Big puff of white smoke when starting car after its already been hot and running
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From: Somewhere in MD, MD, USA
Big puff of white smoke when starting car after its already been hot and running
Hey guys, I just got my car running again after 4 months making 507whp on 19 psi and 550whp at 21 psi on pump, FullRace AC kit, etc.
I built it with all the right parts, and have a 84mm bore w/ cylinders o-ringed. I used a cometic head gasket, but if I have been driving the car for a while (usually over heats without heater being on during 90+ degree days so AC kit was kinda pointless haha), then park it, go somehwere for 30 mins, and then come back and start it, a big puff of white smoke comes out which smells like coolant.
The smoke stops after the car starts. And if I start the car cold, I don't see any smoke but I assume thats just because whatever is in there has evaporated?
2 questions:
1. Does anyone know for sure the torque setting for ARP head studs for B18C5 motors? I have a feeling we might have torqued them down about 7-10 lbs too LOOSE from searching but I couldn't get a consistant answer. I think we torqued them to 78-80 ft lbs or something like that.
2. Does the situation I have sound like the head gasket? Its a bitch pulling the head back off with a AC turbo'd car, but if I gotta do it, I gotta do it. I would use a GE 84mm gasket this time. I have been hearing a lot of bad things about cometic recently....
PS I haven't pulled the plugs yet, but when I do I will report back.
I built it with all the right parts, and have a 84mm bore w/ cylinders o-ringed. I used a cometic head gasket, but if I have been driving the car for a while (usually over heats without heater being on during 90+ degree days so AC kit was kinda pointless haha), then park it, go somehwere for 30 mins, and then come back and start it, a big puff of white smoke comes out which smells like coolant.
The smoke stops after the car starts. And if I start the car cold, I don't see any smoke but I assume thats just because whatever is in there has evaporated?
2 questions:
1. Does anyone know for sure the torque setting for ARP head studs for B18C5 motors? I have a feeling we might have torqued them down about 7-10 lbs too LOOSE from searching but I couldn't get a consistant answer. I think we torqued them to 78-80 ft lbs or something like that.
2. Does the situation I have sound like the head gasket? Its a bitch pulling the head back off with a AC turbo'd car, but if I gotta do it, I gotta do it. I would use a GE 84mm gasket this time. I have been hearing a lot of bad things about cometic recently....
PS I haven't pulled the plugs yet, but when I do I will report back.
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Re: Big puff of white smoke when starting car after its already been hot and running (totsie7944)
i have the same exact issue. I changed my headgasket tonight and now the tps sensor is bad, so i couldnt see if it fixed the problem. 
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From: Somewhere in MD, MD, USA
Re: Big puff of white smoke when starting car after its already been hot and running (turbo-crx)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by turbo-crx »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i have the same exact issue. I changed my headgasket tonight and now the tps sensor is bad, so i couldnt see if it fixed the problem. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Yea I think its the head gasket, but I haven't pulled the plugs yet to see how they look. Guess I'll check that tomorrow.
</TD></TR></TABLE>Yea I think its the head gasket, but I haven't pulled the plugs yet to see how they look. Guess I'll check that tomorrow.
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From: Somewhere in MD, MD, USA
Re: Big puff of white smoke when starting car after its already been hot and running (SOHC_MShue)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SOHC_MShue »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">possibly a sunken sleeve</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yea but if it was a sunken sleeve, wouldn't I be losing a bit of power? The car is still rolling out very very hard...
Yea but if it was a sunken sleeve, wouldn't I be losing a bit of power? The car is still rolling out very very hard...
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Re: Big puff of white smoke when starting car after its already been hot and running (totsie7944)
Arp recommends 75 ft lbs with Arp Moly Lube. My block is oringed and i decided to go to 85 ft lbs to compensate for the oringing.
If one of the sleeves was sinking you would know due to the coolant system been pressurized. If coolant can get into you cyclinders that means cyclinder pressure can get into the coolant so it would be prettty obvious there was a problem with the gasket.
How is your overflow looking?
Do a leakdown test before you do anything. Bubbles in the coolant will let you know the head gasket is blown.
Have you had any head work done?
Is there any smoke will driving?
If one of the sleeves was sinking you would know due to the coolant system been pressurized. If coolant can get into you cyclinders that means cyclinder pressure can get into the coolant so it would be prettty obvious there was a problem with the gasket.
How is your overflow looking?
Do a leakdown test before you do anything. Bubbles in the coolant will let you know the head gasket is blown.
Have you had any head work done?
Is there any smoke will driving?
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From: Somewhere in MD, MD, USA
Re: Big puff of white smoke when starting car after its already been hot and running (steven_highet)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by steven_highet »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Arp recommends 75 ft lbs with Arp Moly Lube. My block is oringed and i decided to go to 85 ft lbs to compensate for the oringing.
If one of the sleeves was sinking you would know due to the coolant system been pressurized. If coolant can get into you cyclinders that means cyclinder pressure can get into the coolant so it would be prettty obvious there was a problem with the gasket.
How is your overflow looking?
Do a leakdown test before you do anything. Bubbles in the coolant will let you know the head gasket is blown.
Have you had any head work done?
Is there any smoke will driving?</TD></TR></TABLE>
I think I only torqued to 75 ft lbs, but maybe I will go up next time.
Overflow tank is low, def burning coolant.
Block and Head were built with top notch parts (84 mm bore, darton sleeve, MID kit, manley rods, CP pistons, ferrea valve train, valve guides, new seals, angle valve job, etc).
Smoking seems to stop right after initial start up...like once its out of the exhaust, its done...but I must still be burning some because the overflow tank is getting pretty low.
If one of the sleeves was sinking you would know due to the coolant system been pressurized. If coolant can get into you cyclinders that means cyclinder pressure can get into the coolant so it would be prettty obvious there was a problem with the gasket.
How is your overflow looking?
Do a leakdown test before you do anything. Bubbles in the coolant will let you know the head gasket is blown.
Have you had any head work done?
Is there any smoke will driving?</TD></TR></TABLE>
I think I only torqued to 75 ft lbs, but maybe I will go up next time.
Overflow tank is low, def burning coolant.
Block and Head were built with top notch parts (84 mm bore, darton sleeve, MID kit, manley rods, CP pistons, ferrea valve train, valve guides, new seals, angle valve job, etc).
Smoking seems to stop right after initial start up...like once its out of the exhaust, its done...but I must still be burning some because the overflow tank is getting pretty low.
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