C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

white smoke coming from engine

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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 03:04 PM
  #1  
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Default white smoke coming from engine

i posted this before but its getting worse....


i got my car to start today and while its was heating up white smoke was comming out of the back of what looks that the valve covers :confused: then when i got hoter it would stop.


could this be from a leak i have at the main seal


i hope i did not blow my head gaskets :confused:

any ideas of what my prob is or is it some thing i can live with and down the road when i get my rebild have them look at it

thanks for the help :cheers:
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 03:16 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (Cory00)

Simple question....how recently did you change/fill your oil. And how much did you put in?

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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 03:17 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (USAsOnlyWay)

few weeks


i checked my oil and its right at the fill line so im going to go out here in a few to auto zone to get a qt.
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 03:21 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (Cory00)

What was the temperature outside? If you had a rear main leak it would just ooze oil into your bellhousing area and either oil down the clutch if you have a stick shift or drip out the inspection plate of an auto.
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 03:25 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (scorp508)

:iagree:

Have you done a compression check?
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 03:27 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (USAsOnlyWay)

scorp its about 60 out

Have you done a compression check?

no is that a good thing to do.
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 03:32 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (Cory00)

I believe if compression checks out good on all the cylinders it will verify that you didn't blow a piston(s) ring and that it most likely is a head gasket. I don't know if you should go out and do this. I am sure others will tell you a better path to take...but if you had one done recently it would have been nice. Hopefully someone here, has experienced the same situation.
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 03:33 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (USAsOnlyWay)

if a ring or the gasket was blown could i tell that some thing was wrong
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 08:16 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (Cory00)

White smoke sounds like water/coolant.

You said it seemed to be coming out of the back of the valve cover; well, that's the first place I would look.

Pull the valve cover and see if there is any sign of water/coolant on the underside of the cover or in the valve spring/rocker arm area.

If there is coolant, it'll have a whiteish/frothy appearance or, if it hasn't mixed with engine oil, will have the typical anti-freeze viscous look.

It could be an intake manifold gasket coolant leak that so many seem to have been experiencing.

Let us know what you find.

Jake
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 08:24 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (Cory00)

Intake manifold leaks are common on l98's Is that what you have?

They leak at the rear

I am not sure if other engine models have the same weakness, but that's where I would start before I started getting into things like piston rings, etc.

Generally, to blow a head gasket, the engine has to be severlly overheated.

Valve covers can also leak and the smoke can look white, though generally white is coolant

KISS
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 09:49 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (jackdaroofer)

Kick me in the face!

Sorry cory, I swear I remember your last post resulting in oil being the problem. Thus dealing with oil leak problems. But yes. These guys are completely right, check out the intake in back and see if that is leaking coolant. They also have a special chemical you can put in there then use a black light to find the leaks if the check with your own eyes shows nothing. Sorry for the confusion...I will shut up now.
:seeya

EDIT: Leaks not links.....



[Modified by USAsOnlyWay, 9:02 PM 12/3/2003]
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 09:56 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (USAsOnlyWay)

I agree, lots of intake manifold gasket leaks have been reported.

BTW, before you begin major surgery, check the torque on the intake manifold bolts to make sure they are tight.

Best case scenario; bolts are loose and tightening them solves the problem. If not, what have you lost, right?

Jake
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 09:57 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (USAsOnlyWay)

Kick me in the face!

Sorry cory, I swear I remember your last post resulting in oil being the problem. Thus dealing with oil leak problems. But yes. These guys are completely right, check out the intake in back and see if that is leaking coolant. They also have a special chemical you can put in there then use a black light to find the links if check on your own eyes nothing shows up. Sorry for the confusion...I will shut up now.
:seeya
No, No, don't shut up. We're all just trying to help; it's the thought that counts.

Jake
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Old Dec 3, 2003 | 10:28 PM
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Default Re: white smoke coming from engine (JAKE)

thanks for all the help guys


im having my vette towed to the shop tom morn. while its there im going to have him check it out


thanks agin guys :cheers:
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