help! SES and smoke out the pipes
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
help! SES and smoke out the pipes Ok so the other night im on my way home from work and after a stop sign I floor it through first and second. I thought it felt a little rough and when I pulled into my street I could tell that something was wrong. I pulled into my house and let it idle. I popped the hood but didnt see anything wrong so I closed it but when I did I could see a good amount of smoke coming out of the tailpipes. I got in my car to turn it off and saw the SES light pop on.
The next day I go to take it to synergy motorsports to get it looked at but after driving the car for like 3 mins the SES light started FLASHING!!!!! So I turned around and went home. The light only flashed for a second then went back to steady on.
I was going to have it towed to the shop but the dude at AAA said it would cost me like $200!!! Does anyone have any ideas??? Its been really windy but from what i can tell the smoke looks greyish. I know its white blue or black but i just cant tell. All I know is I need HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks a lot guys
-Ryan
The next day I go to take it to synergy motorsports to get it looked at but after driving the car for like 3 mins the SES light started FLASHING!!!!! So I turned around and went home. The light only flashed for a second then went back to steady on.
I was going to have it towed to the shop but the dude at AAA said it would cost me like $200!!! Does anyone have any ideas??? Its been really windy but from what i can tell the smoke looks greyish. I know its white blue or black but i just cant tell. All I know is I need HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks a lot guys
-Ryan
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 596
Likes: 1
From: Austin, TX
1st off I would get that code pulled and see what it says. Usually flashing means a misfire....smoke could mean its running real rich. Have or done any mods recently? Does it drive or idle real rough?
sounds like you are running really rich (black smoke) or burning oil (white smoke) causing you a good deal of misfires. When ever you have the SES blinking on any car, you have something bad wrong going on under the hood. Most of the time the blinking SES is caused by misfires. Steady SES usually indicates a problem with your emissions system.
Like SSean said, get the code scanned. Autozone will do it for free.
Have you bolted anything on recently? Have you detailed the motor lately?
Like SSean said, get the code scanned. Autozone will do it for free.
Have you bolted anything on recently? Have you detailed the motor lately?
Black smoke = rich, blue smoke = oil, white smoke = anti-freeze. Rich probably means you knocked a plug wire off, or fouled a plug. Oil could mean many things - fouled plug from oil (EGR, etc), burnt valve, cracked ring, etc. Anti-freeze means you probably blew a head gasket.
But they are correct, a blinking SES light 'usually' indicates a loose / broken plug wire.
But they are correct, a blinking SES light 'usually' indicates a loose / broken plug wire.
If you don't want to drive the car (good idea by the way), you have 2 options.
1) You can buy a basic obd2 scanner from just about any autoparts store. A basic scan tool will run you about $100... But, now would be a good time for you plop down the money for Autotap or EFILive. Either of these two will let scan the car and reset the light for you. Both have plenty of other cool features. I have both and prefer EFILive. Your looking at $200 - $500 depending on the software package(s) you choose.
2) You can tow the car to the nearest scanner.
If you continue to drive the car with the blinking SES and it turns out to be a missfire - you should consider replacing your primary o2 sensors and cats. A healthy dose of raw fuel will ruin these real fast.
1) You can buy a basic obd2 scanner from just about any autoparts store. A basic scan tool will run you about $100... But, now would be a good time for you plop down the money for Autotap or EFILive. Either of these two will let scan the car and reset the light for you. Both have plenty of other cool features. I have both and prefer EFILive. Your looking at $200 - $500 depending on the software package(s) you choose.
2) You can tow the car to the nearest scanner.
If you continue to drive the car with the blinking SES and it turns out to be a missfire - you should consider replacing your primary o2 sensors and cats. A healthy dose of raw fuel will ruin these real fast.
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
I would reccomend you check/replace the following:
Plugs
Plug wires
Coil pack
These are also listed in cheapest to most expensive
Usually this is caused by a bad plug or plug wire. Coil packs can go bad, but with individual packs, it should out live the plugs & wires.
Plugs
Plug wires
Coil pack
These are also listed in cheapest to most expensive
Usually this is caused by a bad plug or plug wire. Coil packs can go bad, but with individual packs, it should out live the plugs & wires.