Hey, I just bought a 93 Lude with 180k miles. I see it smoke a bit when I first start up. When I go WOT, it puffs out smoke. I have only had it for 2 days now, and its now in the shop getting the window fix to pass inspection, but what could cause this smoke?

Any suggestions? I bought it for my girl, and she needs to drive 5 hrs to see me every other weekend, so I need the Lude to be in tip top shape.



Modified by profroopchan at 10:42 AM 2/19/2007

 

What color smoke? Black, Blue, Gray, or White?

 

White smoke.

The guy gave me a spare head gasket saying that he bought it a while ago, but his mechanic told him that he didnt need it. I was wondering if this had anything to do with the smoke.


Modified by profroopchan at 3:07 PM 10/11/2006

 

White smoke can be a sign of a headgasket, or intake manifold gasket.

Check your coolant and oil if your coolant looks somewhat like chocolate milk or if the oil has signs of water in it, you need to replace the headgasket.

 

yeah, white smoke usually signifies coolant burning. but just FYI, your prelude, is going to smoke a little bit at WOT, and while in vtec ofcourse.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by egcoupe94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yeah, white smoke usually signifies coolant burning. but just FYI, your prelude, is going to smoke a little bit at WOT, and while in vtec ofcourse.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I was wondering that. I saw some smoke comming from it at idle, but I do not know if it was from it being coolish here.

I was driving the car to the shop, and my girl's dad was driving behind me, and I floored it, WOT, while going through the tunnel for a little bit, and her dad called me and told me that alot of smoke came out in the tunnel. I had dropped the tiptronic auto tranny down to 2nd gear and gunned it from about 40MPH to 65MPH for a short distance.

I know vtec burns oil, so I was wondering if this could be my problem? The CEL is also sending a oxygen sensor code (told so by the seller of the car = unverified). COuld this be a possible cause as well?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by profroopchan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was wondering that. I saw some smoke comming from it at idle, but I do not know if it was from it being coolish here.

I was driving the car to the shop, and my girl's dad was driving behind me, and I floored it, WOT, while going through the tunnel for a little bit, and her dad called me and told me that alot of smoke came out in the tunnel. I had dropped the tiptronic auto tranny down to 2nd gear and gunned it from about 40MPH to 65MPH for a short distance.

I know vtec burns oil, so I was wondering if this could be my problem? The CEL is also sending a oxygen sensor code (told so by the seller of the car = unverified). COuld this be a possible cause as well? </TD></TR></TABLE>

I dont think a bad o2 sensor will cause it to smoke that much? does it smoke as if it were like it is on fire? so thick you cant see through it? how are your coolant levels? can you smell coolant burning(it has a very distinctive scent)?? I just pointed out the vtec burning oil b/c I wasnt sure if you knew or not...

I do know that a bad o2 sensor will car your car to smell like *** and give you horrible gas mileage...but as far as cause white smoke, I dont think so..., but not 100% sure

 

I am not sure how much it smoked. I did not really see it. I know he was a bit neutral on getting the prelude for her though, so I do not know if he was exagerating. I do not think it was so bad that you could not see, but maybe puff or smoke comming out the exhaust.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by profroopchan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I am not sure how much it smoked. I did not really see it. I know he was a bit neutral on getting the prelude for her though, so I do not know if he was exagerating. I do not think it was so bad that you could not see, but maybe puff or smoke comming out the exhaust. </TD></TR></TABLE>

monitor your coolant levels over the next couple of days. if you can do it, then do it, don't trust your girl to do it, I never ask my girl to do, b/c I know I will spend more time explainging how to do it, then actually doing it myself

 

Well, the car is not driving now. I have to wait until she gets here on Friday to go register it, then I have to fix the driver side window and put tires on it to get it inspected. I will try to get my friend (mechanic) to take a special look on that for me.

Thanks alot for the suggestions

 

no problem and good luck!

 

gl man, FYI vtec soke will be dark gray/black not white.

hope its nothing major

 

Is there such a thing as a partially blown head gasket? because I drove the car down from northern Virginia to Virginia Beach which is about 3 hrs without any overheating. Would that rule out the head gasket?

 

no, it may not overheat. It just may not be that bad YET. If it is leaking it will get worse.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MadCityLude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">no, it may not overheat. It just may not be that bad YET. If it is leaking it will get worse.</TD></TR></TABLE>

true...not all blown headgaskets will cause overheating

 

Other than problems with overheating, what type of problems can a blown headgasket cause?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by profroopchan &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Other than problems with overheating, what type of problems can a blown headgasket cause? </TD></TR></TABLE>

well, when I had a clown headgasket in my civic, I noticed a really big loss in power. it would bog, and it would barely start. the smoke was so thick, it looked like I was playing the part for the next cheech and chong movie. u will notice al oss in coolant as well. Overheadting is a part of it as well, but u said ur not doing that

 

well guys, I still notice that it smokes with normal driving. I think the smoke is whitish. I tested the compression it is 180 across all the cylinders. What do you guys think?