down test done ASAP. At idle it seems like its not getting enough gas. That's why I was wondering if the fuel solenoid would have something to do with it.
 
Ok so I'm going with the turbo is going bad. I have oil in the intake. There is some shaft play. Not to much in and out more side to side. But I redid the compression test at running temp and wot and came back good again(165-170 for each cylinder) so I'm assuming its not a hg I can't really say if it uses a lot of oil or coolant bc I haven't been driving it since it started smoking( which was like 2 days after I bought it) but it seemed to run fine. I've taken it down the road and back a few times but I t seems like it also has a boost leak. But just doesn't seem turbo is running good. So I've bought a 14b to put on to see for sure if it is the turbo. Also going to replace all vacuum/boost hoses. So ill let ya know once I get new turbo and put it on if this resolves this thread.
 
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PLEASE HELP PLEASE RESPOND ASAP, STUCK IN HIGH SIERRAS NEED A SOLUTION.

hey guys. i know i should be postying this under the repair section. BUT i live in norcal and am on my way home from so cal, stopped in lone pine, ca and drove up 4-5k feet to go to mt whitney portals, got back down to lone pine and the car is blowin a good amount of smoke (greyish white.):cry:

my main concern:
i know if its rings or seals, id be takin my chances trying to make it nearly 400 miles to lake concow, ca,
BUT if it is the turbo; do you guys think it would continue driving 400 miles? is there a chance the turbo could seize up and in theory there would be nowhere for exhuast gases to go so the engine might stall out?
the ONLY reason i want to get it home without replacing the turbo is if im gunna have to but a new one anyhow, it might ads well be a 16g:thumb:, but i am stuck in bum#### nowhere and dont want to deal with changing a bucnh of parts to make a bigger turbo fit. not till i get home. if it is the turbo, im just gunna have a 14b overnighted to me(thats whats on it now.) and throw it on in the parkin lot at the motel.
HERES SOME DETAILS:
the car's been driving fairly hard for a few days but just around town (few freeway exits at a time; it;s my first turbo LOL) cooling system completely flushed new t-stat etc etc, block test done, no exhuat gases in oil or radiator, fresh oil change with synthetic oil, turbos a 14b w/ 1g BOV running @ 8 lbs on the boost gauge
 
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