Puff of smoke on gearchange, soot on rear bumper

[Dan]

Folks,

I'm looking to see what's normal and what's abnormal here. Friends who have followed me tell me that there's a slight puff of blueish smoke on gearchanges - seems to tie in with change-ups above 4000rpm when accelerating hard. I also have a shadow on the rear bumper over the tailpipe that gradually darkens until I clean it off - a sort of sooty deposit rather than oil. The engine uses about a pint of oil per 1000 miles, but I do like to keep it at 3,500 - 5,000 rpm when driving. I can't see any smoke in the mirror when driving, and have tried decelerating hard down a hill in gear, so assume that it isn't bore wear - although I've not done a compression test yet. It has been suggested by one non-Esprit owner that the valve guides might be worn.

I don't see many other Esprits with sooty back bumpers. Is this because everyone else is fastidious at keeping them clean? Is it because my exhaust (an SJ stainless item) only protudes at most an inch beyond the bumper? Or have I got valve guide wear that needs to be attended to?

Cheers,

Dan.

89 NA

[Splashout]

if the smoke is blue as you say and you are getting a black build up then it would suggest you are burning oil.

This could be from any number of places eg

as suggested valve guides

turbo seals

if compression is good and not using lots of oil you should be ok, but worth getting it checked

[EspritMiltonKeynes]

Hi Dan,

Wow.... I've been thinking I was the only Esprit in the village until now. I'm in Downhead Park, where are you?

89 NA - I take it that you don't have a catalytic converter fitted and you're running on carbs, and that the unleaded conversion was years ago...

Well... you certainly sound like you drive it hard (which isn't an unusual thing because we all buy esprits for the same reason). The moment you said smoke I thought bore wear - but obviously not... How many miles has it done? I think over 100k is rebuild time fro 4 cylinder NAs. I know it's probably the last thing you'd want to do but it might seriously wipe the slate clean.

Errr... fairly obv stuff now You're using the right sort of oil? Ever thought of going high-mileage (if you are indeed high mileage)...

I can't really think of anything other than the valve guides like you've suggested.... perhaps someone else can think of something. It might be worth posting this in the Guigaro technical room as well as that's where the carbs boys tend to hang out more. B) Good luck!

[EspritMiltonKeynes]

turbo seals

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

89 NA?

[Dan]

Forgot to add - it's done 20,000 miles from new, and is running on Millers semi-synth 20W50 oil - this was recommended to me as 'thick enough' for this engine when I bought the car.

James - there's about 5 Esprits in MK & Bletchley, just need to look hard Jason Kite is a regular poster/hooner with an SE, and there's a Stevens (SE?) and an S3 turbo in Bletchley that we know of, an S4s just round the corner from me that never seems to come out to play, and an SE in a garage being rebuilt by Malc of www.lotusbits.com. Perhaps we need a meet/hoon - let's get through the holiday season and see what can be organised!

Dan.

[WayneB]

Mine gets a sooty pipe when I have been doing short journeys with the choke on, just washes off when cleaning the rest of the car Blue smoke does suggest valve guides (usually worst on start up) but as most of the Ferraris I work on have lost oil down the valve guides and smoke a bit, I woulnt panic too much (unless you are doing lots of miles)Valve stem seals do get hard with age, and I would change them next time you have the engine out (C sevice?)

Edited July 29, 2005 by WayneB

[Splashout]

89 NA? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ohhh shhh expect me to read footers when i am work

[Splodge s4]

Interesting stuff, mine has dirty black smoke, not blue, when cruising on the motorway for a bit at ay 80 then speed up, on a long journey at constant speed the bumper is black with soot. if i drive for hours at different speeds, on A roads for example theres nothing.

Its just come back from Esprit Engineering, C service, & the engine is fine, not running rich, all seems ok. Not been on the motorways yet though so not sure if it has stopped smoking.

I'l watch this post & se if many more do it.

[TimRdLotus]

Blue smoke is oil.

However, keep in mind when you're running hard and close the throttle, lots of things happens that can cause the engine to suck up a little oil. Starting with the engine crankcase breather, turbo seals, intake seals to piston rings. Unless there is something obviously wrong, you could spend a lot of money chasing it and then not find it.

I would do a compression and / or a leak down test and if all is well, wash the car more often. My porsche and lotus both get that on their rear bumper after some spirted driving. I just wipe it down between drives.

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

Hey Splodge! You will have seen my car down there then!

<-------------- Doesn'y look like that now tho!

