Ok so I put Hooker 2055 shorties on my 92 350 TPI this weekend. Didn't get on the throttle until today after I got the y-pipe welded back up to my exhaust system.

I'm thinking YES! Sounds AWESOME, breathes better, and got rid of one annoying ***-rattle!

So I jump on the highway from the 35 mph city streets and put the hammer down.

Car roars to life, I get up to the loud RPMS, which is up between 3-4k for me (TPI ), and white smoke is pouring out the back!

What confuses me is that the car doesn't smoke at lower RPMS and cruising RPMs. And it didn't happen BEFORE the header swap!

The engine was rebuilt less than 18 months ago, and I don't abuse it. I peg the throttle a lot, but I don't go past 4000 rpm EVER (there's nothing up there on the TPI!)

So what's going on?

Something I've thought about, but doubt, is the possibility that it's my header gaskets burning a bit. I noticed that the holes did not match the primaries - some of the gasket would be in the flow of the exhaust.

What do you guys think? Thanks.

 

well, i just tore an engine apart, and dont remember seeing anything around the exhaust ports that would allow water into the motor. however, what is it you said about throttle body? on tpi, there is water passages around that.

 

if you have a auto, first thing i would check is that there isnt any ATF from the coolent lines leaking anywhere onto the exhaust...

 

I have no idea what you are talking about! I'm guessing the smoke is burning oil, not water. I didn't say anything about the throttle body.


I guess its possible its ATF fluid, but why now ? And why only at higher rpm?

Thanks for trying to help, though, guys.

 

I guess I didn't mention - I assumed the smoke was coming from the exhaust, but I guess that doesnt necessarily have to be true. All I know is it showed up behind me while driving!

 

now? well you could have knocked the lines around when you put in the headers..... *shrug*


if it has a blue tint to it, its oil

white can be alot of steam, or ATF...

if you warm up the car and rev it with the hood up in the driveway, does it still smoke? or is it only when moving?

 

Ok I didnt know to look for a blue tint, but I don't think its there. That's a good thing for me, I don't have to pull the engine apart!

As for testing in the driveway, I did rev it a bit but nothing came out. This isnt conclusive, yet, though - because I live in an apartment complex near campus and didn't want to **** of my neighbors. Next time I go home I'll know for sure.

Even if it is water/ATF fluid, I have no idea where it would be coming from! Doesnt mean its not there, just that I have to look harder. I'm pretty sure I didnt hurt anything directly from the header install - it was quite easy and straightforward. I'll do a good investigation when I go home this weekend.

 

is it possible when you run it hard and get it hot the coating on the new headers is burning off causing the smoke

 

thats true too... if they're painted, the paint WILL burn off. (yes, even "high temp" paint...

 

I thought about that, but that's the LAST thing that should be happening! They're Jet-Hot, so it should be taking the heat. I'll take anything over internal engine damage though!

 

Does it leak oil at all?

If so, possible oil slinging out of the rear main seal and onto the headers. I had that problem on my '78 Nova after I put headers on it.

 

I'm pretty sure I'm not leaking oil. I know I wasn't before, I can't think of a reason I would now.

 

maybe it is possible that you never really looked for it at high speed and rpm before, but when you put the headers on you noticed it.

 

I think I found the problem. When I hit some torque (ex: downshifting to higher rpms while driving), my differential is splashing fluid out and either bouncing off the pavement or going directly to the muffler, where it is burning off immediately. The giveaways are that it doesnt happen in park, or even in neutral, revving while coasting. Also, the wet differential look and burnt fluid spots on the muffler tend to give it away .

I'm going to replace the gasket, torque it down, refill it, and see if that doesnt solve the problem.

Thanks.