Cop Magnet
Enthusiast
The info I have is preliminary, but I've always found it helpful to feel you guys out about these kinds of issues even before getting to the dealer.
I've run at the track once or twice a year without any problems. Recent oil change (not overfilled), brake fluid and the usual of course.
At the track, I got black flagged the first lap after warmup. They asked if smoke was normal because the corner workers thought it was fairly prominent. I said no and they let me back out saying they would keep an eye on it. Coming out of the corner at turn 11 at Gingerman, I see a freaking Hiroshima cloud of blue smoke
and pit out. The observers all said it was out of the tailpipe and not anywhere else.
Car runs fine with no misfires or loss of power. The oil level is rock steady. No oil underneath or anything else weird. No oil in the filter box or intake tubes. Took it ot the dealer in Grand Rapids, and they were reassuring. Didn't pull the plugs or do any real testing, though, as far as I can tell. The Viper tech said as long as the car runs well there is unlikely to be anything major and I could drive it. He said the next step would be to pull the intake and replace the PVC valve underneath. A sticking valve seal was his other thought. He doubted it would be a ring. He did not think a compression test would help.
I drove it back and got on it on the freeway with NO smoke or weirdness of any kind. Took a couple of easy laps at the track with smoke just like before and called it a weekend.
So of course the dealer is the next step, but what order of things should I suggest they look into things? I do not like the idea of pulling the intake and replacing random parts like the PVC. A compression test sounds reasonable to me. It may not show anything abnormal, but if it does, it certainly sounds to me the engine needs to come apart. Does this happening on the track with turns as opposed to the freeway on the straights have anything to do with it? It does not sound to me like a problem windage would cause.
Appreciate your help!
I've run at the track once or twice a year without any problems. Recent oil change (not overfilled), brake fluid and the usual of course.
At the track, I got black flagged the first lap after warmup. They asked if smoke was normal because the corner workers thought it was fairly prominent. I said no and they let me back out saying they would keep an eye on it. Coming out of the corner at turn 11 at Gingerman, I see a freaking Hiroshima cloud of blue smoke
and pit out. The observers all said it was out of the tailpipe and not anywhere else.Car runs fine with no misfires or loss of power. The oil level is rock steady. No oil underneath or anything else weird. No oil in the filter box or intake tubes. Took it ot the dealer in Grand Rapids, and they were reassuring. Didn't pull the plugs or do any real testing, though, as far as I can tell. The Viper tech said as long as the car runs well there is unlikely to be anything major and I could drive it. He said the next step would be to pull the intake and replace the PVC valve underneath. A sticking valve seal was his other thought. He doubted it would be a ring. He did not think a compression test would help.
I drove it back and got on it on the freeway with NO smoke or weirdness of any kind. Took a couple of easy laps at the track with smoke just like before and called it a weekend.
So of course the dealer is the next step, but what order of things should I suggest they look into things? I do not like the idea of pulling the intake and replacing random parts like the PVC. A compression test sounds reasonable to me. It may not show anything abnormal, but if it does, it certainly sounds to me the engine needs to come apart. Does this happening on the track with turns as opposed to the freeway on the straights have anything to do with it? It does not sound to me like a problem windage would cause.
Appreciate your help!
