Cloud of Smoke

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Bodhistt

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Hey! Sorry to necro a thread but I have the exact same issue you do/did. Random smoke on start up and big clouds when hard accelerating at 4k+ rev range.

Did you ever find out exactly what was happening? Does anyone know? It's driving me crazy.
 

Bodhistt

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It's mostly white with a very light blue tinge. I've got a few random codes but not tied to the smoke. When I accelerate and it happens there is no code. Same with when the smoke occurs when starting the vehicle.

1 or 2 times it's caused a restricted performance code and gave me a whole bunch of misfire codes. 1-2 for each cylinder and 1 for misfire with low fuel.

I have also done the PCV valves. Haven't checked the plugs or let it sit.
 

jlglr4

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Blue tinge sounds like oil. Maybe valve seats/seals. When it sits, the oil leaks down into the chamber and you get smoke at startup. High vacuum (when you’re off the pedal at high RPM) can suck oil out of the leaking valves as well, which would explain smoke when you accelerate after decelerating.

However, if your seeing sustained smoke when you accelerate, that might not be explained by leaking valves and might suggest worn rings. Worn rings can let oil directly into the cylinder, but also can increase crankcase pressure, pushing oil into the intake through the crankcase breathers. But I’m not sure worn rings would explain smoke on startup.
 

Stuart Barnes

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Blue tinge sounds like oil. Maybe valve seats/seals. When it sits, the oil leaks down into the chamber and you get smoke at startup. High vacuum (when you’re off the pedal at high RPM) can suck oil out of the leaking valves as well, which would explain smoke when you accelerate after decelerating.

However, if your seeing sustained smoke when you accelerate, that might not be explained by leaking valves and might suggest worn rings. Worn rings can let oil directly into the cylinder, but also can increase crankcase pressure, pushing oil into the intake through the crankcase breathers. But I’m not sure worn rings would explain smoke on startup.

sounds like it’s time for a compression test and leak down test.

are you noticing any oil/coolant consumption?
 

Bodhistt

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Thanks for replying y'all:

Blue tinge sounds like oil. Maybe valve seats/seals. When it sits, the oil leaks down into the chamber and you get smoke at startup. High vacuum (when you’re off the pedal at high RPM) can suck oil out of the leaking valves as well, which would explain smoke when you accelerate after decelerating.

However, if your seeing sustained smoke when you accelerate, that might not be explained by leaking valves and might suggest worn rings. Worn rings can let oil directly into the cylinder, but also can increase crankcase pressure, pushing oil into the intake through the crankcase breathers. But I’m not sure worn rings would explain smoke on startup.

I certainly hope it's not rings. That would suck. The part that throws me off is that it's intermittent and really only if I accel hard. If you stay under 4k RPMs then it doesn't happen.

sounds like it’s time for a compression test and leak down test.

are you noticing any oil/coolant consumption?

I am consuming Oil at a slow rate. I just changed my oil and was down a quart or so. I will be pullin plugs to check them out and do a compression test soon. Just gotta find time to do it.

FYI:
I kinda stalked the OP and he left a comment on the original YouTube video that it was the vacuum pump for him. Going to look into this and see if it's leaking. Not sure how that would cause the smoke like that...
 

jlglr4

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Vacuum pump doesn’t make sense to me - at least not if the smoke is coming out of the tail pipes. I guess oil from a leaking vacuum pump could spray onto some hot surface while your driving and come out the back of the car (from airflow while moving), but even that seems pretty unlikely given the position of the vacuum pump.
 

Rberkel

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It is unburned fuel. The vacuum pump is part of the evap system and connected to the vapour canister. If there is liquid fuel in it instead of vapour (overfilling of tank or faulty purge valve) it can cause the excessive smoke when the conditions are met that the fuel vapour is normally lead into the engine to be burned off.
 

jlglr4

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The vacuum pump is for the brakes. The DMTL pump (which is an electric pressure pump located in the back of the vehicle, at least in the 2014+ models) is the one connected to the vapor canister for the evap system.

I know if you get liquid fuel into the vapor canister, it can be pulled into the intake, but that should give black smoke rather than white/blue tinged smoke.
 

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