little smokey

m3x1c0

Bad luck Buick
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
uh oh! Noticed a little puff of smoke and oil smell when I reversed into my driveway a couple days ago and coming to a stop at idle today. I have occasionally noticed little whiffs of burnt oil smell once or twice before figured it was just my leaky turbo drain. Today happened once and couldnt get it to do it again driving up and down my block. Sniffed up the tailpipe and smelled nothing. My oil pressure is kind of low at idle when its really hot out. I think I have about 12psi pressure at idle and 50 cruising. 65 getting on it. Never gone lean nor have I seen any hint of knock except one time when I was tuning alky. (sub 2.0 KR at 12 AFR around 10psi.) My tune is rich and timing is conservative 17 at WOT. Im thinking when my turbo blew I might have gotten a little scoring on the cylinders. Also seeing some oil out of the breathers but nothing outside of normal.

Now I'm running 5w30 vr1. Think I will bump it up to 15w40 to see if it changes but also will be swapping to an Fbody rad tomorrow. I'm thinking with how hot it is here in VA and the light oil weight im getting blowby into exhaust or something. Turbo just rebuilt no shaft play, and motor is less than a year old. I'm sure I'm just a little worried. Car is pushing 30 pounds of boost with alky and high 9's AFR. Yes the pvc works, yes I have a catchcan.

Anything else I should check? Should I not worry about it? I am planning on swapping my compressor housing and turning boost down to 25 before I hit the tracks next month. Drive the car 4 or 5 times a week.
 
Oil dripping from valve breathers onto headers?
 
5w30 is a little thin for that engine unless you are living in Alaska. 10w 30/40 is what a stock gn engine calls for.
 
Have you pulled the plugs yet?


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Yes. Pulled 2 weeks ago after new compressor housing that put me at 30psi. Been sitting outside since so might look a little different but looks good to my very untrained eye. Ceramic and strap kind of dark from rich condition I suppose?
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Also to be clear I don't ramp it up to 30 every time I drive it. Only hit WOT maybe 4 or 5 times in last few months. This happened after normal driving seeing no more than 15 psi but still rather spirited commute.
 
You should be running NGKyr5 plugs with non projected tip in that engine. As far as the blow by, you are pushing 30psi so you will have some for sure. Oil out the breathers happens as long as it is not excessive.

I was informed to used white Teflon valve stems seals not the blue ones anymore because they tend to pop off under boost. Like happened it to Getdowngranny's motor.

As long as oil pressure shoots up like a tach when you hit the gas the bearing clearences are fine. 5w-30 and 10w-30 are the same weight(30) when hot. If it makes you feel better then step up to 10w-40. The 5w-10w-15w are cold flow numbers.

I am guessing you are talking exhaust housing garrett vs precision, not compressor???

The cars do leak, the harder you run it the more it will leak. I get them pretty well sealed up but overtime and boost seeps develop and turn to leaks. As long as there's no drip drip while running ...run the piss outta it:)
 
Yea switched to the NGK's thats why I have this extra set (dear goodness it runs so much smoother with those and the TR6!)
Yes the exhaust housing, haha I always get the terms mixed up. Have I mentioned dyslexia I have? The Garrett spools so well but now that I have a way to seal the puck against the Precision I wanna try that one out again. It runs a little richer throughout the tune mapping I'm assuming because the turbine is moving less air. Still reading and reading and reading through my Macinnes book to understand compressor maps and such.

Actually she leaks surprisingly little for a Buick! Switched the turbo drain and now only see a bit out the back of the valve covers probably the breathers as mentioned. I think you know more than anyone just how paranoid I am, just wondering what opinions I would get!
 
I had some oil puking issues under high boost. I have a Stock pcv, catch can, and rjc pcv inline. The only thing that cured everything was when I installed a vacuum pump. If you plan on running high boost, I highly recommend a vacuum pump. I have an ls pump hobb switched to come on at 7psi. Zero oil leaks.


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