Troubleshooting

[burnout 180]

I’ve been having some annoying problems with my car please help me find out what’s wrong so I can fix it.

1) After a few minutes of driving white smoke starts to come out of the muffler at idle or below 2k rpm. However once it starts it comes and goes it doesn't happen every time I come to a stop and idle. Sometimes allot of white smoke comes out at idle and smokes out the car behind me, and sometimes none comes out until I pull off and press the gas. The smoke has a scent of gas among other things. Also the car has recently started backfiring every once and a while when I quickly come out of boost and leave it in gear so it slows down. I know my O2 sensor is blown but I don't know if it’s causing these problems.

2) Another problem is that when I let off the gas the car stutters almost cutting off and sometimes it does. The rpms jump between 200rpm and 1200rpm until eventually levels off to idle at between 1000rpm and 900rpm. While its jumping my lights dim and brighten with the revs and the battery light comes on when it reaches 200rpm. This is very annoying because sometimes I have to press gas and brakes at the same time so the car doesn't turn off while I’m take a curve. Also sometimes instead of revs jumping when I let off of the gas, it would idle at 1500rpm and it slowly makes it's way down to 1k.

Please help me troubleshoot so that I can fix these problems and my car can once again be fun to drive.

[M374llic4]

Your injectors may be leaking, causing the rich smell and backfiring.

As for the smoking sometimes, your head hasket could be very slightly bad, so it only leaks sometimes.Perhaps temperature might have something to do with it, the whole expanding and contracting thing, making it smoke sometimes and not others?

As for your second problem, the battery/alternator combo night need a replacement. When the alternator starts to go, it sometimes does not give out enough juice. which is what makes your lights go brighter with your rpm's. Head to autozone or something, they do free battery / alternator checks, because sometimes when an alternator goes, it takes the battery with it.

hope this helps!

[dvd]

i also have white smoke at times, smells bad too. and only happens when its idle(at least visible to me) Or when i idle for about 5 minutes after a regular commute. I'm thinking its my turbo because there was lots of shaft play. I'm changing it on sunday to see if its it.

[burnout 180]

Sounds like were having the same problem tell me if you get it fixed.

[float_6969]

+1 for bad turbo. Try running some thicker oil if you're on synthetics, or switching back to a non-syn. That fixed it for me.

[dvd]

i think i'm running 30-50 i forget. two more days till i change the turbo.

[burnout 180]

So for sure its the turbo causing this and not the bad o2 sensor or something because i just got the turbo from someone 4 months ago and really can't afford another one.

Is there a way i can check that it is indeed the turbo?

[boost_boy]

So for sure its the turbo causing this and not the bad o2 sensor or something because i just got the turbo from someone 4 months ago and really can't afford another one.

Is there a way i can check that it is indeed the turbo?

White smoke is likely to be a bad chra or center housing on your turbocharger. They crack and cause you all kinds of gremlin-like issues. I vote for busted turbocharger.

Dee

[burnout 180]

Can anyone suggest a good priced replacement turbo.

Boostboy I might just be freaking out but I remember reading a post a few moths ago where you were saying somthing along the lines of you knowing of a t3/t4 turbo that was excellent for the ca and for good money.

i belive it was a T3/T04B with a .63 or .48 rear housing which would be excellent for me because my current turbo is a t3/t4.

Is that the t3/t4 turbo that you feel is the best for the ca? How much one of those normally go for and where could i order one from?
Modified by burnout 180 at 6:50 AM 4/12/2006

[burnout 180]

where can i get a good t3/t4 turbo for the ca and what specs should i get?