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Help me troubleshoot smoke!

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Old Nov 6, 2009 | 07:30 AM
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Default Help me troubleshoot smoke!

I havent had a chance to do a compression test or leakdown, So I figured I would see if anybody here has had similar problems. The car has 175,000 miles on it, but the guy I got it from told me the engine was re-built 10,000 miles ago. When I get on it hard at WOT or even when I rev it without a load it will blow white smoke out of the exhaust. It feels strong, and has no other problems. I have taken the oil cap off right after a cold start and when it is warmed up and there is no blow-by coming out. It holds over 60 psi oil pressure when its cold and at least 40 when hot. Could this be the pcv system? Or exhaust valve seals? I havent had it long enough to see any oil burning and I check the antifreeze and its full. Im stumped! I know I need to do a Leakdown to find the problem, but I dont have the money to have it done at the moment. Just curious what everybody else has found....

Thanks
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Old Nov 6, 2009 | 07:35 AM
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BTW its not the car in my sig. 99 Camaro m6.... It has PP typhoon 85mm intake and tb, Granitelli 85 mm MAF, mac headers and catless y, and a dynomax race bullet with tips out the back. Lid and k&n

Last edited by ninetynineta; Nov 6, 2009 at 08:11 AM. Reason: correction
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Old Nov 6, 2009 | 07:50 AM
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Also the car had the exhaust dumped under the car with no muffler or anything. The day after I got it I had the muffler and tips put on it. It was when my tuner was doing drivability tuning when I noticed the smoke. Could it be the new exhaust burning something off?
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Old Nov 6, 2009 | 10:20 AM
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White smoke would indicate coolant or water. Mine will do it if it sits a couple of days because it's burning off condensation in the exhaust system. I also don't have any cats which makes it a little worse. Are you sure the smoke is white and does it go away after a while? If it's blue it's oil, kinda black it's fuel, white it's water/coolant, gray it's burning off carbon deposits.
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Old Nov 6, 2009 | 11:43 AM
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It looks really white to me. It almost reminds me of condensation like when its cold, but its 80 here today and I just messed with it a little and its still doing it. It will do it a tiny bit when its sitting and idleing warming up, but when its hot, I dont notice it until I rev it.
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Old Nov 6, 2009 | 11:54 AM
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Well take it out and after it's gotten warmed up. Do a quick mid to full throttle pull. Have someone sit in the car with you or better, follow you to see what it does. If it continues to smoke under load then it might be a small head gasket leak. With the rebuild they may have installed the HG wrong and it's now showing it's face.
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Old Nov 6, 2009 | 12:17 PM
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I have checked that. It does continue to smoke under load. Im convinced that what it is...
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Old Nov 6, 2009 | 12:31 PM
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Yeah that's a bummer dude. Not sure how you'll be able to tell which head it is, if it is indeed a blown HG.
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Old Nov 6, 2009 | 03:22 PM
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Since the intake manifold has been changed and it seems to only smoke when you get on it hard or rev it, could be intake gaskets not sealing correctly and its pulling coolant into the intake port causing the smoke.

Could be from someone re-using the stock gaskets and they were whored out and not sealing as good as they should be.

Have you checked the coolant level at all? Thats something to watch too, if its not burning any coolant im not sure what it could be besides condensation. I would think not having cats would make it take longer to burn out b/c of the cats producing so much heat to help burn it out.

Some things to think about, good luck man.
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Old Nov 6, 2009 | 05:05 PM
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Originally Posted by TooLateVTEC
Since the intake manifold has been changed and it seems to only smoke when you get on it hard or rev it, could be intake gaskets not sealing correctly and its pulling coolant into the intake port causing the smoke.
Huh? How is coolant getting in from the intake?

white smoke from coolant has a distinct smell of burnt antifreeze, oil smoke smells like oil and is gray, blue/gray. I would get the leak down done before you cause damage.
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Old Nov 9, 2009 | 08:30 AM
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Well I attempted to do a leakdown this weekend and all I got was busted knuckles. I didnt warm the motor up first and nothing was working like I wanted, so I gave up.

A buddy of mine seems to think its oil smoke.

But one question.... If its blow-by from the rings would it smoke from the oil-fill cap when its running? I figure it would and it doesnt a bit.
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