[Splodge s4]

Hey Splodge! You will have seen my car down there then!

<-------------- Doesn'y look like that now tho!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yup i sure did, he said if i need any parts to help my self to 'the silver one in the corner'..... Joking mate!!!

what you doing with it, hes had it ages hasn't he??

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

That's its' home!

[CNH]

You are just sucking a bit of oil into the cyl on lift off thats all. The engine is a bit worn.

[pitstoppete]

what sort of nick is the little green flame trap thingie in?

my Excel SE (same engine) had over 100,000 miles on the original motor.

when i got it, it smoked a bit like yours. cleaned out the green flame trap, changed the oil for 20/50 Valvoline Racing (nothing else) and its stopped burning oil (still dripped from places). cured the leaks, drove it for seven years, changing oil at 3k intervals, and it never lost any after that original change to VR. there was some proper over fuelling kinda black smoke at times, especially on the rolling road, but we swapped the main jets at least twice, after I'd modded the induction/exhaust. no blue smoke. As ^^^^ says, its sucking in some of yur millers stuff.

As for revs, I waited till mine was very warm/hot until i gave mine any beans, making sure all was the right size in the engine b4 giving it plenty.

[EspritMiltonKeynes]

James - there's about 5 Esprits in MK & Bletchley, just need to look hard  Jason Kite is a regular poster/hooner with an SE, and there's a Stevens (SE?) and an S3 turbo in Bletchley that we know of, an S4s just round the corner from me that never seems to come out to play, and an SE in a garage being rebuilt by Malc of www.lotusbits.com. Perhaps we need a meet/hoon - let's get through the holiday season and see what can be organised!

Dan.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah definitely, sounds like a great idea. 5 hey? You should all get yourselves on the membermap, at the moment it's just me & kato in our region! So far I've only ever seen elises, excels and one europa in MK, which surprises me 'cause I'm often out and about. Perhaps we should all go down the MK cruise some night and rub noses with the sooped up 106's... then again - we might not come back alive! Seriously though, I'll def be up for any local meet if we can get one organised. B)

[Paul C]

Silencer and cat free, my fire popping gives me some

sooty on my white rear bumper after as little as 50 miles.

[WayneB]

Its when it gets this bad you have to worry

[Guest teigan]

friends driving behind me mention random flames shooting out the back, and yes, little puffs of smoke on gear changes. i'll have to ask what color next time. i may be running the fuel mixture too rich because i get the occasional backfire 30 seconds after engine shutdown, but only the first time in the day i drive the car.

[TimRdLotus]

friends driving behind me mention random flames shooting out the back, and yes, little puffs of smoke on gear changes.  i'll have to ask what color next time.  i may be running the fuel mixture too rich because i get the occasional backfire 30 seconds after engine shutdown, but only the first time in the day i drive the car.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the flames must be the afterburners kicking in..

[TimRdLotus]

friends driving behind me mention random flames shooting out the back, and yes, little puffs of smoke on gear changes.  i'll have to ask what color next time.  i may be running the fuel mixture too rich because i get the occasional backfire 30 seconds after engine shutdown, but only the first time in the day i drive the car.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does it look like this when the flames shoot out??

[Guest teigan]

the flames must be the afterburners kicking in.. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

none installed i'm afraid. sounds a treat, but they wouldn't make the car go better, unless i purchased the turbo jet booster kit too.

the exhaust from my esprit smells closer to petrol fumes, than the rotten egg smell the local ferarris make. not sure which is worse.

when the women take over, car exhaust will be scented like their annoying candles.

[WayneB]

People have told me I get flame out of the exhaust pipe on the overun too. I took the Catylitic converter off and run the U.S. spec . stainless steel straight through exhaust. Dont know what it smells like though

Edited July 29, 2005 by WayneB

[Jussi]

friends driving behind me mention random flames shooting out the back, and yes, little puffs of smoke on gear changes.  i'll have to ask what color next time.  i may be running the fuel mixture too rich because i get the occasional backfire 30 seconds after engine shutdown, but only the first time in the day i drive the car.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also get sometimes backfire after engine shutdown. Usually when engine is warm. I'm also running too rich, all my friends have told they even taste the gas out of my car's pipe

[WayneB]

I would like at least a 3 foot flame out of my exhaust to burn the paint off the front of tailgating Honda Civics

[Evil_Dr_Fish]

I saw a Sapph. at Castle Combe last month, running with 18-24" flames out the back of his exhaust!!!