3800 More Problems, Burning Something

[98 TGP TOY]

Hey guys, I was curious on your opinion of my situation. The last couple days, my car will smoke for the first 5 minutes of driving. Smokes more when under heavier acceleration. The smoke is white, which I've always thought to be coolant. But the other possibility is it being oil leaking at the turbo.

So does burnt coolant have a distinct smell? Any opinions appreciated.

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[imported_Ron Vogel]

Smells sweet, you can grab a handful of exhaust from the outlet and usually smell it.

 

[BumpinGTP]

pull your dipstick and check your oil. is it milky?

 

[imported_snoop]

you can tell the difference between oil and coolant in smell. its hard to explain, but you just can. did you change piston rings at all. what about the valve seals. how old are they. check the plugs and see what they look like. i know these are some major things to look at, but you did something major right. when you did the turbo, how far into the motor did you go. did you do the works by pulling the motor and going to town on it or no.

 

[xttc2000]

why dont you start with the easy stuff.

check your oil level, check your coolant level.

 

[iliveonnitro]

blown head gasket? Sounds about right on a boosted car...

 

[gtpkid2004]

Well, when i did my rockers...Someone...(won't name names....lol) put the back valve cover on by the gasket fell off....and like a aday later, every now and then it would smoke...specially if i was sitting at a red light.....it was the oil burning off the manifolds.....

Just my .02 cents

 

[98 TGP TOY]

Wow lots of reponses. Already checked the oil and coolant. Oil is still at the level i it was when I did an oil change. Coolants been in the same spot for weeks.

If it was a head gasket, wouldnt it burn white the entire time....and not just the first 5 minutes?

When I switched over the farthest I went was taking off the lower intake manifold. Replaced it, valve cover gaskets, and the upper manifold. No deeper.

To check a possible head gasket leak. Could I drain all the coolant, and fill the system up with just water? I should be fine right now before winter comes. Just a thought.

 

[imported_Ron Vogel]

Hmmm. How old is the upper intake? The upper plenium tends to crack by the EGR/coolant passage on those GT intakes. Something to look for anyway.

 

[98 TGP TOY]

I blocked the egr and coolant paths at the lower manifold. And this is the re-enforced upper manifold. The "good" one.

 

[imported_snoop]

you can fill your car up with water that is fine. but DO NOT fill it up during/for the winter. DO NOT!!!!!!!!! that is a big no no. the summer is fine and all, but not the winter. do a leak down test to see if you lost compression

 

[98 TGP TOY]

Yea I gotcha snoop. Thats why I said:

I should be fine right now before winter comes.

Any body got a leak down tester, that they be willing to let me borrow. I could pay for shipping??

 

[sweetness]

here is my opinion: Turbo. It happens after the car has been sitting and on hard acceleration right? Hard acceleration with no restrictor in the oil line can cause oil to blow past the seal, and after it sits some probably pools in the turbo and burns off when you start the car. I really, really, really hope it isnt a damaged seal. Hopefully it is just a leak somewhere. the smoke is coming out of the tail pipe right??


BC

 

[98 TGP TOY]

That was my thought. Oil at the turbo. Now it wont burn blue like burning oil in the engine because its not burning as hot.

Problem is, the oil restricter I was using sux. Aafter I drive the car for a bit it would barely flow 20 psi. So I just took it off yesterday. It was smokin before, but was when the restricter was completely open. May be something I have to deal with for a while.