Here is an easy one for all you guru's.I understand everycar smokes in the morning on cold days, but it seems to me that my 85 IROC smokes more then it should. It smokes so much I cant hardly see the car at times. After warmup it all goes away and dosent smoke anymore. It only smokes for about 5 min or so. Is this normal?

85iroc

It depends upon the "smoke." If the smoke lingers, it could be oil smoke, usually bluish in color and an oily smell. If the smoke is white, and has no odor, could be just the condensation burn-off from the exhaust system.

When convertor, pipes, and muffler cool down from being hot, condensation is formed. As the engine heats up the exhaust system, it burns off this condensation and becomes a vapor, hence, "smoke"

It also may be sucking the oil from the intake runners. This oil seeps down the valve stem and lays on the floor. Engine cranks up, creates a vacuum, sucks up the oil, then as the engine warms up, seals get lubed, oil supply stops. Maybe.

I would suggest a can of GM Engine Oil Supplement, made for your situation as well as others if you think it is oil smoke.

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Everett "OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR APPEAR QUICKLY UPON RAPID DECELERATION"

The smoke is light grey kind of see through with no odor. It only does it on medium to cold mornings for a few min. Anything to worry about?

Everett I see your from VA beach. I lived out there for 5 yrs. I was at Ft. Story. Im up at Eustis now.

Thanks

85iroc

Hello 85iroc,

I know this is probably a poor question to ask, considering your recent run of misfortunes. But, here goes anyway, has your car been smoking like this ever since you re-built it; or has it just started after your http://www.camaros.net/forum/eek.gif experience with the PEP Boy trio?
Just curious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! http://www.camaros.net/forum/biggrin.gif

The Trickster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Trickster,

Well im not 100% sure. Im pretty sure it has done it before, but I never really drove it when it was cold. I bought it in june and two days later it was up on blocks with no engine. I put it back on the road in about Oct. I know it smoked before but wasnt so bad until it was cold the past 2 weeks. I dont really have anything to compare it to. As soon as it warms up it stops.

85iroc

I suspect your 'smoke' is really steam. If so, it's normal for this to happen until the exhaust system warms up enough that the steam won't condense immediatly. On really cold days, it may never stop.

On the otherhand, if you think your car is generating more steam than others, then you might have a head gasket leak or crack in the block. To find out, pull your plugs and look at them. If your burning water, the plug will be scoured clean and white.

-dnult

My 87 does the same thing. It is more related to condensation then anything else. The 'rich/lean bias' parameters of the ECU also have a little to do with this, but this is a normal condition...well at least for the early TPI engines, I wouold expect the same for early TBI engines as well.

on cold mornings, the condensation in your exhaust system mixed with the hot air coming from your exhaust makes steam, or fog. the same as "seeing your breath" on cold days. it will also do this on rainy, humid days like after a good rain at night, me and my buddies thought my 88 was smoking like a b*tch. well, we were a little under the weather ourselves if ya know what i mean http://www.camaros.net/forum/smile.gif. another, if it is not the fog theory, is the smoke black like a semi truck's smoke? if so, i'm sure you are famillar with the whole choke and rich fuel/air mixture when cold. if thats the case, tone the gas going in a little. hope this helps!

85iroc,

My wife has an 87 Z-28 that does the same thing. It has since new. The dealer changed the valve seals under warranty once due to fouling plugs. It hasn’t had a plug fouling problem since,(112000 miles) but it still sends out a smoke cloud after sitting for 8 or more hours.
It doesn't use an unusual amount of oil, less than 1/2 quart in 3000 miles and has always passed smog tests.

I also had an 83 Z-28 305 H.O. 4v that did the same thing.

Well thanks for all the info guys. One more thing which leads me to believe it is the steam is that on initial start up it smokes quite a bit but when the car hits a few degrees a min later it smokes alot more. Then it all stops. Again the smoke is always clear. Kind of just like fog. Thanks again everyone.


85iroc