smoking issue after cam install......
smoking issue after cam install...... I recently helped a friend do a head/cam/longtube install on his 99 firebird. The car seems to be running fine power wise, but under hard acceleration through 1st, 2nd, or 3 gear it smokes white badly(mainly in the upper rpm's. I did a compression check and every cylinder came to 210, I pulled the oil cap to act a a breather for the pvc system...still no luck. The heads were ported by a local hand porter, and he said he used new valve seals but I think that is the problem with the car. it does smoke right on start up also, any suggestions?
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 688
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From: Derby, KS
Re: smoking issue after cam install...... white smoke would mean burning coolant, so, a head gasket is leaking or the heads were over-ported and now there is a crack leaking coolant in the combustion chamber. Check your oil for more signs of water. Do a leakdown check on each cylinder, compression check is not enough.
Re: smoking issue after cam install...... mine blows smoke under hard acceleration due to eating oil....
it always did a little but now with the heads/cam/Hooker LTs, it really does it......
it always did a little but now with the heads/cam/Hooker LTs, it really does it......
Re: smoking issue after cam install...... It's pretty common for LS1's to smoke in the high RPMs after a header install. I wouldn't worry too much unless it looks like you're putting out a Spy Hunter smoke screen.
Re: smoking issue after cam install...... The car has used about 2 quarts in the past 3 weeks which makes me think it is burning oil. I havent checked the coolant, but I will tonight. I used the new 01-02 mls heads gaskets and torqued them correctly. It smokes really bad not just some due to pvc issues. any more thoughts?
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Re: smoking issue after cam install...... I agree, white smoke is coolant, but if it is a light gray color then oil sure. Although some LS1's consume oil as obvious burning I would not say it is the norm. I have only seen one LS1 here that was burning oil. And like yours, it got worse after changing heads. Nothing wrong with ports, or leakign coolant, just some nicely scored rings that after the head swap reared theie ugly heads. Do the leak down, check the coolant and the oil for cross contamination.
Sorry and Good-luck.
Charlie.
Sorry and Good-luck.
Charlie.
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Re: smoking issue after cam install...... If it is coolant, you should be able to see it by pulling the plugs. YOu should find one "clean" plug (or a few). This may give you an idea of the problem and where it is (what plugs are oily/clean, etc). Just my thoughts.
Re: smoking issue after cam install...... I looked over the car tonight and there isnt any coolant in the oil. The car has been ran for 600 miles since the swap and has used two quarts of oil and no coolant. The car doesnt leak oil at all so it has to be it. The most obvious ways would be through bad pistons rings, which never smoked at all before, or through used valve seals that has bigger valves put in. What do you think ?
Re: smoking issue after cam install...... maybe have the wrong size guides in it and alowing lots of oil to go by. try new valve seals then if those dont work, be prepped to take the heads back off...
Re: smoking issue after cam install...... nope not riggs heads, they were done by a guy names chuck(in indiana). I guess im gonna start by replacing the valve seals and see how that goes.
Re: smoking issue after cam install...... I made some crazy smoke screens when a couple spring seats broke through to the intake ports after aggressive porting. This is especially an issue on LS6 heads, but is a danger on LS1s, particularly but hand porters.
Its moderatley easy to remove the intake and use a flashlight on the intake ports to look in.
chris
Its moderatley easy to remove the intake and use a flashlight on the intake ports to look in.
chris
Re: smoking issue after cam install...... Well sounds like your on track, would have been nice to know that you had replaced valves and used old seals....not you personally.
