Puff of Smoke on Start Up???
#1
Puff of Smoke on Start Up???
Have noticed lately that when I start the car form cold a quick puff of smoke comes out the back. If I turn off the car after a minute or so and start it again, theres no smoke so its just on initial start up.
Took the car for a spin the other night, got up next morning and just started the car and no smoke at all. I only let it run for 30 seconds or so as I was just checking it before I went to work.
About 6 that evening I started it for the first time since the 30 sec turn earlier that morning and got a puff of smoke again which confuses me as it was fine that morning.
Would it be possible that by just letting it run for 30 sec that morning that there was unburnt fuel still in the system and thats why I got smoke that evening.
The fact that it was fine that morning puzzles me. The puff is whitish in colour, cant be sure but its definitely not black.
Its an Sti version 2 (1996) and standard apart from a back box.
Cheers.
Took the car for a spin the other night, got up next morning and just started the car and no smoke at all. I only let it run for 30 seconds or so as I was just checking it before I went to work.
About 6 that evening I started it for the first time since the 30 sec turn earlier that morning and got a puff of smoke again which confuses me as it was fine that morning.
Would it be possible that by just letting it run for 30 sec that morning that there was unburnt fuel still in the system and thats why I got smoke that evening.
The fact that it was fine that morning puzzles me. The puff is whitish in colour, cant be sure but its definitely not black.
Its an Sti version 2 (1996) and standard apart from a back box.
Cheers.
#3
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Im no expert on subaru engines but......
White smoke is burning oil, Black smoke is too much fuel ( Rich Mixture )
On most cars, white smoke after car has been standing for a while is often kn*ckered valve seals as oil will get past the valve seals due to gravity. On a impreza the engine lays flat so im not sure if this would still happen.
Could just be something like oil in your inlet manifold which has got there through the engine breathers which are attached to it.
Dont let this worrie you too much, as like I said im no expert and it may be something simple.
Wait and see what the experts on here say.
Maybe David at API Engines will see this and put you right..
Andy
White smoke is burning oil, Black smoke is too much fuel ( Rich Mixture )
On most cars, white smoke after car has been standing for a while is often kn*ckered valve seals as oil will get past the valve seals due to gravity. On a impreza the engine lays flat so im not sure if this would still happen.
Could just be something like oil in your inlet manifold which has got there through the engine breathers which are attached to it.
Dont let this worrie you too much, as like I said im no expert and it may be something simple.
Wait and see what the experts on here say.
Maybe David at API Engines will see this and put you right..
Andy
#7
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Originally Posted by stevey
always thought blue smoke was oil ,white was water and black fuel but more than likely i'm wrong lol
On cold startup, scoobs run very rich for the first 5 to 10 seconds of running before settling down. White smoke, both from excess fuel and condensation is perfectly normal in this circumstance. If it has a full decat...the whiff of petrol is unmistakable too which again, is normal.
Last edited by ALi-B; 18 February 2005 at 12:42 AM.
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I always thought that white smoke is water, blue smoke combusted oil, grey smoke burnt oil.?
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Originally Posted by 69WRX
Im no expert on subaru engines but......
White smoke is burning oil, Black smoke is too much fuel ( Rich Mixture )
On most cars, white smoke after car has been standing for a while is often kn*ckered valve seals as oil will get past the valve seals due to gravity. On a impreza the engine lays flat so im not sure if this would still happen.
Could just be something like oil in your inlet manifold which has got there through the engine breathers which are attached to it.
Dont let this worrie you too much, as like I said im no expert and it may be something simple.
Wait and see what the experts on here say.
Maybe David at API Engines will see this and put you right..
Andy
White smoke is burning oil, Black smoke is too much fuel ( Rich Mixture )
On most cars, white smoke after car has been standing for a while is often kn*ckered valve seals as oil will get past the valve seals due to gravity. On a impreza the engine lays flat so im not sure if this would still happen.
