Wat Does Grey/blue Smoke Mean

[ZILR-34]

hi guys

wat does grey/blue smoke mean? it only happens when i put my foot to the floor. i was told it may be the rings that are fried?

cheers

bill

[bombtrack]

Sounds like your motor is burning oil so could be rings and valve guides.

So now you and the mad scientist have to rip apart the block and replace the piston rings you fried.

[ZILR-34]

how would i know 4sure? any tests i can do?

[bombtrack]

Blue smoke is normally a pretty good indicator... take it to a mechanic, he'll give you better advice than me.

Other than that I'll let someone with more knowledge on here than me give you some ideas.

[G0DZLR]

is it always or when its cold? please dont say just when its cold....

[ZILR-34]

a little bit when its cold. but as it warms up more gery smoke comes out. and when i give it a Squirt gery/blue smoke

[GTRsean]

Turbo oil seal?

What sort of k's on the engine?

Compression test?

How much blow by does it have?

Fair few things to check to narrow it down, especially with turbo cars. Good luck.

[GTS4WD]

Swing past to the local Supercheap or what ever and get a compression tester..

You should be getting about 150 PSi accross all 6 cylinders..

If you get lower in one or more cylinders.. its rings..

It wont be the head gasket because its blue smoke.. blue smoke = oil.

[ZILR-34]

when im driving normal there's a none to small amount of smoke. but as soon as i give it a Squirt its like a steam train behind me

so if blue smoke is oil wats grey smoke?

turbo is a new highflow so thats all good.

head has been reco'd with new seal's and gaskets inc metal head gasket.

did a comp test. im not losing any power im still making 230rwkw's and just the smoke is pissin me off coz its just another reason to get pulled over by the cops

cylinder 1 -125psi

cylinder 2 -123psi

cylinder 3 -118psi

cylinder 4 -125psi

cylinder 5 -125psi

cylinder 6 -126psi

wat u guys think about the test?

cheers

bill

[GTRsean]

when im driving normal there's a none to small amount of smoke. but as soon as i give it a Squirt its like a steam train behind me

so if blue smoke is oil wats grey smoke?

turbo is a new highflow so thats all good.

head has been reco'd with new seal's and gaskets inc metal head gasket.

did a comp test. im not losing any power im still making 230rwkw's and just the smoke is pissin me off coz its just another reason to get pulled over by the cops

cylinder 1 -125psi

cylinder 2 -123psi

cylinder 3 -118psi

cylinder 4 -125psi

cylinder 5 -125psi

cylinder 6 -126psi

wat u guys think about the test?

cheers

bill

Thats pretty low...

8.5 to 1 comp ratio should be on avg 160psi. 125psi is freshen up (rings and/or bore is worn?).

Grey smoke is rich fuel exhaust from what I've seen in the past.

[tridentt150v]

You can check if its rings or valves and guides by squirting a bit of heavy oil [gearbox?] in the cylinder and then redoing the compression test. If it doesn't read any higher, its valves and guides, if it improves then its rings.

Also check that you haven't overfilled your oil, if you do that, you will blow blue smoke. Tap a bit out of it, get it to the correct level and it will be AOK.

[ZILR-34]

well my oil level is showin high on the dip stick. and it dip stick did blow out when i was getin a tune

[GTRsean]

Crankcase ventilation valve that taps into the manifold could be stuffed. Boosted air goes past this one way valve and pressurises your inside of engine. That would, could pump the dipstick out.

Or excessive blowby past the rings.

[ZILR-34]

where abouts is the ventilation valve? is it on the intake side? if so i have a aftermarket plenum. see pic

[GTRsean]

Judging by the catch can arrangement, it's been blocked off.

Has the catchcan got ant oil in it?

Where do the blue lines that leave the catch can go?

Have you checked intercooler piping for oil inside em?

Nice engine bay by the way.

[ZILR-34]

no the catchcan hasnt got oil in it. its got some kinda clear water in it.

in the 1st pic do u see the blue vacume hose comin off the airfillter pipe? that runs to the catchcan

and there's no oil in the piping/cooler

[GTS4WD]

You can check if its rings or valves and guides by squirting a bit of heavy oil [gearbox?] in the cylinder and then redoing the compression test. If it doesn't read any higher, its valves and guides, if it improves then its rings.

Thats what you want to be doing.

Absolutely no doubt that your PSi's are too low accross the board.

[skylinecouple]

"a little bit when its cold. but as it warms up more gery smoke comes out. and when i give it a Squirt gery/blue smoke"

I can't see that there is a serious problem here. You say there is grey/blue smoke. Welcome to turbo territory. Almost every skyline I've seen has grey smoke when floored due to the unburned crap that builds up in the exhaust and then blown out when boosted. The blue smoke could be turbo seals and not a worst case scenario. How much blue smoke is there ?

[ZILR-34]

well there's more grey smoke then blue. i had a mate drive behine me and told me he could see blue smoke when it started to boost

[skylinecouple]

I stand by my comment then, not really a worst case scenario. Quite often there will be oil residue somewhere in the turbo inlet or compressor housing or even the valve cover breather going into the inlet pipe. Not a worry. Black smoke is fuel unburnt, Grey smoke crap in exhaust and blue is rings but needs to be more than you have mentioned. White smoke is usually head gasket. However, if there is bucket loads of white/blue and car sounds like a VW beetle on two cylinders then go to the front of the car, hold your hands under the block and wait for hot oil and engine parts to take your fingers clean off and the oil will infect the wound so badly they will have to take your hands off at the elbow.