Smoke.... FINALLY SOLVED!!!

Dark Ride · April 19, 2007, 09:56:53 PM

Quote from: TGP Nick on April 19, 2007, 08:07:45 PM
I'm not getting any codes, and the O2 sensor APPEARS to be okay- it isn't carbon fouled or anything, it is fairly clean. I do not have a spare O2 sensor. I really don't think the o2 sensor could be causing the smoking, could it? To me, it seems more like bad injectors- it smokes, stumbles bad, and stalls if I'm sitting for over 20-30 seconds at a stoplight. Crossover has been replaced.

An O2 could be part of the problem, and chances are it is fouled out now, take some carb cleaner and spray your O2 sensor then put it back in, that may help clean it off since you don't have another.

Prospeeder · April 19, 2007, 10:29:56 PM

but the computer completly ignores the o2 sesnor till its warmed up tho....

grinders_18 · April 20, 2007, 12:54:30 PM

Nick, just throwing this out there...but my car was doing the same smoking thing. White/very light blueish smoke...and we figured out it was the turbo. Keep in mind, my turbo had been rebuilt TWICE now before I bought it, so a rebuild is never a guarentee that it won't go bad again. I hope not man, but maybe that's the culprit?

The smoke was due to the oil being thrown into the downpipe and burnt off from there, so I'm not sure if that's why it was so much whiter than blueish.

TGP Nick · April 20, 2007, 01:13:38 PM

The thing is, you can smell RAW gas coming out the tailpipes- so much that it makes your eyes water... its not burning oil, and the turbo has about 2,000 miles on it. I'm still thinkin leaky/stuck fuel injectors.

mfewtrail · April 20, 2007, 05:40:46 PM

Quote from: TGP Nick on April 20, 2007, 01:13:38 PM
The thing is, you can smell RAW gas coming out the tailpipes- so much that it makes your eyes water... its not burning oil, and the turbo has about 2,000 miles on it. I'm still thinkin leaky/stuck fuel injectors.

Check the things I told you to check and you can confirm that they're leaking. ;)

TGP Nick · April 20, 2007, 07:52:32 PM

Quote from: mfewtrail on April 17, 2007, 10:53:57 PM
Nick, do you have access to a fuel pressure gauge? If so, attach it to the fuel rail and turn the key on so that the fuel pump primes. Turn the key off and take note of the fuel pressure reading and see if it's dropping. The general rule of thumb is that the pressure should not drop off more than 5psi in a 10 minute time period. If it does, than you have a leak somewhere(injectors, FPR, or the check valve in the fuel pump are possible le...judging by your symptoms, it's most likely your injectors) Also, you can pull the vacuum line from your fuel pressure regulator and check it for fuel...the best way is to get a spare length of line and do the "suck" test on it, if fuel is in the line, the FPR diaphram is torn and leaking.

If you do not have a gauge, turn the key and let the fuel pump prime. Then let the car sit a few hours and try to start it. Does it start immediately or do you have to let it crank over for an extended amount of time? Back when my injectors were leaking last year, it took a while for my car to start and then I would have gasoline smoke out the exhaust(it would burn your eyes it was so strong) that was light bluish/whitish in color. If the injectors are leaking, your spark plugs on corresponding cylinders will be wet and/or smell very strongly of gasoline...so you can also pull them and check.

PS: Putting the gas pedal to the floor while cranking shuts off the injectors and will crank the car immediately if they are in fact leaking(let off the pedal as soon as it fires). You can try this after letting the pump build pressure and then letting the car sit a while.

Matt- I don't have a fuel pressure gauge, but I will try some of the things you suggested very soon.
Thanks everyone ;)

Dark Ride · April 21, 2007, 10:33:36 PM

Quote from: TGP Nick on April 20, 2007, 07:52:32 PM
Quote from: mfewtrail on April 17, 2007, 10:53:57 PM
Nick, do you have access to a fuel pressure gauge? If so, attach it to the fuel rail and turn the key on so that the fuel pump primes. Turn the key off and take note of the fuel pressure reading and see if it's dropping. The general rule of thumb is that the pressure should not drop off more than 5psi in a 10 minute time period. If it does, than you have a leak somewhere(injectors, FPR, or the check valve in the fuel pump are possible le...judging by your symptoms, it's most likely your injectors) Also, you can pull the vacuum line from your fuel pressure regulator and check it for fuel...the best way is to get a spare length of line and do the "suck" test on it, if fuel is in the line, the FPR diaphram is torn and leaking.

If you do not have a gauge, turn the key and let the fuel pump prime. Then let the car sit a few hours and try to start it. Does it start immediately or do you have to let it crank over for an extended amount of time? Back when my injectors were leaking last year, it took a while for my car to start and then I would have gasoline smoke out the exhaust(it would burn your eyes it was so strong) that was light bluish/whitish in color. If the injectors are leaking, your spark plugs on corresponding cylinders will be wet and/or smell very strongly of gasoline...so you can also pull them and check.

PS: Putting the gas pedal to the floor while cranking shuts off the injectors and will crank the car immediately if they are in fact leaking(let off the pedal as soon as it fires). You can try this after letting the pump build pressure and then letting the car sit a while.
Matt- I don't have a fuel pressure gauge, but I will try some of the things you suggested very soon.
Thanks everyone ;)

I am definetly betting leaky injectors at this point, check for fuel leak down like he said at the schrader valve

TGP Nick · April 21, 2007, 10:42:45 PM

I'll be checking it out tomorrow.

TGed · April 23, 2007, 04:32:50 PM

I'm going to guess it is the FPR..

The diaphragm (sp?) probably bursted.

TGP Nick · April 23, 2007, 04:54:09 PM

Well I tried doing some testing, and I have found that sometimes it starts easy, sometimes it starts hard. When it starts hard, it lets out a bunch of white/very light blue smoke, and it smells strongly of gas. I am checking my plugs as we speak to see if they are wet.... be back in a little bit...

TGP Nick · April 23, 2007, 05:36:54 PM

I just checked the plugs, this is how they went.
Going from RIGHT TO LEFT; that is DRIVER'S SIDE TO PASSENGER SIDE, front bank of cylinders:
drivers side plug: white
center plug: white
passenger side plug: dark brown and smelled of strong gas.

So... I'm running LEAN on two of the front cylinders, and rich on the passenger side cylinder....

I really don't feel like tilting the engine to check the rear bank right now :laugh: . Does that help any?
Thanks guys

R Dubya · April 23, 2007, 09:00:53 PM

IMO I would say you have at the least leaky and perhaps filthy or failing injectors on the white plugged cylinders, I think white means hot/lean :icon_cool:

You definetely have a leakdown problem though. Definetely change the plugs too, but I am about 99% positive you need to replace those injectors.

grinders_18 · April 23, 2007, 09:11:29 PM

Hey Nick! There's an easy way to doing the rear plugs....just remove the alternator...frees up a ton of room!

TGP Nick · April 23, 2007, 09:39:08 PM

I just bought the injectors... just waiting for them to arrive... when I have the money, I will be doing a COMPLETE tuneup to this car- all sensors, plugs, wires, etc.
Injectors are #1 right now though.... we'll see how it goes!

mfewtrail · April 25, 2007, 12:35:17 AM

Quote from: grinders_18 on April 23, 2007, 09:11:29 PM
Hey Nick! There's an easy way to doing the rear plugs....just remove the alternator...frees up a ton of room!

To be more specific, remove the alternator with it's bracket attached to it(~three 15mm bolts, a 10mm bolt that secures the little metal brace on the intake side of the alt, then remove the electrical connections. Don't forget to disconnect the battery before alt removal. ;) )