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Help with this issue please

  • Thread starter Thread starter TDCRacing
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TDCRacing

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Ok so after putting my car back together i am having a smoking issue. like it's buring oil or something. mostly notice it at idle. I think it has something to do with the intake and the intercooler...you are suppose to be able to run a breather in the front valve cover OR modify the lower intake so the pcv system works properly with the intercooler....i found this when i took my motor apart during the cam and tranny swap........it was not smoking before the swap...yes new valve seals and springs were installed!....




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I think the motor was able to breath properly because this was not sealing properly....all i used was the gasket and obviously it didnt work or seal correctly. so when i put everything back together i used a lot of grey rtv (mainly because i had a vacume leak with just the gasket)...i think it has something to do with that...maybe...what do yall think? maybe burning oil because the crank case cant breath or something...going to pull all the plugs tomorrow.
 


good luck dude and BTW thats 1 bada55 project that will see the road soon i bet nice job and its good to see a beefed up GTP =]
 
Oh it's on the road now and running strong. Just working on the tuning part now...kinda hard since my laptop blew up...have to go to my brothers house now to tune.30 minutes at a time because of the laptop battery
 
BTW it's not like pouring smoke out or anything...but it is smoking a little bit. like a whitish color
 
TDCRacing said:
because of the laptop battery
Click to expand...

what laptop do you have? I might be of assistance if you have the right model.

Your IC gasket looks fine, it wouldn't cause it to smoke unless maybe your leaking fluid out of that core, test it... Where did you use rtv with that gasket on your IC? usually they run just straight up rtv or use a little around the edes of the inner core or any holes
 
Im not even sure man...it's a hp...I have a big converter but it needs to be hooked up to the battery for it to work with the laptop. If i were to plug it into the cig lighter fuse it would just pop it...i thing the inverter pulls like 30 amps lol


Well yea i used rtv and a gasket. You mentioned the core leaking...i dont think the smoke is from water. more like oil
 


But oil would be bluish, and if you say it's white it's coolant. You may have to do a whiff test and see if it smells like coolant. Don't know what else to say right now.
 
I did and im almost certain it's oil. Im going to pull the plugs in a little while.
 
You replaced the yellow o-rings on the LIM right? I know many peopl who have tried reusing them and ended up with problems.

Are you sure your PCV system is working correctly? That seems to be a tipical problem with the ZZP ICs.

As for the wet gasket picture, thats tipical of the POS Garlock gaskets ZZP sells. They are the worst damn S/C gaskets I have ever seen. OEM GM gaskets, especially the L32 style are far superior than those gaskets. In a few months those gaskets will get oil soaked and look really nasty, and thats with or without RTV, it doesn't matter. I hate those gaskets, I still need to get rid of them off my car. Worst "mod" ever.

If you even tear off your S/C again, buy OEM GM or Felpro gaskets, apply RTV on all 4 sides, and it will be good to go. GM L32s are the best, thats what I plan on using here soon.
 
I reused the coolant o rings the first time when i did the initial swap...no problems...i did feel uncomfortable doing it though. i ordered a new set when i did the cam/ tranny install. And no im not sure my pcv system is working. dont even know exactly how it works to be honest!. do you have any tips for checking it?? still need to pull the plugs and take pics...it's on the list
 
I wasent sure if on the bottom of the s/c gasket was doing the same thing even though i used rtv...so basicly i thought oil may be comming though the pcv on the lim and going into the engine...it's a long shot but i cant imagine it being anything else....all i know that will make the engine smoke like that would be.....


worn piston oil ring
bad valve seals
Oil somehow getting into the intake
bad gaskets ect...


I can rule almost all of those out because almost all were changed. except the oil rings on the pistons. Wich it is not vary likely they just go bad all of a sudden as soon as i put the motor back together.
 


something may need to be milled flat......

did you take a straight edge to make sure there werent any gaps before throwing everything back together? something could be warped and leaking in.....

EDIT:

as far as the coolant (whitish smoke) all you would need is a pin hole leak........

you said you see it more at idle? your not getting all the fuel from the injectors at that point, not like you are under boost.
 
what would need to be milled? the lim? if that were the case it couldnt be oil then right just coolant?
 
correct. or the IC is warped slightly. the only way oil is going to get into your combution chamber is from the valves, piston rings......

coolant would be from the intercooler, or the LIM.
 
do you think you could tell if it was oil or water if i posted a movie? and took pics of the plugs? it smells like oil to me but i could be wrong.
 


If your positive its oil, i'm betting its a pcv issue. Alot of people have had issues with PCV issues with Stg2 ICs. Is your IC the newer version? Did the LIM have slots machined in for PCV operation? Did you cut your S/C gaskets to mate up with the "new" PCV setup? If its an older set up, are you running an breather on the valve cover?

As for PCV operation, I honestly can't remember, I did my check with the help of PRJ like 2 years ago and I cannot hardly remember, I know mine is working fine though. From what I REMEMBER with the oil cap off (providing you aren't already running a valve cover breather) you shouldn't feel pressure there. Also, if you hear a high pitched noise that means something is up. You could (for experament purposes of course) install your oil filler neck and rubber band and/or zip tie a sock over the hole. See if that changes anything, this will act like a home made valve cover breather if you don't already have one.

I wish I had more memory of PCV operation, I don't though sorry. On my other cars I just deleled it all together and ran valve cover breathers. But on these 3800 motors the PCM will do funky things tuning wise without the PCV working right, thats the only reason my car still has a PCV system. Other wise i'd just have a damn breather too! LOL

You may contact PRJ or ZZP, go over you install with them, see what they have to say. If its oil though, my only logical guess would be the PCV system, i know many have had hell with this on the stg2 ICs so its definatly something to look into, know what I mean?

As for coolant, as long as the gasket surfaces were cleaned up good, and new orings installed I wouldn't know what would do it next. You did use brand new LIM gaskets when reinstalling correct? It may sound like I dumb question, but I know of a few people who have done this and I think its downright crazy IMO. Gaskets are cheap, replace em. Not that it matters but did you use the plastic LIM gaskets of the metal gaskets? Is there any coolant in the oil yet? Are you loosing coolant?
 
Another thing you could check too, pull out your PCV valve, shake it, make sure it rattled and ain't clogged with **** (like RTV). Hell, you may as well replace it, there cheap, like a $2? Be sure to save the o-ring. Check in the hole, make sure there ain't RTV gunked up in there. If there is, clean it out. I've heard of someone having an issue with there PCV a long time ago and it was because of WAY too much RTV to seal the S/C gaskets. Just a thought.
 
Cool thanks for all of the help. I am running the newer intercooler from zzp now. No I dont have anything done to the lower intake manifold. I was TOLD by zzp that if I didnt do anything to the lim that i could just run a breather.


I need to make some time for this and figure it out. The funny thing is- Is that it wasent doing it before when i installed the i/c...just after i re-installed the i/c after the cam and tranny install. The only thing different is that i put a lot of rtv. Thanks for giving me a cupple of ideas to go on...now i just have to make some time to go take care of it.
 
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