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ran into problems when i started the tta...

bigdom1012

Well-Known Member
so i went to start up the car yesterday...smoke started coming outta the engine!!!! not fun looks like oil is leaking somewere...has anyone else ran into this problem...i did what joe (black shepherds) told me to do and the oil pressure was fine on the gauge:wall::eam:
 
Yeah probably the rear main seal or valve cover. I wouldn't worry about it, mine puts on a pretty good smoke show when I start it. It's been said on here before, if it's not leaking oil, make sure it still has oil in it.
 
Yeah probably the rear main seal or valve cover. I wouldn't worry about it, mine puts on a pretty good smoke show when I start it. It's been said on here before, if it's not leaking oil, make sure it still has oil in it.

Now that is a funny, but true statement if I have ever heard one. LMAO
 
so i went to start up the car yesterday...smoke started coming outta the engine!!!! not fun looks like oil is leaking somewere...has anyone else ran into this problem...i did what joe (black shepherds) told me to do and the oil pressure was fine on the gauge:wall::eam:
,


Hi Mike,

Sometimes you have to think these things through. What do you think happens when you turn the motor over with no ignition? That's right, oil gets into the combustion chaimber and gets burnt off causing smoke, no big deal. The advice you were given is good and a sound practice. If the smoke continues it could be a leak dripping on the cross over but that will generally happen when the motor is up to running temp. There is a few other things that will cause this but they all have to do with the motor being heated to running temp. Right now I think your fine, at least with the info you gave and I think the guys that answered you were doing the best they could with the info they had.
 
Getting slightly off topic, damn those 22 year old leaky gaskets. This was the main reason I overhauled my motor. Front seal, rear main seal, oil pain gasket, timing cover, valve covers.... were all leaking slightly. Car looked and ran mint but need was a leaky SOB.

No more smoke at start up!

A bad coolant temp sensor (CTS) also will make the Turbo TA smoke at startup fyi. You can check this sensor with your scantool.
 
A bad coolant temp sensor (CTS) also will make the Turbo TA smoke at startup fyi. You can check this sensor with your scantool.

That isn't his problem here. Good thought though.

And don't toot your horn too loudly. Your rear main seal will start leaking again. If you drive the car and get into the boost, it WILL leak. There is no way around it. Then again, if you change turbos and never test them, it will never leak. :fuckkk:

Jason
 
That isn't his problem here. Good thought though.

And don't toot your horn too loudly. Your rear main seal will start leaking again. If you drive the car and get into the boost, it WILL leak. There is no way around it. Then again, if you change turbos and never test them, it will never leak. :fuckkk:

Jason

I don't think that motor has seen more than 8 psi yet :WOOT:
 
Getting slightly off topic, damn those 22 year old leaky gaskets. This was the main reason I overhauled my motor. Front seal, rear main seal, oil pain gasket, timing cover, valve covers.... were all leaking slightly. Car looked and ran mint but need was a leaky SOB.

No more smoke at start up!

A bad coolant temp sensor (CTS) also will make the Turbo TA smoke at startup fyi. You can check this sensor with your scantool.


Hi Black Shepherds,

After owning my car for 21 years, building more of these motors than I want to remember and having quite a few friends with turbo Buicks I can tell you one thing for sure, I am still learning. These turbo cars can and will throw you a curve at any time. Just when you think you have something figured out, something else happens with the same symptoms. No body knows everything about these cars, even though some pose to do so. Now I have never had a CTS leak or even heard of one but, if I did, it wouldn't be oil and it appears to me that smoking at start up wouldn't happen. The motor would have to get hot enough to boil the water off and that takes a little bit of time and the smoke will be steam. As far as the oil leaks go, these cars will always leak. Even at stock boost you are running at over 2 atmosphers of pressure. No seal will hold up to that, especially if you use a synthetic. That stuff has a mind of it's own! It searchs out places to leak just to piss you off.
 
A bad CTS makes the car run like crap. I had it happen on my 1982 TA. It runs pig rich, which would cause smoke out of the tailpipes. It would definitely be a different smell than oil burning though.
 
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This was the main reason I overhauled my motor.

Joe, what's your definition of overhauled? I thought you just took the top end off?

A bad coolant temp sensor (CTS) also will make the Turbo TA smoke at startup fyi. You can check this sensor with your scantool.

Have you been drinking coolant?

I think he's got oil burning off the engine or maybe a leak of coolant somewhere, but I can't see how a bad CTS would make smoke out of the engine bay? Even on cold start up it wouldn't really puff black smoke out the tailpipes till the engine got warmed up.
 
Joe, what's your definition of overhauled? I thought you just took the top end off?



Have you been drinking coolant?

I think he's got oil burning off the engine or maybe a leak of coolant somewhere, but I can't see how a bad CTS would make smoke out of the engine bay? Even on cold start up it wouldn't really puff black smoke out the tailpipes till the engine got warmed up.


Hi WS6,

I think the problem here is lack of good info so it's hard to diagnose what's really happening. I think you pointed out that the color of the smoke is important. I do believe that the oil that is pumped into the cylinders with no ignition and then producing ignition will cause a burn off that will produce a light blue smoke and causes no damage and is not a problem. If you have further info I would really appreciate your input. I haven't read any post from you that I didn't agree with or thought was BS.
 
They are just busting my balls Frank.

I missed the smoke coming out of the engine bay part at start up.lol I read it right the first time.... no more posting at 3:00am.
 
We like Joe,we're just jerking him around a bit. Truth is I'm jealous of his car compared to my turd.
 
We like Joe,we're just jerking him around a bit. Truth is I'm jealous of his car compared to my turd.

You lizards, I love you all!

Ahhh ... :lamo: It's easy to throw nice looking parts at it Rich... I just hope it preforms.



Joe
 
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