Puff of white smoke? | FerrariChat

Puff of white smoke?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by brent Lachelt, Mar 5, 2004.

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  1. brent Lachelt

    brent Lachelt Formula 3
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    Dec 6, 2003
    1,828
    Brownsburg, INDIANA
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    Brent R.Lachelt
    I was staying at a hotel for a business meeting yesterday and had the valet park my 308 in front of the lobby. The car was parked on a moderate incline and was in that position for most of the day. When the valet went to start it up I noticed a plume of white smoke. This has never happened as the motor had a complete valve job and new valve guides less than 7000 miles ago. Never have seen this before and since this afternoon it hasn't happened again. Could it have something to do with parking on an incline?
    Thanks,
    Brent
     
  2. tifosi

    tifosi F1 Veteran
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    Sep 5, 2001
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    Tom D
    was it immediate or over time? did it stop, does it still do this??? white smoke generally means water and maybe on a incline some water stayed in the exhust pipes. Blue smoke can mean oil and could indicate a problem in the engine. Did the weather change at all over the period it was parked - is got much cooler?
     
  3. brent Lachelt

    brent Lachelt Formula 3
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    Dec 6, 2003
    1,828
    Brownsburg, INDIANA
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    Brent R.Lachelt
    It was immediate, it was very short and it hasn't done it since or before that. It was parked in this position from 7:30am til 3pm. It was near the beach in so. cal. so it was cool, 45-50 degrees over night. It was in a parking space outside at the hotel over night and moved to the valet spot in the morning. The smoke looked white, but it hung in the air unlike condensation?
     
  4. tifosi

    tifosi F1 Veteran
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    Sep 5, 2001
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    Tom D
    i would not worry, keep an eye on it
     
  5. gabriel

    gabriel Formula 3

    Yeah, it's a standard feature that Ferrari has designed into all their cars.
    - It camouflages the mechanics hands, when they stick them into your pocket and withdraw all of your cash...
     
  6. thibaut

    thibaut Formula Junior

    Feb 28, 2004
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    London, UK
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    Thibaut A.
    I dunno what the sset up is for a 308 but if it has a drysump design, it possible that with inclination some oil swept by the seals. A very common feature on 911.....
     
  7. 308 GTB

    308 GTB F1 World Champ
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    Feb 7, 2002
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    Barry Wolinsky
    Brent,

    I have a carburetted 308 GTB with its own set of starting procedures, but I bet with your FI 308, that valet pressed the accelerator pedal when he started your car.

    Barry
     
  8. tigermilk

    tigermilk Formula Junior

    Jul 12, 2001
    321
    Houston, TX
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    James P. Smith
    I'd say it's water in the exhaust. I get it every time I start my carbed 308 if it hasn't been driven in 8 hours or so. I also live in Houston, so I get plenty of humidity. Even in the garage it gets damp. The smoke goes away within seconds, and the exhaust never smells like burning oil.
     
  9. mondial86

    mondial86 Formula Junior

    Nov 1, 2003
    298
    MA
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    David Holmes
    DO NOT THINK ABOUT it AGAIN, the key to this smoke is that you said that the car was moved from a parking lot to the valet spot in the morning and then sat for the day. the car never got hot enough from it's short move from the parking lot to valet ,so when you started it had some moisture in it and it just burned it off,they allways say that you should run a car for about 15 to 20 minutes to get it good and warm
    david
     

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