2011 GS Smoking Heavily!
12-06-2011, 10:33 PM
#1
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2011 GS Smoking Heavily!
Yesterday I drove about 10 miles to the mall. When I left to return home, I looked in the rearview mirror and saw a wall of white smoke. I could barely see the cars 50 feet behind me! The smoke subsided but the oil pressure guage registered between 55-80 lbs. Today I took it to the dealer. When I started it, it filled the garage with a thick cloud of smoke. At 55 mph, the guage went up to 83 lbs. The dealer thought it would be ok to bring it in rather than a tow. He called me later to say they needed time to research this since they never saw this happen to a Corvette before.
My question is, has anyone had this experience before? The car runs and sounds normal. I have the dry sump system. I guess the builder, Bruce Blomfield, had an off day.
I would appreciate input so I could tell the dealer if anyone has had this experience before he tears the engine out for nothing.
My question is, has anyone had this experience before? The car runs and sounds normal. I have the dry sump system. I guess the builder, Bruce Blomfield, had an off day.
I would appreciate input so I could tell the dealer if anyone has had this experience before he tears the engine out for nothing.
12-06-2011, 10:41 PM
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Melting Slicks
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Hard to believe that the dealer has never encountered white smoke before.
White smoke can sometimes be anti-freeze entering the cylinders. How's your coolant level?
White smoke can sometimes be anti-freeze entering the cylinders. How's your coolant level?
Know that smell all to well.
12-06-2011, 11:16 PM
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Would your GS by chance be an MZ6, and therefore - a dry sump car? Was the oil changed recently?
There have been problems with over filling with oil due to not knowing how to properly drain the oil and thusly hydrolocking the motor causing a blown head gasket.
I know that's a lot of "if's" but this has happened.
There have been problems with over filling with oil due to not knowing how to properly drain the oil and thusly hydrolocking the motor causing a blown head gasket.
I know that's a lot of "if's" but this has happened.
12-06-2011, 11:28 PM
#7
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White smoke is serious. Shut it off and call the tow truck. It's either already dead or will be soon if you continue driving.
Seeing that you're well beyond the initial white smoke that probably went away as you ran out of coolant and the oil pressure went high just before the engine seized due to overheating, you better hope you get a whole new engine. Anything less and I'd bet on having future problems.
Seeing that you're well beyond the initial white smoke that probably went away as you ran out of coolant and the oil pressure went high just before the engine seized due to overheating, you better hope you get a whole new engine. Anything less and I'd bet on having future problems.
12-06-2011, 11:45 PM
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The Consigliere
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Wow. OP, definitely keep us posted on this.
The earlier question about whether you recently did an oil change is a good since you have a dry sump car.
The earlier question about whether you recently did an oil change is a good since you have a dry sump car.
12-07-2011, 12:22 AM
#11
Le Mans Master
That sux. 
The oIl pressure increase is probably due to coolant intrusion into the oil. Which is why you probably see a lot of white smoke. Does the smoke smell like oil or coolant? Does the oil have a milky look? Can you see oil in the coolant? Does the coolant level go down when you start the car then rise back up when you shut it off?
I definately would not drive it. In addition, I would have reservasions about taking it back to the dealer that suggested you drive the car in.
The oIl pressure increase is probably due to coolant intrusion into the oil. Which is why you probably see a lot of white smoke. Does the smoke smell like oil or coolant? Does the oil have a milky look? Can you see oil in the coolant? Does the coolant level go down when you start the car then rise back up when you shut it off?
I definately would not drive it. In addition, I would have reservasions about taking it back to the dealer that suggested you drive the car in.
12-07-2011, 12:47 AM
#12
Burning Brakes
I think the OP did his own oil change last month:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...post1578722075
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...post1578722075
12-07-2011, 12:52 AM
#13
The Consigliere
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If he's driven it since then, and the issue just now appeared, that would seem to rule out the oil change gone wrong scenario (and opposite is obviously true if this is first time he's driven it since then).
12-07-2011, 02:42 AM
#15
Sr.Random input generator
That sux.
The oIl pressure increase is probably due to coolant intrusion into the oil. Which is why you probably see a lot of white smoke. Does the smoke smell like oil or coolant? Does the oil have a milky look? Can you see oil in the coolant? Does the coolant level go down when you start the car then rise back up when you shut it off?
I definately would not drive it. In addition, I would have reservasions about taking it back to the dealer that suggested you drive the car in.
The oIl pressure increase is probably due to coolant intrusion into the oil. Which is why you probably see a lot of white smoke. Does the smoke smell like oil or coolant? Does the oil have a milky look? Can you see oil in the coolant? Does the coolant level go down when you start the car then rise back up when you shut it off?
I definately would not drive it. In addition, I would have reservasions about taking it back to the dealer that suggested you drive the car in.
I would also guess that it might have to do with the gasket (coolant intrusion). The other possibilities (like valves, etc.) usually have other catastrophic symptoms..
12-07-2011, 05:40 AM
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2011 GS Smoking Heavily
In reply to the questions re: my car smoking heavily.
My normal oil pressure was 35-45. I only have 4000 miles on it so never changed the oil. It was down a quart at about 3000 miles so I added a quart. Oil looks normal color. No loss of coolant or strange color. Smoke smell like oil burning, not coolant. Dealer could not see anything abnormal either. Dipstick shows normal level. Good thing the oil filters on these dry sump engines are double thickness.
My normal oil pressure was 35-45. I only have 4000 miles on it so never changed the oil. It was down a quart at about 3000 miles so I added a quart. Oil looks normal color. No loss of coolant or strange color. Smoke smell like oil burning, not coolant. Dealer could not see anything abnormal either. Dipstick shows normal level. Good thing the oil filters on these dry sump engines are double thickness.
12-07-2011, 06:45 AM
#18
Race Director
I had a similar smoking with another car (not a Corvette) producing thick clouds of smoke at times. There was no oil pressure issue and the problem turned out to be a faulty PCV valve. It was allowing more than vapor to be sucked out of the crankcase...
