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Smoke on start

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by JM280z, Oct 15, 2020.

  1. JM280z

    JM280z Rookie

    Aug 22, 2020
    12
    Full Name:
    Jake
    #1 JM280z, Oct 15, 2020
    Hi All,

    2007 F430 w/ 9300 miles.

    I just had my timing chain cover gasket changed. They changed misc. o-ring seals too. During the work, they removed the valve covers for access, but didn't replace those gaskets.

    After getting my car back from the work, I drove it home for about 30 min on a cool night. Started it 10 hours later in the morning. A massive amount of smoke came from the engine bay and exhaust pipes. Didn't smell like oil or coolant. I had some large puddles of water coming from the inner 2 exhaust pipes (not the outer two). It looked like a whole 8oz bottle of water was poured underneath the pipes.

    I drove the car all day, drove it hard. Started it multiple times with no problems. A week later, I started it and a moderate amount of smoke came directly from the exhaust. The fumes smelled like concentrated exhaust fumes, not necessarily like oil or coolant. There is quite a bit of moisture coming out of the tail pipes again, but not as much as the first time. The water from exhaust had carbon in it but it wasn't oily.

    A tech at the shop said condensation builds in those engines/engine bays a lot and it was probably just steam. Thoughts?

    All this started after getting the car back from maintenance. I have my doubts on that shop. They're a "premium" dealer/performance shop, but they have done some stupid things on my friends cars like using the wrong trans fluid and stripping drain plugs. The owner of the dealer I bought the car from required me to send it to this shop because both owners know each other.

    Thoughts? I will get underneath the car today to check for oil leaks.

    Thank you all!
     

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  2. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    10,531
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    Mitchell Le
    #2 yelcab, Oct 15, 2020
    It's hard to give an opinion without looking at and having hands on the car. However, I would have changed the valve cover gaskets of the were removed. As for for the water, you would be surprised at how much water comes out of the exhaust when the car starts up. A lot. H2O is a by-product of burning Hydrocarbon.
     
  3. JM280z

    JM280z Rookie

    Aug 22, 2020
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    Jake
    #3 JM280z, Oct 15, 2020
    Would a bad valve cover gasket be causing these issues?
     
  4. JM280z

    JM280z Rookie

    Aug 22, 2020
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    Jake
    #4 JM280z, Oct 15, 2020
    I checked the invoice; they did replace valve cover gaskets, both sides.
    Driver & Pax side valve cover gasket.
    O Ring Gasket
    Front timing cover gasket
    Front crankshaft seal
    front cover O ring seal
    Lower half gasket
     
  5. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    Mitchell Le
    #5 yelcab, Oct 15, 2020
    The "massive" amount of smoke at start up is probably the residual oil leaks which happened when the gaskets were being replaced. The water at the pipes is quite normal.

    If the blue smoke continues for another few weeks and not go away, then take it back and make them do it again. Otherwise, it's normal.
     

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  6. wmuno

    wmuno Karting
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    Dec 24, 2007
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    Wilmette, Illinois
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    Bill Muno
    #6 wmuno, Oct 15, 2020
    When cars are serviced, it's not that unusual for fluids to drip down on the exhaust system. This can produce smoke in and around the engine bay. After a few trips where the engine fully gets up to temperature, it should go away. If it doesn't, there might be a leaky gasket which will require additional service. One trick to get the condensation out of the exhaust system is to drill a 1/8" hole in each of the lowest pipes of the system.
     
  7. Regular Guy 01

    Regular Guy 01 Formula Junior
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    May 10, 2011
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    Tacoma, WA
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    Eugene Greer
    #7 Regular Guy 01, Oct 15, 2020
    I had something like this happen to me after my last service.
    I drove the car home from the dealership and left it in my garage for a few days. When I went out to start it, it smoked like a freight train. The next time I started the car it did it again, only not as bad. Both times out of the exhaust pipes. Long story short, I called the dealer and they said that they might have overfilled the oil a bit and to bring it back in. Seems like our cars are very sensitive to the levels they are filled to. I took it back and they said it was a bit over full and I haven't had a problem since.
    Mine is a 458 but this is what I would look at.

    HTH,
    Gene Greer
     
  8. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
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    Homosassa, FL USA
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    Ian Joubert
    #8 Ianjoub, Oct 15, 2020
    My 458 did the same when slightly overfilled. Now, when I change the oil, I put in 9.5L instead of all 10.
     
  9. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    #9 yelcab, Oct 15, 2020
    He said "A massive amount of smoke came from the engine bay" which cannot happen if the oil is overfilled. That overfilled oil would get sucked into the intake and burnt inside the engine with excessive smoke blowing out the tail pipe.
     

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  10. JM280z

    JM280z Rookie

    Aug 22, 2020
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    Jake
    #10 JM280z, Oct 15, 2020
    Hi all,
    I think I found it:
    Oil breather tube on the left valve cover was not connected. The clamp wasn’t pinched. This is Graham Rahal Performance in Indianapolis. They stripped my friend’s Huracan’s trans drain plug and it fell out while he was driving. After they filled it with the wrong fluid, and “fixed” it. I’ve heard old horror stories from that place about a half dozen stories. Sad... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  11. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    Nov 29, 2001
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    #11 yelcab, Oct 15, 2020
    Ah, they pulled it off while changing the gasket and did not replace the clamp or put back the hose. Sloppy. It is also one reason I hate those clamps. I always replace it with the worm type hose clamps.

    You should have gotten a slight misfire and an CEL engine code.
     
  12. JM280z

    JM280z Rookie

    Aug 22, 2020
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    Jake
    #12 JM280z, Oct 16, 2020
    I drove it several times. Totaling around 150 miles. No codes. No noticeable misfires.


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