LT1 Smokin, please help!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 488
Likes: 0
From: Woodstock GA
LT1 Smokin, please help!
Hi all,
First time poster, long time reader. I need some help with my 93 LT1. It looks like it is putting out some white smoke from the engine, and it smells ike it is burning oil. I've had it looked at twice: The GM dealer said that it needed an $800 valve stem job. Then I took it to a mechanic who has a vette (a nice C4 383 stoker with a Supercharger, btw) and he said that it was just a common leak in in the mainfold/intake. He tried to fix it, and the problem went away for a couple of days. Well, it is back. It appears to be worse as the engine gets hotter, but it always appears to put out a little bit. The car only has about 85k on it.
I'd appreciate any advice!
Btw, anyone know of a good Corvette shop for repairs in the Atlanta area?
Thanks,
Kaboom
First time poster, long time reader. I need some help with my 93 LT1. It looks like it is putting out some white smoke from the engine, and it smells ike it is burning oil. I've had it looked at twice: The GM dealer said that it needed an $800 valve stem job. Then I took it to a mechanic who has a vette (a nice C4 383 stoker with a Supercharger, btw) and he said that it was just a common leak in in the mainfold/intake. He tried to fix it, and the problem went away for a couple of days. Well, it is back. It appears to be worse as the engine gets hotter, but it always appears to put out a little bit. The car only has about 85k on it.
I'd appreciate any advice!
Btw, anyone know of a good Corvette shop for repairs in the Atlanta area?
Thanks,
Kaboom
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,362
Likes: 30
From: Oak Harbor WA
Re: LT1 Smokin, please help! (Captain_Kaboom)
The oil burning is more than likely the valve stem seals. They go bad on the LT1's. I have the same issue and will be doing the change when I do a cam swap.
Now, I have always read that white smoke is usually a blown head gasket or leaking intake. You could always look at the plugs, but on the LT1 that is a couple of hours job because of inaccessibility. Others will chime in I am sure. :seeya
Now, I have always read that white smoke is usually a blown head gasket or leaking intake. You could always look at the plugs, but on the LT1 that is a couple of hours job because of inaccessibility. Others will chime in I am sure. :seeya
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Re: LT1 Smokin, please help! (Elteefor)
Ok, first off how much smoke? You need to hold your hand in the smoke coming out of the pipe and after a few seconds rub your hands together and see if it's moisture. If it is.. bad new, your headgaskets are going to need replacing (most likely).
If its more of a "blue" smoke.. then that is oil. Water is usually white, oil is bluish, gas is black.
Valve stem seals shouldn't cost $800 to replace. All you have to do is take the rockers off, get an air compressor, hook it up through the spark plug hole, take off your springs and hardware and swap the seals. Now, you have to do that 32 times, so it does take a while. I certianly wouldn't be paying anyone $800 to do that to mine. Shoot.. i had all the labor of my rebuild done for $750 and stem seals don't cost much at all!
BTW, if this somke you're talking about is around the engine bay, it's going to either be a rear intake manifold oil leak, or a front/rear main seal leak of some kind. I had all 3 when I took my engine out.
[Modified by Glock'94, 3:48 PM 2/1/2002]
If its more of a "blue" smoke.. then that is oil. Water is usually white, oil is bluish, gas is black.
Valve stem seals shouldn't cost $800 to replace. All you have to do is take the rockers off, get an air compressor, hook it up through the spark plug hole, take off your springs and hardware and swap the seals. Now, you have to do that 32 times, so it does take a while. I certianly wouldn't be paying anyone $800 to do that to mine. Shoot.. i had all the labor of my rebuild done for $750 and stem seals don't cost much at all!
BTW, if this somke you're talking about is around the engine bay, it's going to either be a rear intake manifold oil leak, or a front/rear main seal leak of some kind. I had all 3 when I took my engine out.
[Modified by Glock'94, 3:48 PM 2/1/2002]
