Can someone help me out please.

[Kangae]

Hello...I drove my car home today, and noticed when I opened the hood to check the fluid level for the clutch (a different proplem, maybe unrelated), that a small ammount of white smoke was in this area

In fact, when I opened the hood, the white smoke took up almost exactly as much space as that red circle does...if that helps any.

I checked as well as I could in that area and didnt see anything, also the engine does not seem to produce this smoke while at idle. Not to mention my world of help uncle blew all the smoke away real quick when I opened it so locating the source became even easier at that point.

Unfortunatly I have a bad feeling that I may already know the problem, however I figured I would get a perhaps more professional opinion without my paranoia included...

Thanks in advance for any help you might provide.

 

[jdub]

Could be a couple of things:

1) CPS o-ring is leaking oil down on the manifold.

2) Coolant lines going to the turbo are leaking coolant on the manifold. If this one is true...you need to fix ASAP or you will overheat in just a few minutes.

3) Valve cover gaskets are leaking oil on the manifold.

 

[Kangae]

Well I just checked, again. To the best I can see there appears to be nothing leaking now, and no residue of what might be oil.

I didnt have the chance to look at my coolant level due to the fact that its still hot from me having driven it erlier, I'll get back on here with the status of my coolant level.

Also I could see the side of the valve cover where the smoke was and it didnt appear to be leaking there, but the car has been off and I'm not sure how much evidence a oil leak that burned off would leave.

 

[87mgte]

Subscribed. I have literally this exact same problem and I have no idea what the cause could be. My p/s resevoir drains every 3 days, so I'm guessing it's a leak being flung up onto the manifold by the clutch fan.

 

[Kangae]

Subscribed. I have literally this exact same problem and I have no idea what the cause could be. My p/s resevoir drains every 3 days, so I'm guessing it's a leak being flung up onto the manifold by the clutch fan.

p/s as in power steering? I havent noticed any problem with my power steering and I havent filled it since I got the car.

 

[Dan_Gyoba]

Well, there are several things in that area that could cause a problem.

Already mentioned, but...

CPS
PS
Valve cover
Turbo coolant lines

And also:

Heater coolant line (That nasty little 90 degree bend hose)
Oil filter & oil cooler
PCV return to intake

See if there are any issues with any fluids. PS, coolant and oil are the main concerns here. Oil can have a bunch of other avenues of escape, so it's hard to say. The other two can be tracked more readily.

 

[Kangae]

Well I may have located the problem. Unfortuatly I think its an oil problem. I was looking over my car again (and did get a chance to check my coolant by the way, it was full and green) and checked the oil, and found out it was low, which was wierd since I though it wouldnt need to be filled any more so soon (since november).

I noticed also there was a little oil on my fan that I hadnt noticed before. So I took a look under the car and to my horror a llot of the underside of my engine was covered in black oily grease. I can only assume that came from an oil leak. Anyway, I filled the oil up and I am planning on getting it up on a lift wednesday to take a look at whats going on under there to cause an oil leak.

Also on a side note, my power steering fluid is now low, perhaps I have more than one problem...well other than the ones I already knew about.

I am going to go ahead and guess that oil come from the leaking location on the bottom area of my engine, and got cought on the fan and shot to the top area and burned off, creating the smoke.

 

[Supracentral]

You're dealing with an old car here. I'll bet you have multiple issues.

The smoke you saw was likely from a leaking CPS.

The gunk all over the bottom of the motor is almost certainly from your power steering.

These cars are old, and these are two known places that they have issues.

 

[Kangae]

Interesting, the power steering is whats on the bottom, and idea as to where that might be leaking? I'll give a harder look later this week, but it couldnt hurt to know if there is a common spot for it to leak.

And I'll also check out the CPS more closely that I can just from the top on wednesday.

 

[Supracentral]

Here's where you need to start:

The o-ring is the probable suspect.

http://www.supracentral.com/foundation/tsrm/ignition-system/

 

[jdub]

One other piece of advice...check your oil weekly at minimum. The turbo uses oil...1/2 quart in 3 weeks is common. In fact, fill it to the top mark on the dipstick and add an extra quart...cheap insurance w/ no impact on the engine. Low oil is the #1 cause of rod knock...it can slosh around, uncover the pick-up, no oil pressure, FUBAR motor.

 

[Kangae]

Well luckily I have not heard or seen evidence of any internal engine problems, and I do intend to keep after the oil as much as possible, I was planning on a full change this week, and I still intend to go through with that. I guess I'll keep some extra oil in my car just in case...also I was aware that the turbo used oil, but not that fast...

Oh and also thank you for that diagram there SupraCentral, I plan on doing a good look-through of that tonight.

PS: I notice on that diagram it says the gear and the straight pin are non-reusable, so if I replace the o-ring, I will have to replace those parts aswell?

 

[87mgte]

p/s as in power steering? I havent noticed any problem with my power steering and I havent filled it since I got the car.

Yep, power steering. Wasn't really implying your problem was p/s, just sayin that I had no idea what could be leaking.

 

[Kangae]

Actually its quite good that you brought up power steering, otherwise I would have never thought to check and it helped me find another problem.

 

[87mgte]

Actually its quite good that you brought up power steering, otherwise I would have never thought to check and it helped me find another problem.

No problem man. Glad I helped you out in some way. Keep us posted on whether or not you figure out how you're gettin oil on your manifold.

 

[Frank Rizzo]

No, you don't have to remove the pin and gear to replace the O-ring. Hardest part of the job is setting the #1 piston at the correct TDC. Which isn't hard at all.

Usuallly happens when the car sits for extended periods, no oil touches the o-ring and it dries out fairly quickly. I guarantee your's is hard as a rock.

 

[jetjock]

You don't have to set the engine to TDC. Just remove the CPS cover and mark where the reluctor is. It's good to look in there once in a while anyway.

Reinstall the same way and check timing. Course, don't be turning the engine over while it's out. If you cut a gasket for the CPS you'll never have to mess with that O ring again...

 

[starscream5000]

Also, if you have bad PS lines, www.driftmotion.com sells SS replacements that should last as long if not longer than an OEM replacement would, and could possibly be cheaper as well .

 

[tlo86]

Also, if you have bad PS lines, www.driftmotion.com sells SS replacements that should last as long if not longer than an OEM replacement would, and could possibly be cheaper as well .

p/s lines get pretty cheap at a local parts store. i think i still have mine i am too lazy to post for sale

to eliminate the turbo lines (which if you never replaced them... that might be whats it) tap the line with a wrench and it might just be leaking somewhere. that was caused the same thing in my 7m, but it is also pretty easy just to put a new coolant line on and cheap.

i remember when i had a p/s leak but it could never get hot enough to burn off into the much smoke it creates until it started dripping on the exhaust heh

and jdub thats good to know, although i checked it quite often i never noticed it that much even when i knew i had a rear main seal leak heh. and i think an oil accumulator would be good in that aspect as well if ya got room for one heh (maybe i just changed my oil too much)

 

[tlo86]

Subscribed. I have literally this exact same problem and I have no idea what the cause could be. My p/s resevoir drains every 3 days, so I'm guessing it's a leak being flung up onto the manifold by the clutch fan.

check your lines the power steering system is really simple all lines from the rack go under your car to the pump then they route to the cooler in front of your car depending on your year