White smoke but not losing coolant, help!

D15, D16, D17 and Mini-Me swaps
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White smoke but not losing coolant, help!

By HatchbackCrusader
- Wed May 25, 2011 9:30 pm #256830 Whats up everyone. Heres the deal. My car is driving perfectly fine. Not losing coolant and not overheating. Every once in a while, it starts to smoke (from the tailpipe). A big puff when I pull off in first, then a very small trail afterwards. Could it be oil? A leak somewhere? Help me out, thanks.
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By Robbys89
- Fri May 27, 2011 1:34 am #256955 May just be just water in the exhaust system, i get it myself only at idle though and it's down to that, aftermarket system that is... guess it's water getting in from when i wash her...witch is a lot haha
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By JDUBB025
- Fri May 27, 2011 2:03 am #256961 It could be oil are you consuming oil at all?? Do you notice it at high RPMs? is it at start up when engine is cold or what? Does it smoke a for any long period of time? Lastly are you just checking the reservoir or both the radiator?
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By HatchbackCrusader
- Fri May 27, 2011 3:12 am #256974
JDUBB025 wrote:It could be oil are you consuming oil at all?? Do you notice it at high RPMs? is it at start up when engine is cold or what? Does it smoke a for any long period of time? Lastly are you just checking the reservoir or both the radiator?
Yea, Im losing more oil than I should be. As for RPMs, It smokes the same, high or low. It lets off a cloud when I pull off from first, then it trails afterwards. And I checked both the reservoir and the radiator. Both are fine. *UPDATE* Took it to the shop and had a compression test done. Low compression on the 2nd from left cylinder. Could this have anything to do with it?
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By Fada Blayne
- Fri May 27, 2011 6:26 am #257006 Yup. Seems as though u may need a lower end rebuild. Ur piston rings are shot in that particular cylinder
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By HatchbackCrusader
- Fri May 27, 2011 2:47 pm #257039
Fada Blayne wrote:Yup. Seems as though u may need a lower end rebuild. Ur piston rings are shot in that particular cylinder
Great. Whats the average price for that kind of work? And do you know of any good DIY's for piston rings? I've been looking and cant find any.
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By Fada Blayne
- Fri May 27, 2011 3:45 pm #257040 its really not that expensive. just find a reputable machine shop in ur area and request a quote. i would just do a slight build on it though like maybe a small overbore, wash & hone,etc
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By Ajax1989
- Sat May 28, 2011 1:43 am #257103 Yeah you have a prob in that cylinder bein a burnt valve, bad valve seals, bad rings, but find the prob before jumping into something and spending money

like for instance, dont replace the rings w/o making sure its the rings, cuz it could be the head and then u dropped money into the block that could have been used for the head

it could even be the headgasket, you never know
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By HatchbackCrusader
- Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:55 pm #258625
94_jdm_ferio wrote:Yeah you have a prob in that cylinder bein a burnt valve, bad valve seals, bad rings, but find the prob before jumping into something and spending money

like for instance, dont replace the rings w/o making sure its the rings, cuz it could be the head and then u dropped money into the block that could have been used for the head

it could even be the headgasket, you never know


If I take off the head (Im going to have to anyways, if it's either one of those reasons) how can I inspect for a bad valve seal or burnt valve? Oh, and I was leaning towards piston rings because the spark plug in the weak cylinder is black.
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By d-mon
- Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:15 pm #258684
HatchbackCrusader wrote:If I take off the head (Im going to have to anyways, if it's either one of those reasons) how can I inspect for a bad valve seal or burnt valve? Oh, and I was leaning towards piston rings because the spark plug in the weak cylinder is black.

valve seals can cause that too...
do another compression check, then pour a little oil (not too much) into the spark plug hole. check again to see if the compression gets better.
if it does, its the rings.
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By HatchbackCrusader
- Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:12 am #259519 *UPDATE* Took my head into the shop today, explained my problem, but the dude there told me it's most likely my rings because a compression test only reads pressure from the block and has nothing to do with the head. Now I'm confused...help me out here :?
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By elrompetoto
- Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:21 am #259521
HatchbackCrusader wrote:*UPDATE* Took my head into the shop today, explained my problem, but the dude there told me it's most likely my rings because a compression test only reads pressure from the block and has nothing to do with the head. Now I'm confused...help me out here :?
no it tells u eany problem u have do a wet and dry compression test also u can putur caron tdc dan putair in it about 70 psi u willhere air excape from the dip stick if itsthe piston rings from theintake if its an intake valve problem or from the exhast ifitsabad ex valve
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By elrompetoto
- Wed Jun 15, 2011 5:32 am #259522
HatchbackCrusader wrote:
94_jdm_ferio wrote:Yeah you have a prob in that cylinder bein a burnt valve, bad valve seals, bad rings, but find the prob before jumping into something and spending money

like for instance, dont replace the rings w/o making sure its the rings, cuz it could be the head and then u dropped money into the block that could have been used for the head

it could even be the headgasket, you never know


If I take off the head (Im going to have to anyways, if it's either one of those reasons) how can I inspect for a bad valve seal or burnt valve? Oh, and I was leaning towards piston rings because the spark plug in the weak cylinder is black.
flip the head over so the valve r facing up amd put gas on them thegas can not pass ifitt dose u have a problem there
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By HatchbackCrusader
- Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:23 pm #259560
elrompetoto wrote:
HatchbackCrusader wrote:
94_jdm_ferio wrote:Yeah you have a prob in that cylinder bein a burnt valve, bad valve seals, bad rings, but find the prob before jumping into something and spending money

like for instance, dont replace the rings w/o making sure its the rings, cuz it could be the head and then u dropped money into the block that could have been used for the head

it could even be the headgasket, you never know


If I take off the head (Im going to have to anyways, if it's either one of those reasons) how can I inspect for a bad valve seal or burnt valve? Oh, and I was leaning towards piston rings because the spark plug in the weak cylinder is black.
flip the head over so the valve r facing up amd put gas on them thegas can not pass ifitt dose u have a problem there

Did what you said and the seals are good. So I know for sure now its the rings. After taking out the piston, is it a MUST to hone the cylinder?
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