I have tons of white smoke billowing out of this 1986 Camaro Iroc-z 5.0L TPI.
My dad gave this car to me and I'm trying to diagnose the problems with it.

I just uploaded this video of the smoke on youtube so that someone might be able to help my diagnose it.

 

Does it do that when warmed up or just when cold?

Looks blue/gray to me - valve guides or a ring possibly.

How many miles - was it stored without being run for a long period?

 

Hi Bmv5. What he said. Does it smell sweet? Does it smoke really really bad when revved? If it smokes blue most of the time I would pull one valve cover and see if the oil drain holes in the heads might be plugged with oil sludge. The rocker area on Chevys get gunked up from not changing the oil enough and when they do the oil piles up in the valve covers and makes them smoke. If the smoke is sweet smelling then you may have a blown head gasket or something similar. Hope it is just something simple. Might be as simple as needing an oil change. Good luck.

al

 

Looks like oil to me, a few things to check- are you sure you haven't over filled the oil? Like above said, pull covers to check that you don't have sludge blocking a port. If it's just at and after start up, it's likely valve stem seals which are known issues. If it's all the time you could have some worn rings.

 

It happens when it starts up and constantly when it is warmed up.
The more revv the more smoke.
The engine dies at 1500 rpm or lower.
I used a head gasket test kit and results show no head gasket leak.
It has set since 08/2014 without running however this symptom was happening during the last two months of it being a daily driver.
I'll check under the valve covers. I changed the oil and filter approximately 1 month before recording this video. This is the second start up since the oil change.

Oil was present on 1 spark plug so I did a compression test.
Compression is normal in each cylinder.

It smells like my grandpas smoker when he smokes and grills meat.


Could old/bad gas be a culprit?
Original catalytic converter & injectors.

 

 

The motor has approximately 6 thousand miles on it.
Replaced the motor with a refurb in 2012 among other things such as-
Installed new o-rings and accessories on injectors in 2012 but haven't replaced any of the actual injectors.
New gaskets everywhere.
Replaced Distributor, cap, plugs, wires 2012.
Replaced all vacuum lines 2012.
Replaced pcv valve after this video (corroded plastic supporting valve).
Replaced EGR valve 2013(Couldn't find replacement sensor that screws in) EGR engine code is still on.
Replaced charcoal canister and filter 2012.
Replaced maf sensor, air filters, radiator in 2012.
Replaced smog pump 2009. (Locked up while driving)
Replaced alternator & batter 2009.
Replaced radiator fan & relay & thermostat, and installed dual front fans for overheating issues 2012.
Installed lower air baffle 2012.

 

Only thing I can think of to cause this problem would be an internal engine component
Injectors that are the originals on the vehicle
Gasoline that's 3 years old
or Catalytic converter which is also original.

 

 

Hi Bmv5. Is it knocking? The second vid sounds like knocking. You may have a burnt piston or a hole in the piston. Is it missing? Pull the oil filler cap while it is running and see if it puffs hard through the filler cap hole with the motor at idle. If it is missing ,find out which one and do a compression check on that cylinder. Does it backfire occasionally or when revved up? That could also point toward a hole in a piston. Just another guess. I had a 2.8 v6 fiero with a hole in the piston and it ran similar to that.

al

 

I definitely hear some sort of deep knocking sound.

Compression check time - his idea above is a possibility.

Something is.. not happy.

 

No smoke from oil cap.
Spark plugs look and smell like they are wet with gasoline.

 

Bearing on your AC compressor is likely shot.

 

Yeah the ac compressor is out.
The orifice tube in the ac line was full of metal shavings.
Does that have anything to do with the smoke?

 

 

 

Pulled off the drivers side valve cover.
These are the only camera shots I have.
I can't really see any issues from my point of view.

 

The dipstick smells like gasoline

 

All injectors on driver side showing 16.2.<br/>Cold start injector showing 1.<br/>Could that be the cause of all my problems?

 

Cyl 1 exhaust port



Cyl 1 exhaust port



Cyl 3 exhaust port

 

Cyl 3 and 5 exhaust ports



Cyl 3 and 5 exhaust ports

 

Cyl 7 exhaust port



Cyl 7 exhaust port



Cyl 7 exhaust port

 

Can i clean these out with brake cleaner?
Cylinders 3 and 7 spark plugs were both fuel fouled

 

Are those darker ports wet? Looks like you are getting oil in your exhaust ports. I would also try to get that 3 year old gas out and get some fresh gas into it. Replace all the plugs and see what they look like when you run the motor again.

 

Yeah they are wet with what i can only assume to be oil. The old pcv valve was clogged and disgusting so i replaced it. Drained the old fuel out and changed the fuel filter put 3.5 gallons of new fuel in. I just got new spark plugs. When i put the new headers on I'll put the new plugs in and double check the wires.

 

If i still have a smoking out of the exhaust when im finished im going to replace the injectors.

 

Fuel pressure test after priming a few times

 

Cyl 2 exhaust port



Cyl 2 exhaust port



Cyl 4 exhaust port



Cyl 6 exhaust port

 

Cyl 8 exhaust port



Cyl 8 exhaust port

 

No more white smoke.
Not sure what i did to fix it because i did so many things:

• Replaced original injectors
• Removed 9th injector
• New headers
• Catalytic converter
• New relays for everything
• Cleaned throttle body and iac valve
• Replaced fuel filter
• Heated O2 sensor
• Replaced air temp sensor
• Replaced EGR sensor
• Replaced O rings in fuel lines
• Replaced power steering pump
• Replaced spark plugs and wires

I think it the catalytic converter was a big problem.
New problem:
I can't seem to get it to idle smoothly.
I'll post a video.

 

Rough idle issue:
This is how the firing order should be.
This firing order is the only way the car will start.

Why is it like this and how/should i fix it?

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hMA95QYcaGE