Okie dokie, installed a test pipe today and after turning it on the thing BLOWS out white smoke like crazy. Smells sweet and makes my eyes water. Could it be the headgasket? I'm thinking yes. But I'd just like to get some second opinions.
SR20DET Red TopFMICstock downpipeTest pipe2.5" exhaust
It makes no knocking noise that I can tell and the car overheated a while ago and I drove it and didn't notice the temperature. Thanks everyone.
White smoke = Headgasket????
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quiksilvia
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C-Kwik
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White smoke can be oil as well. I have a new theory on this as well which I will explain at the bottom.
Note the smell of the smoke. Coolant coming out the tailpipe will smell like coolant and have a humid feel to it. Oil smells much different. Hard to describe the scent, but it's very distinct. In any case, either can be white, but it may depend on what kind of oil you run. I've been having a valse stem seal leak for some time now. I finally have the motivation to take care of this soon as I just got 16 new seals late this week. Actually, it's started smoking a lot more recently so I guess I must. And when it had started smoking more, I did some research and found that a valve stem seal leak is more likely to occur in the intake valves. I get no oil residue on my plugs, but I never tried pulling my plugs while it was smoking. I typically burned it off before the motor was shut down. At least that's my speculation. In any case, under high intake vacuum, it starts to pull oil through the seals into the port and into the combustion chamber. While exhaust valve stem seals can leak, it is more likely to push exhaust gasses into the crankcase then pull oil into the exhaust. I had originally thought my exhaust valve stem seals were the culprit as I did not see any oil residue on my plugs. Which made me believe the white smoke was oil that is vaporizing rather than burning. But now what I am thinking may be that the difference in oil smoke solor may have to do with mineral vs synthetic oil. I run synthetic oil. As before, this is still only speculation, but I may try and take one of the propane torches I have laying around and try burning some synthetic and mineral oil and see what I find. But I want to get to the seals first to see if the intake valve seals seem to be the problem as well.
Note the smell of the smoke. Coolant coming out the tailpipe will smell like coolant and have a humid feel to it. Oil smells much different. Hard to describe the scent, but it's very distinct. In any case, either can be white, but it may depend on what kind of oil you run. I've been having a valse stem seal leak for some time now. I finally have the motivation to take care of this soon as I just got 16 new seals late this week. Actually, it's started smoking a lot more recently so I guess I must. And when it had started smoking more, I did some research and found that a valve stem seal leak is more likely to occur in the intake valves. I get no oil residue on my plugs, but I never tried pulling my plugs while it was smoking. I typically burned it off before the motor was shut down. At least that's my speculation. In any case, under high intake vacuum, it starts to pull oil through the seals into the port and into the combustion chamber. While exhaust valve stem seals can leak, it is more likely to push exhaust gasses into the crankcase then pull oil into the exhaust. I had originally thought my exhaust valve stem seals were the culprit as I did not see any oil residue on my plugs. Which made me believe the white smoke was oil that is vaporizing rather than burning. But now what I am thinking may be that the difference in oil smoke solor may have to do with mineral vs synthetic oil. I run synthetic oil. As before, this is still only speculation, but I may try and take one of the propane torches I have laying around and try burning some synthetic and mineral oil and see what I find. But I want to get to the seals first to see if the intake valve seals seem to be the problem as well.
I know what burning coolant smells like and I know what burning oil smells like. This doesn't smell like either.
Last night I went out to the countryside and let my car idle for about 30 minutes, the smoke came out constantly and then slowly started not smoking. Then it stopped completely. If it was the headgasket wouldn't it be smoking all the time? It only smokes at idle.
This morning I checked the oil levels and the coolant levels, they're exactly the same as they were when I replaced it last week. So... I'm waaaay lost now. Is it possible that it's just burning up stuff that's been stuck in there because of the cat? My cat was so clogged up. So... any ideas with the new information?
Oh and the head's not warped, we removed the head not to long ago. And the headgasket was fine at the time.
Last night I went out to the countryside and let my car idle for about 30 minutes, the smoke came out constantly and then slowly started not smoking. Then it stopped completely. If it was the headgasket wouldn't it be smoking all the time? It only smokes at idle.
This morning I checked the oil levels and the coolant levels, they're exactly the same as they were when I replaced it last week. So... I'm waaaay lost now. Is it possible that it's just burning up stuff that's been stuck in there because of the cat? My cat was so clogged up. So... any ideas with the new information?
Oh and the head's not warped, we removed the head not to long ago. And the headgasket was fine at the time.
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Hijacker
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i run mobil 1 synthetics. during the winter i was using 10w30, now i'm using 15w50 for the summer.
sircnay:
i'm not sure what to tell you. if it was burning excess deposits from where the cat had been, it should have burned most of it out when you let it idle for 30 minutes.
how long ago did you remove the head? and did you turn the engine upside down during the time the engine was out of the car?
sircnay:
i'm not sure what to tell you. if it was burning excess deposits from where the cat had been, it should have burned most of it out when you let it idle for 30 minutes.
how long ago did you remove the head? and did you turn the engine upside down during the time the engine was out of the car?
It's the turbo. I know it. 1, the compression is good. 2, the coolant levels are normal. 3, the oil levels are the same as they were when I changed the oil. and 4, I drove it spiritedly tonight and at around 6k I can hear the backfire as if I dumped a bunch of fuel, that and the turbo seems to boost but kick in like twice while in the RPM band. STUPID TURBO! UGH!