1st Startup of the year help, please.

[DrTaco]

Hey all,

Started my '96 for the first time since Nov yesterday and got thick white smoke after about 30seconds,and it lasted about 30 seconds and then was fine for 15 minutes of running (non-load) with lots of moisture spatting out. Started again this morning, after about 30seconds got 10seconds of thick white smoke/moisture again and then all was fine for 20 min (non-load)

Conditions:
1) Coolant tank level slightly above line (orange coolant)
2) Overflow bottle low to empty (did not check level before storage)
3) Oil level within safe zone/on the LOWER side
4) Oil color honey brown with about 400ish miles since last change
5) Car never past 190degrees on either day
6) Stock oil gauge on 60
7) Did not notice any sweet smell during operation
8) Wide band went between lean and normal conditions for entire non-loaded engine time
9) No leaks/smells noted during operation under car
10) Small spotting of coolant found under car prior to start. May have been left over from a hoseclamp becoming loose during winter, though.
11) Heater turned on and to full blast during second start today.

**Only thing done to car before/during winter was used Stabil and 93gas before storage. Is this just the Stabil burning off? Why a few seconds into startup and not ON startup? Anything I should be checking on or am I clear?

Thanks guys,
Mark

P.S Temp outside was mid/low 40's on both days. Smoke was NOT steam. Thick, white smoke that stayed low to the ground. So, I was thinking it was coolant or synthentic oil burning off. But, neighbor brought up Stabil as the issue.

 

[NI-KA]

Well, I cannot comment on all the other particulars you detail, however my '97 will produce similar results after the car has been sitting for a period of time. I believe it is caused by condensation in the exhaust. I was able to reduce/eliminate it by placing plastic under the car on top of the cement (be carefull not to allow the plastic to get sucked up into the fan if you let it idle or come into contact with the exhaust)

Typically, cement is permeable unless a vapor barrier was placed before pouring the cement or the cement has been coated/sealed.

Perhaps you are 100% correct and it is not steam but could it be steam mixed with whatever residue is in the exhaust?

Note: My GTS has similar modiciations as yours.

 

[bluesrt]

maybe valveguide seals hardned while sitting, may go away after you put a few 100 miles on it

 

[Fatboy 18]

Bottom line, white smoke exiting out of exhaust = H2O = water, Could be condensation built up in pipes or.........Blown Gasket somewhere. You could do a pressure test on the cooling system, but being as you have not run the car for a while I would take the car out for a gentle run first. Keep an eye on the temp gauge Also check your oil to make sure it is not a milky colour, You may have had moisture built up in your rocker covers too

 

[BLK04]

I would say 100% Normal

 

[Steve-Indy]

I would say that you may have timing chain cover gasket going out...not uncommon in Gen II's 96-98. I would get an oil analysis done now...fill coolant to appropriate levels in all locations and watch coolant and oil levels closely...also watch for cross contamination. Good luck.

 

[DrTaco]

Thanks for the feeback, guys. Hoping it's just a moisture/stabil issue. The car is kept in a Carcoon year-round, but it is also kept in an unheated garage as well. I will be doing a full fluid flush next week, and guess I will just wait and see if the smoke continues. Steve, thanks for the idea...hoping that is not the issue, but I will send in a sample next week. Just bugging me why the smoke is starting after the car has been running a bit, and then stopping (this is with car standing still except for backing up 10 feet)

Thanks again,
Mark

 

[7TH_SIGN]

I doubt it is the seals having any issues. Try driving it a couple miles then letting it sit for a day, then turn it on again to see if the white smoke returns.

 

[bluesrt]

well, hard valve guides will drip oil in the cylinder when you let it idle, the longer it idles, the bigger puff of smoke your gonna get.. maybe ask someone if they are known for valveguide smoke history. i dont know, but some cars are prone for it, and especially dodge for one.(older years,90,s) and older, and yes oil makes white smoke........fo shor

 

[Darth Menace]

I am no pro, but I would say there are no issues. I start mine up now and then through the winter and there is a bit of white smoke until it heats up and then it's fine.

