Thread: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated

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  1. #1 Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    This just started today, it has happened twice now. After driving my car to the stoplight I noticed it started to idle a little rough, I pulled over into the gas station, put some air in my tire (slow leak). When I started the car back up I seen a decent cloud of smoke coming from under the hood, I popped hood and checked, couldnt see anything. While at lunch, the same thing started to happen, rough idle, I pulled over, popped the hood and started it....same white smoke frome same place, I cant see where its coming from exactly but it seems to be bottom end.
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  2. #2 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
    Turbo is the way to go. BillBoost37's Avatar
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    Puff of white smoke from engine bay.... likely valve cover gasket.
    I drink..so consider that when reading my posts.

    2010 Audi A6 Dual IC's
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  3. #3 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    That would be great if thats all it was, Im just worried it might be something more being as it has the same symptoms when its about to do it, the rough idling is what is worrying me, after the car is started and the smoke goes the first time it continued to idle rough, this next time it was idling fine.
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  4. #4 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
    Turbo is the way to go. BillBoost37's Avatar
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    Ok.. then we need more info.

    Last tune up on car?
    Last TB cleaning on car?
    Have the VC gaskets ever been changed?
    Is the AC compressor kicking on when the rough idle happens?

    See a smoke puff under the hood means something is burning off the motor. Could be coolant or oil. Oil would be more common. If your issue were out the tailpipe..then that would be a different story.
    I drink..so consider that when reading my posts.

    2010 Audi A6 Dual IC's
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  5. #5 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    Have not had the car for too long, tune up was scheduled for this weekend, could not tell you the last time the vc gaskets have been changed, I have put new MAF and IAC as well as oil change since Ive had it. As far as I know the AC compressor is not running when it happens
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  6. #6 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    I guess from my recent string of bad luck the absolute worst is what comes to mind, like head gasket etc....I really cant afford for that to be the issue (who can) thanks for the fast response.
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  7. #7 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    HG is very unlikely on these motors, so don't worry about that. Now the LIM gaskets are another story, lol... Probably time for some plugs and wires and VC gasket/grommet change out as mentioned. Bet the front cover is leaking onto the plugs/wires and is also burning off the front manifold. Can you see oil leaking from the covers at all? Usually looks like built up black goo on the head/manifold area.

    What year and how many miles on it?
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  8. #8 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    Yes I just looked and I can see little puddles of oil from the front valve cover, Any idea why it would decide to puff the smoke only on start ups? Looks like I will go ahead with the tune up, plugs/wires and vc gaskets this weekend.
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  9. #9 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
    Turbo is the way to go. BillBoost37's Avatar
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    Biggest potential problem with the motor is this
    http://www.grandprixforums.net/97-03...ure-60667.html

    The quick easy and cheap way to keep it from ever happening to you? Plug the coolant ports as outlined here
    http://www.grandprixforums.net/how-mod-lim-46931.html

    You can reuse your UIM and never worry about it.

    If I were to get an L36 with unknown history. I'd do the LIM gaskets, coolant elbows, injector o-rings, valve cover gaskets and clean the TB. Plug the coolant ports, open up the turn around and reassemble. Then fresh wires and plugs. That should take care of you for a long time on minimal monies.
    I drink..so consider that when reading my posts.

    2010 Audi A6 Dual IC's
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  10. #10 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    After looking again just now, I decided I would check the oil, Oil level looks high, so I pulled the oil cap off and looked at the top, unfortunately it looks as if there is antifreeze on the top of the cap......thanks for all the helpful info guys, when you say minimal monies lol exactly what is a "minimal monies" number.....Ive always wanted a GP, and unfortunately I bought this off a shady guy in a pinch. The reason I say shady is since Ive bought it Ive noticed lots of sneaky **** the guy didnt tell me about. First off he forged the title.....among other things......my luck.
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  11. #11 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    With that much coolant in there I'd quit driving it and get the LIM gaskets done asap. It doesn't take much coolant to ruin rod/main bearings and then you will have a nice rod knocking 3800, and be on the hunt for a used longblock. Does the oil on the dipstick look like a milkshake?
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  12. #12 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    If your down for a little drive i could do your lim gasket cheap.
    98 GTP modded 1.9's, sd headers, 3.4", zzp 1.0 230K miles scrapped.
    04 Comp G zzp stb's, UMI ta's, Speedbuilt sways, bully flo heads, XP, zzp headers, fsic, thrasher shift kit, 60#, 2.6" corsa 2.5", Inferno hood
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  13. #13 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
    Turbo is the way to go. BillBoost37's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FordMan77 View Post
    With that much coolant in there
    Hold up.. he didn't say the oil looked milky..he said the cap had condensation on it. Having personally being scared pooless by a Ford EXP at one point....which ended up being condensation from the fall (cooler nights) time of the year. I'm hesitant to cry foul on a 3800 with nothing in the oil (look hight though?) and a little moisture on the cap. Cap is very normal for condensation type of stuff like this. See...my reasoning is ..his description of his problem isn't a leak, it's unexplained smoke from the engine bay.



