I just got the car timed correctly and everything runs great. The smoke doesnt effect the performance but i want to fix that anyway. I am boosting 12psi with built bottom end, 42lb injectors, and idle set at 22. My pressure wont go lower and i got the 2,72 disk in the sfmu. But that is fuel and i dont believe this is fuel. I did my compression check for a bad head gasket and they were 190-200-200-200 so i dont think it is my head gasket but i may be wrong. Could it be my 02 sensor? I have a universal one and i can unplug the harness and wires and the car still runs fine and doesnt change anything even while driving. Please any suggestions, i have a little leak on the manifold but could that cause smoke out of my exaust. Thanks in advance.

White smoke usually signifies coolant burning. With the one cylinder low, I wouldn't be surprised if your head gasket isn't just quite right.

Black smoke is extra carbon from incomplete combustion (fuel not burning properly) but you don't seem to have that problem from your description.

--Kurt

IS 190 really a low compression number, i thought 190 across the board would be good, i may be wrong but i am just trying to understand. Also being 10 off isnt bad from each other. I am not very smart when it comes to that so. Thanks for the reply. Is there another way you can check for a bad head gasket besides compression check.

i had a friend that had the same problem with his RS-T it turned out his pcv valve was bad might be worth checking

fully built, gt70 turbo, and F.A.S.T standalone what more do i need to say

I replaced my pcv valve,did a compression test again. Results were 205-195-200-195 , so that doesnt seem so bad. I changed the oil and filter with full synthetic and there was no sign of coolant mixed in. My coolant resevoir is still full, i have no thermostat in it, i am buying one though. I see some white smoke also come out of my manifold/turbo/downpipe area, i cant pinpoint since it is a cloud around there. Now there is a problem with my oil, i put in 4 quarts of oil when i changed it and drove about 4 miles, i checked my dipstick and it is less then half filled and it was full when i checked after the oil change. While driving and boosting the white smoke came out. COuld oil be getting through the exhaust side of the turbo and into the downpipe, meaning turbo going bad or what. I am lost with where my oil went since i have no oil leaking on the ground or motor. Any help would be appreciated.

Yes. And you should definately smell the burning oil if this is the case. Remove the center cartridge from the turbine housing and see if theres some leaky. Your compression results are very good, your headgasket should be aight.

Check that small rubber coolant hose that is right above the exhaust manifold..the one that goes from the crossover pipe to the thermostat housing..these are prone to crack and leak over time from the intense heat from the manifold..could be something that simple..

The shop said, cylinder number 4 is pumping oil through so i think my ring is bad. I am gonna replace all 4, anyone know what it usually costs for a shop(guesstimate).

Cost for a shop to replace rings? Depends. Your compression sounds awfully good to need ring replacement.


1996 Eclipse RS / 5-Speed / Aerogear Body / Coated in Magnetic Red Metallic rev.2 / T3 Turbo Intercooled @ 8 psi / http://www.team2nr.com
Mark Galyan - Indianapolis, Indiana

i bet coolant is burning in the block. leaking head gasket.

The shop did some test and said my head gasket is fine. When i pull the spark plug out of cylinder #4, you can see a lot of oil through the whole on the piston so that leads them to believe it is rings. Now whenever i drive it is smokes white with blue tint and i lose alot of oil. Any other suggestions before i get the rings replaced. Thanks for the replies.

If you do replace your rings, make sure they are "filed" precisely. And if you don't do it yourself, absolutely do not let a regular shop do it. Take it to a GOOD machine shop that knows about high-performance modern 4-cylinders. They will know what you mean if you say you want the rings filed.


1996 Eclipse RS / 5-Speed / Aerogear Body / Coated in Magnetic Red Metallic rev.2 / T3 Turbo Intercooled @ 8 psi / http://www.team2nr.com
Mark Galyan - Indianapolis, Indiana

So are they seeing a leaky valve cover gasket around that spark plug hole or literally oil sitting on your piston? Did they rule out the leaky turbo? Have they also done a leak down test or just a compression test?

I did the compression test myself. There is oil sitting on top of the piston. The spark plug gasket is fine so i know it is not slipping through there. It is from somewhere else that is letting oil get on the piston. I dont believe they did the leakdown test. I dont see any tracks of oil in my ic pipes and i think my turbo is fine and is not the cause of the problem.