 

[martyb]

Take off the oil fill cap, take your finger and run it on the inside of the valve cover, see if you have any thick white sludge. I have seen this happen before, its from condensation and temp changes. Is your car forced induction or NA??

 

[Steve-Indy]

I always start with the worst case deal...and hope for the best. I do think sending an oil sample will be a comfort...noting the other posters are more likely on the right track.

 

[DrTaco]

Yup, thanks again brothas. My Blackstone labs kit should have been in the mail last week, so looking forward to getting all the fluids changed next week and sending my oil sample in. I may just knock out the power steering fluid tomorrow as an exuse to start it up and see if she's still smoking. I don't think I can make too many assumptions until I actually take her out on a DRIVE, but it's not going to be warm enough for that this week I don't think. Anyways, I'll keep you posted and hopefully this will help others in the future. This is my first "after winter" with my Viper, so for all I know this is all normal.

marty, thanks for the tip...I'll check it out. I'm NA for now.

 

[pocketAA]

Mine does the same thing. Its just condensation in the pipes. I get white smoke on startup all the time and eventually it just goes away. If the car runs fine, don't worry about it, it is normal.

 

[dave6666]

"thick white smoke" is neither normal nor is it moisture. Not trying to say you have a problem, just comparing your words to everyone's responses

 

[Dom426h]

"thick white smoke" is neither normal nor is it moisture. Not trying to say you have a problem, just comparing your words to everyone's responses

Yea, exactly how much smoke are we talkin about here. Take a pic or a vid, or search for a youtube video of "tailpipe smoke" that is similar to yours and direct us to the link.

Like this????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrjWgYx1TW4&feature=fvst

or like this???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPkJdXGrKos

or somewhere between???

 

[Dom426h]

I would say that you may have timing chain cover gasket going out...not uncommon in Gen II's 96-98.

True not uncommon but IMO his symptoms dont match.
If it was the timing cover, coolant would be getting into the oil not just in the first 15min of startup. And if it did, how would that cause alot of white smoke? The coolant wouldnt be going Into the cylinder like a headgasket failure... Some T-cover failure instances i have heard about people have overheated pulled over and pulled their dipstick to find a milkshake of coolant mixed with their oil and a low coolant resevoir. Ths makes sense since the coolant is spewing into the oilpan. The OP says that his oil is honey brown. That sounds normal to me.

 

[DrTaco]

True not uncommon but IMO his symptoms dont match.
If it was the timing cover, coolant would be getting into the oil not just in the first 15min of startup. And if it did, how would that cause alot of white smoke? The coolant wouldnt be going Into the cylinder like a headgasket failure... Some T-cover failure instances i have heard about people have overheated pulled over and pulled their dipstick to find a milkshake of coolant mixed with their oil and a low coolant resevoir. Ths makes sense since the coolant is spewing into the oilpan. The OP says that his oil is honey brown. That sounds normal to me.

Exactly. Oil color is normal AND on the lower side + Coolant level is just below bottle neck and normal/"clearish" orange = Fluids not mixing together. Maybe some oil leaked in due to temp changes and sitting for the few months? Oil level has remained the same since I started playing with this whole issue. Also, remember the smoke only last for 30 seconds (day1) and then 10seconds (day2) then went away. It was not constant during the entire operation for those 15-20 min idle times.

Haha, as for the vids I'll have to take a look for one on youtube and post it, or have the cam ready when I start her up next. " NO" to the Honda one and "NO" to the second one. Somewhere in the middle. If you MADE me choose, closer to the Honda one...but not that much. The second vid just looks like a cold morning start on my Buick.

Listen, it was thick enough to smoke out any hippies on the property and enough to make me say "***?", but then it was gone just that fast. Did not happen on a rev either, just idle. That's why I was hoping with all the moisture that spat out with it, that it was just the stabil mixing with moisture and getting out of dodge.

Thanks again for the opinions and offers to help. I'l keep ya posted during next start up, waiting for it to be a little nicer out than it is today in Chicagoland.

 

[overzealous1]

mine does the same exact thing every time. no probs arisen in 2.5 years of ownership! just moisture pulling out of exhaust and mufflers/resonators.