    OP.. Start the car... run it for 1 full minute, turn it off. Immediately pull the dipstick, any white frothy mix? Wipe dipstick, insert and pull again, any milkyness? If you answer no..then I am going to assume that someone put 5 quarts of oil into the car instead of 4.5quarts. I put 5 into my car everytime and it's just a touch above the full mark. There's no harm or foul in 5 quarts.
    I drink..so consider that when reading my posts.

    2010 Audi A6 Dual IC's
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  14. #14 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    Is the coolant level in the expansion tank going down or is it the same?
    08 Pontiac Grand Prix 3.8L 95k M1 0w40, FRAM ULTRA
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  15. #15 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    After driving into work today, obviously longer than a minute drive, I pulled the dipstick, its about 1/2 inch above full mark, but does not look milky at all. Looks normal, the oil was just changed in the car about 2 weeks ago so you might be right about them adding too much. I should have stated that as well the dipstick has never appeared "milky, frothy, or milkshake ish" looks normal. As far as coolant resevoir its not full but it is not empty. Should I add some water into it to see if the level goes down?
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  16. #16 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
    Turbo is the way to go. BillBoost37's Avatar
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    No.. don't add anything to the overflow. It's not like most of us can actually see the level in it very well.

    Monitor that oil level closely. Wipe the crap off the VC cap and see if it returns quickly. Check the coolant level in your radiator and keep an eye on that as well in the mornings/when cold.

    How long of a drive is it for you to get to work?
    I drink..so consider that when reading my posts.

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  17. #17 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    Bill,
    I thought the expansion tank would maintain the level of the radiator, and the only way the radiator would be low is if the expansion tank was empty. Not true on these engines? IE the radiator can be low, but the expansion tank full?
    08 Pontiac Grand Prix 3.8L 95k M1 0w40, FRAM ULTRA
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  18. #18 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    I cleaned the crap out of the VC cap, as well as called my buddy that did the oil change along with the rotors and wheel bearing. He put 5qts in. Like I said guy I bought the car off of was shady, did not tell me much about the car and I was in such a pinch for a vehicle I made the mistake of looking at the vehicle at night... (never again learning my lesson as we go)

    He put the extra in for the fact that at some point the oil pan must have gotten punctured and instead of replacing it they took a bolt and caked it with rtv and put it in there, oil level is something I have watched closely since purchase. Replacement of oil pan appearently calls for some ridiculous amount of labor hours and is not something my buddy's manager would let him work on in shop with out going through the actual shop. And with all the other stuff I know needs replaced Im trying to put the oil pan on the back burner until I get the suspension back to tight and what not.

    It would be great if the intake was not an issue right now, but I still keep coming back to where is that puff of smoke coming from. Bill would you reccomend what you said earlier as far as plugs/wires/vc gaskets and then go from there?

    Also its about an hour drive time with traffic to work. Im going to let her cool and go and do what you said as far as running car for a minute exact. I really do appreciate all the help and insight, started to panic and wife (who hates the GP) immediately starts talking dealership, not a good idea right now....another 300 plus car payment is not ideal.
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  19. #19 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
    Turbo is the way to go. BillBoost37's Avatar
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    You have good points on the expansion tank, so let me explain my resaoning for the suggestions I've made. I think you'll see how experience on the interwebby has brought me to think the way I do.

    1. We don't know what year the OP drives. Personally I think the 97/98 overflow/expansion tank is the worst design any manufacturer ever came up with. It's a 4 foot super crappy and squshable hose that is routed with the wiring etc being squished by the front motor mount where they bolt to the radiator support. The 97/98's I've had have all seemed like they didn't work.

    2. Even if the OP has a 99+ we can't tell for sure that he has ever looked at the tank before. Being that it's open to air, some evaporation over time occurs. Most people have not paid any attention until a problem happens and at that point, you can't rely on the marks on the side of the tank. Then additionally the hose might get a slice in it from the pullies. This all leads me to discount the overflow quickly. The radiator should tell a true story. Like you said..it should be full based on the surge/ebb to the tank. When it's down..you know positively there's something going on.

    3. OP's description leaves us lacking some info and I've tried to ask the right questions to get answers to some of it. Like..it's not a tailpipe issue. This means he's not burning coolant. Ok, so is he leaking into the oil? If he was....he'd have milky oil not clean. The moisture on the cap is very common during weather changing times of the year. Most people don't notice it or drive the car enough to evaporte it out of the crankcase. Which is my question about the length of his drive. 15-20 minutes is ideal for burning it off.

    4. Smoke puff in the engine bay, you know..I should have asked...does it smell sweet or like burning oil. OP....please answer that question. There's no reason why a puff of coolant or oil smoke would cause the car to run/idle rough. A wire or something burning on a manifold would, it would also have screwed up much worse by now.

    That's my "logic" behind it. Makes sense in my head....but you know how it is.. maybe, maybe someone else's idea is more logical and makes more sense.
    I drink..so consider that when reading my posts.

    2010 Audi A6 Dual IC's
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  20. #20 Re: Puffing White Smoke, any help would be much appreciated 
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    Sorry should have been more descriptive. Car is a 98 GT, has only done the puff of smoke 2 times now, the second time I did notice it was sort of a sweet smell, has not done it again. Hasnt even started the rough idle like it did the previous 2 times.
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