Smoke, what's the problem?

[DSMagnum]

I just installed my Injen Intake, was doing a few revs (4k, no higher) and noticed some smoke coming from my engine. I then had my girlfriend rev the engine and tried to take note of where it was coming from. I took some video, and some pictures to try and help with the solution of this problem.

Here is a little background on my car. I store it in the winter, so it has been in storage since October, but I try and start it once or twice every two weeks, if not every week. I had the head gasket replaced about a year ago also. I keep my engine really clean, but noticed that in this area it was pretty dirty.

I don't know if it is coming from the straight hose where I clamped it onto the turbo, or some other place. I check the clamp, and its tight, and the hose is fully on the turbo inlet. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Here is a picture:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b256/DSMagnum/file.jpg

And here is video...sorry I was moving around a lot, but look closely and you can see the smoke after the first rev. :
http://media.putfile.com/Smoke9464

 

[Marc91GSX]

The smoke appears to be coming from the #4 cylinder exhaust. Is that oil splattered all over your valve cover and cylinder head or is it carbon. That information will help to determine weather you have other problems. IMO just pull your exhaust manifold and look to see if the gasses have burned through the gasket anyhwere. Good luck

 

[DSMagnum]

I believe that it is carbon, more so than oil. I wiped it with my finger and it was more gritty than watery...would that be a good indication of whether it was oil or carbon? Maybe I am just trying and praying it is carbon.

I don't have my tools at my parents house where the car is being stored, so I can't get underneath the manifold right now. However, the "stuff" on top of the manifold isn't oil, or carbon, it's sand. So I know it isn't spraying from the head gasket.

Would a good suggestion right now, be to put a piece of paper towel where the smoke is coming out (not touch anything hot obviously) and rev the engine to collect whatever is spraying out, and look to see what is collected on the paper towel?

If it's carbon, I am assuming that I have to replace the headers? But if it's oil, what is the worst case scenario there?

Thanks for the help, and patience!

-Mike

 

[Marc91GSX]

Putting a paper towel over the area where the smoke is coming from might help to determine if it is oil or not, but judging from your accounts of it being gritty it sounds more like carbon. Was it a dry gritty or a moist gritty? Did it feel like go-jo or did it feel dry? If it feels like go-jo then could be oil mixed with sand, it it is dry then your problem is probably just a leaky exhaust manifold. I still say that your best course of action is to pull the manifold and see what the contidion of the gasket and manifold are. You probably just have a bad gasket or a cracked manifold. Eitherway let us know what you find out as this may help other people later down the road. Good Luck

 

[brute]

I agree with above post. It appears to me to be bad gasket or bad manifold. Try taking it off when you get a chance and checking the gasket. Any black marks on the inside edge of the gasket leading to the outside edge indicate exhaust is leaking from there. Check it out and keep us posted.

 

[Old Mitsu Tech]

And I agree to the above posts. Good Job guys.!

 

[Red 4G63]

I would agree as well with these guys. Another thing that I would check is your valve cover seal. make sure that you definately check your cam seal because from the picture looks like that is leaking as well (oil). If you change those you can clean up your motor and have a better idea of what you need to fix\replace or whether it is carbon or oil or both. Hope that helps. P.S. don't forget to put RTV on the top and the bottom of the cam seal. I forgot and now I am still leaking oil from there and I have to get a whole new gasket set in the summer. Way to cold to do it now!

 

[92GSXBaltimore]

if it is not oil leaking onto the mani and burning, pull your manifold heat sheild, the manifold might have some cracks in it letting exhaust gas escape into your engine bay. Mine did and the same thing was happening.