I need to know what is the problem with my car. I have smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes. It is a lot to the point where there is nothing but a cloud of smoke. But it does come out. what is the problem. do i need new exhaust or is it something else.

 

Is it white smoke or black smoke? Either way, if its a constant smoking, you have a bad engine, and its time to get it rebuilt.

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1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
13.23 @ 107.62 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Webmaster: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

WHITE SMOKE IS WATER - Blown head gasket, or crack in a head or the block.

BLACK SMOKE IS TOO RICH OF FUEL MIXTURE.

BLUE SMOKE IS OIL - Bad rings, valve guides/seals.

If it's a cloud of smoke, more than likely it's water. Oil and fuel smoke disipates faster and is less likely to cause clouds.

 

WRONG! Constant smoke does not automatically equal a bad engine. Take my car for instance. I got it for a steal for the very same reason, smokes like hell if it idles more than 5 minutes. Must be bad rings heh? Nope!

The oil return journals were plugged solid. Oil would literaly pool up and over through the valves.

Pop off the valve covers and use a pipe cleaner on the journals and poof! No more smoke. Try it.

 

Sorry RGZWS6. I didn't mean to offend anyone!!!! I guess I should have put that these are possible causes!! But in all actuallity, it was your valve seals. Just not the common problem of valve seals. That and they are called oil galleys, not journals. Journals are on the crankshaft and cam.
But I AM glad to hear that it wasn't your rings. That's bad. There are many ways to find out what the causes are sometimes. I responded to another post where I told the guy to try all simple, cheap fixes first. Looks like you do that too. It's things like that, that will save you lots o' money in the long run.

I sure didn't mean to mislead anyone, Sorry.

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92 RS w/t-tops 305 TBI Auto.
170K miles and don't burn a drop o'oil
-K&N Truck filter #1500 w, open ele.
air cleaner
-Dynomax 2 1/2" cat-back
-B&M TransPak
-Jet Stage2 Chip
-180* T-Stat w/ 185* Fan Switch
-JVC CD--Alpine speakers & 4ch. amp
Rockford 2ch. to 2 MTX 12" subs

[This message has been edited by AJ_92RS (edited May 24, 2001).]

 

what if you get a puff of white smoke just when you start the car?
that is what i am getting, but i can also see that i have a bad intake seal. coolant puddles up between the base plate and teh valve cover. its small but its there. could that be the prob. or am i looking at something more in depth.

and if its a bad block or heads, how can i find out. should i just pull the motor?

and i can get a bare 400 ci block for 250 right now. should i do it? that is what i really want. but i dont know if i need it right now! thanks

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Jarrad
1990 IROC-Z L98 350 TPI
TH-700R4
G92- 9 Bolt Borg-Warner 3.27gears
Bright Red Hardtop/ Grey "Custom" Interior
NOT STOCK, NO WHERE CLOSE!
NEW RED PAINT and WELD PROSTARS.

DAILY DRIVER: 1991 GREY S10 2.5L/5SPD -FOR SALE. leaving for army.

 

If the coolant is puddling up, then it is probably seeping into the intake runner. That will cause a little smoke at start up. Although the most common cause of that first puff of smoke at start up is USUALLY valve seals. Oil seeps into the cylinder that has that valve open, or the oil just sits on the valve if it's closed, just waiting. It seems like white smoke just because there is actually very little oil there, and the engine isn't hot enough to really burn the oil. It's not all that bad though. It puts oil on the cylinder wall just like it should have. Just on the wrong side and cakes up on your spark plugs.

Yours could be the coolant though. If it's not excessive, then it ain't that big a deal. It may get worse though. You may want to change that gasket just to see if it works. If it was the block or heads, your oil will have water/antifreeze in it. Or it might smoke like a pipe, depending on where the crack was.

I'm no mechanic. I just worked at a sevice shop for three years and listened a lot. Have someone check it out. They should do it for free.

 

Not a problem AJ. My responce was aimed at Kevin not yourself.

But thanks for setting me strait on the terms. You learn something new everyday here.

 

thanks AJ, you reassured me that its not as big of deal as a friend says, i plan on changing the gasket next week. i am having a few friends over and we are gonna do it, but we have to be extra careful since the car is getting painted as we speak!
thanks agian AJ

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Jarrad
1990 IROC-Z L98 350 TPI
TH-700R4
G92- 9 Bolt Borg-Warner 3.27gears
Bright Red Hardtop/ Grey "Custom" Interior
NOT STOCK, NO WHERE CLOSE!
NEW RED PAINT and WELD PROSTARS.

DAILY DRIVER: 1991 GREY S10 2.5L/5SPD -FOR SALE. leaving for army.

 

Das cool,

I now what I know, But I don't know what I don't know. There is a lot off stuff I learned when I sold cars. You gotta know how ta sell used cars somehow, even ones that blow smoke!!! HEHEHE!!!

Everybody always has a lot to learn. If I thought that I knew it all, I would never know anything. The dumbest guy is the guy that won't learn new stuff, especially about cars. Like I don't know squat about suspensions, but I am learning A LOT by reading this website.

Isn't the internet great. Plus you can check out perty girlz!!! AH HUH HUH!!! Thingies!!

AJ