If oil is sitting on the piston that sounds more like valve guides. The cylinder should only suck oil during operation. There is a poss that much oil is getting in the cylinder and not burnign off but with that good of compression i dont know. Somethign doesnt feel right. Atr this point i would really want to see the back side of the valves for heavy oil deposit or signs of guide leakage.

A re-ring job will probably run you 1000. depending on the shop. Like said above find a good machine shop dont let the shop do it. And of course when you get the head off make sure you are 100% positive its the rings.

Do a compression test now....if the oil burning got that bad that fast you should see a variation in the old compression numbers the the ones you will get now.

Terry
96 Eagle Talon ESI....Daily driver

97 Eclipse.........

I will do a compression test probably monday since i work sunday night also. My spark plug in #4 is always wet with oil when i pull it out. What is supposed to happen if rings are gone? I dont know whether to drive it to a dealer and trade it in while it drives or pay $1000, i mine as well rebuild it with some new forged internals then. There is no machine shop around my area which sucks.

Originally posted by freddy_00_69
I will do a compression test probably monday since i work sunday night also. My spark plug in #4 is always wet with oil when i pull it out. What is supposed to happen if rings are gone? I dont know whether to drive it to a dealer and trade it in while it drives or pay $1000, i mine as well rebuild it with some new forged internals then. There is no machine shop around my area which sucks.

Yea that is not good. Either way if its head or bottom it will run you some cash. You probaly wont need new internals just a re-ring if the bore isnt gouged. As for trading it in....thats your call bud, i cant tell you what to do in that choice.

I had a 69 camaro that had the same problem in cyl 1 except it didnt smoke. Spark plug would foul out after couple of hours. But i had low compression there too so it was obvious.

I see you have a howell bottom end? what about the head is it new or the original from when you dropped the Howell. How old is the bottom end, miles?

Terry

96 Eagle Talon ESI....Daily driver

97 Eclipse.........

The head was stock and has 80,000 miles on it, the bottom end has no more than around 600-700 miles since it has been messing up ever since i got the car rebuilt. I will probably get it fixed but i dont want to buy new rings and then it be the valve guides? I will just have to wait and see, thanks.

Can you bend a boroscope around 180 degrees to look at the valves thru the spark plug hole? If so, that and cranking the engine around to open up the questionable valves in #4 should show him if the seals are leaking. That or do a leakdown test to check the rings & HG.

EDIT: 180-degree boroscope is possible. See "B series" http://www.opti-tech.ca/pages/productItems.asp?item=Flexible%20Boroscopes

Also, you could use a tiny dentist-style mirror if your boroscope doesn't deflect 180*.

Just did another compression check, 205-190-190-190. I noticed alot of carbo buildup on top of the piston except in #4 where there is some oil sitting on top of it. When i pulled my plugs the second one and the last starting from cam gears had wet oil on the whole threaded part of the spark plug. The other two were dry. I am trying to find a place that will do a leakdown test.

Well, cant find any shop around this shit place to a leakdown test. HAlf of them dont even know what the hell it is. I took off my exhuaat manifold and turbo a few days ago and noticed some oil dripping down the valve on the #4 cylinder which is the one that the shop says has the blown ring. They didnt pull the head. They just took the spark plug out and saw oil on top of the piston. My compression numbers are good and head gasket is fine, so i am trying to see what the problem is, Valves stems/seals or rings? The other 3 valves had no oil dripping down the valve. I bet if i took off my intank manifold i would see oil on the back to in that cylinder. I think that is where my valves got bent when my belt snapped. I wonder if they did a shitty job.

Now that you mention it. I have had someone (A kid that lives across the street probly still in middle school) tell me that one time when I took of kinda hard that he said he saw a cloud of white smoke when I shifted. Now.. I know thats not something he would make up.. and Im sure he is right on the color since about the only other color would be black. So do I have something to worry about also (matt? help.) what should I check?


-Christopher

if you have oil on the backside of the valve and stemthe valveguides are shot and the seals are not much better. If you bet a valve there it is possible that sped up the wear or damaged the guide.

Terry

96 Eagle Talon ESI....Daily driver

97 Eclipse.........