I'm trying to find out exactly a possibly cause of why my car is smoking, I dont see any oil leaks... so I've ruled that out...

Now it is Open header, but the smoke just began days ago and it has been open for at least 2 weeks before that started...

I dont understand or think that timing could be an issue, but I know when my swap was installed we wanted to double check the timing was correct...

Does this sound valid?

 

What color is the smoke?

 

i don't think the time would cause it to smoke. the only thing that I KNOW that would cause an engine to smoke would be cracked valve seals, faulty injector, the head gasket, and the piston rings. my suggestion is to check the spark plugs for any burn marks or oil deposits. if they come out to be fine do a pressure check on the piston cambers.

 

White.. light white... And it only does at running temp... other than that I dont see it...

 

Do a compression test. Seems these cars are at the years where headgasket failure is getting pretty common.

 

Do you think even though I just swapped the motor and put a brand new headgasket on could still be the issue? this being at most a month...

 

Do a compression test.

 

Bet you it's the rings. Compression test will help you single it out.

 

Ok... I'm going to have to figure how/where to do a compression test at... What would my results be if something is wrong?

 

You won't know until you get the results of the test.

 

Just thinking, wouldn't the car smoke at cold start if it was the rings, because they have not expanded to surround the cylinder?

I'll have to find someone with a compression tester, and start there... because at cold temp no smoke, when its warm.. then it starts... I really hope its not piston rings because if so.. I'm done with this honda mission... I heard rings are pricey!!

 

i don't thinks its the rings if it only smokes it when the engine is at op temp. your best bet is gonna be a faulty injector but still do a compression test of the piston cambers and if that isn't it troubleshoot your injectors.

 

It could also be when u put the intake manifold back on there is a part on the manifold where the coolant go's thru and it could have a bad gasket. Happen 2 my buddy's hatch he thought he had a bad headgasket and he had coolant in the number 4 cylinder and it caused it 2 smoke white. White is usually antifreeze/water. Does it have a sweet smell? And it would make sence tho cuz the engine's operating temp would circulate more antifreeze causing the smoke. Idk just a thought. But i have bad rings and make car smokes at start up and ALL the time. But its blue smoke. So best be is anti-freeze in cylinder's.. Let us know wat you find out

 

I gotta get someone to compression test it... I'm overly paranoid... so I'm expecting it to be the worst which is rings, and I'm already trying to see if it is cheaper to source a new block, or go in and change the rings...

 

iv just never seen rings make a car smoke white. I have bad rings and my car smokes blue. But let me know

 

Indeed i'll let you know what it is... If it's not rings.. that would be great... cause then I can use that few hundred towards something else like cams and cam gears...lol

 

That would be awesome. And headgaskets are also easy and cheap. I did a headgasket and it took me 1 1/2 TOPS. D15b7 engine 2 lol... But im pretty sure it aint rings. Unless it has blue tint. My coil just went out today and i found out my headgasket and my rings are bad.. THis sux! SUper sad face

 

Damn.... Sorry to hear that.... I've discovered that my breather box is not connected correctly... Some said that oil might be coming out... getting on something and burning.... but I thought that oil burn is a different color smoke...

 

If the timing is really advanced and it's running hot it may smoke. You might also want to put an exhaust on it before you burn valves.

 

How can running open exhaust manifold burn a valve?

 

There are a couple of theories on exactly why, but the biggest one seems to be cold air getting back through the exhaust when you let off the gas warping the valve and eventually causing it to burn from improper heat transfer.

 

Hmmmm I see... Well I'm going to close everything up soon... Once I figure out the best way to do so... I'm hung up on using a cat or no cat...

 

Use one, your car will smell like exhaust without one. With an OEM cat you're loosing about 2hp, with a highflow aftermarket unit it's about a 1hp loss. The environment will thank you as well.

 

Actually we'd all thank him because then the EPA and other emission regulators wouldn't be hounding tuners such as ourselves because a certain state fails to meet emission regulations. A lot of people may not be aware but despite California having the most strict emissions in the entire world, we have the dirtiest air of all 49 states COMBINED!

 

OK.... So I did a compression test on the 2 center cylinders and I was told that my compression was at 90...

Now, my dad who is a GM mechanic for 20+ years is saying that rings doesnt sound like the issue, but quite possibly that my head gasket has taken a dump on me...
His logic, if the rings were bad when I put the head on the block, it would have given me this issue from day one. Also, he is saying that I should just use an OEM head gasket...

Any feedback HT? Trying to figure out what this issue is... STILL