Could just be something like oil in your inlet manifold which has got there through the engine breathers which are attached to it.
Dont let this worrie you too much, as like I said im no expert and it may be something simple.
Wait and see what the experts on here say.
Maybe David at API Engines will see this and put you right..
Andy
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Originally Posted by Mr Pants!
Can you share your doings and havings?
Seriously, I advise him to take off the intercooler and looksee if there is any amount of oil in there. It will have come from either the turbo or from the breather system [ crankcase vents ] . Unless the car is using amounts of oil between services I wouldn't worry too much. Ditto noises, No noises is better news than otherwise.
The nuisance is that any amount of oil going through the intercooler means that you are running on a 2 stroke mix and weakening the octane again. Lack of octane means pinking etc etc.
But if you aren't using any great quantities of oil and the odd puff is all you have. Don't worry.
David APi Engines / APi Impreza
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Originally Posted by APIDavid
There's magazines around specifically for that sort of stuff ! l'm not sure a public forum is the place.
Seriously, I advise him to take off the intercooler and looksee if there is any amount of oil in there. It will have come from either the turbo or from the breather system [ crankcase vents ] . Unless the car is using amounts of oil between services I wouldn't worry too much. Ditto noises, No noises is better news than otherwise.
The nuisance is that any amount of oil going through the intercooler means that you are running on a 2 stroke mix and weakening the octane again. Lack of octane means pinking etc etc.
But if you aren't using any great quantities of oil and the odd puff is all you have. Don't worry.
David APi Engines / APi Impreza
Seriously, I advise him to take off the intercooler and looksee if there is any amount of oil in there. It will have come from either the turbo or from the breather system [ crankcase vents ] . Unless the car is using amounts of oil between services I wouldn't worry too much. Ditto noises, No noises is better news than otherwise.
The nuisance is that any amount of oil going through the intercooler means that you are running on a 2 stroke mix and weakening the octane again. Lack of octane means pinking etc etc.
But if you aren't using any great quantities of oil and the odd puff is all you have. Don't worry.
David APi Engines / APi Impreza
I seem to use a lot of oil, but only have one little puff of smoke when I first start in the morning. I also have a little hesitation around 4k rpm sometimes.
I spoke to Bulldog and they said being at 26k miles I am due a plug change at 30k miles, so perhaps that will improve things.
I will have to wait and see......
#15
Thanks for your email also David,
Thats interesting regarding the fact that oil in the intercooler could reduce the octane level. If there is oil coming from the turbo does this mean that the seals need replacing and would this be apparent from looking at the turbo itself,
If its a result of the breater system, where is the culprit area here?
Thanks.
Thats interesting regarding the fact that oil in the intercooler could reduce the octane level. If there is oil coming from the turbo does this mean that the seals need replacing and would this be apparent from looking at the turbo itself,
If its a result of the breater system, where is the culprit area here?
Thanks.
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Originally Posted by Scooby125
Thanks for your email also David,
Thats interesting regarding the fact that oil in the intercooler could reduce the octane level. If there is oil coming from the turbo does this mean that the seals need replacing and would this be apparent from looking at the turbo itself,
If its a result of the breater system, where is the culprit area here?
Thanks.
Thats interesting regarding the fact that oil in the intercooler could reduce the octane level. If there is oil coming from the turbo does this mean that the seals need replacing and would this be apparent from looking at the turbo itself,
If its a result of the breater system, where is the culprit area here?
Thanks.
Oil in the breather system is from crankcase compression, which is usually created by worn piston rings allowing compression pressure to pass by and pressurising the rest of the engine. Fumes naturally created are then driven up into the induction, rather than leaking out and wrecking the world for us. The fumes are oil rich and down goes your octane.
An oil catch tank alleviates most of this problem as a temporary fix, but will not hide the fact that the engine is wearing out.
That help?
David APi Engines / APi Impreza
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