Hello,

I want to get a few opinions on a issue I am concerned with. My 87 NA FC does smoke like hell on startup. Its really an awefull lot of smoke, James Bond's car is a ***** againt my FC Need to say that the engine has 120000 kms and is stock. No rebuild but aftermarket rad. Starting is completly fine if I deflood it of all the oil in the chambers by removing the plugs and letting it turn over. Then it starts on the first crank. Compression is on the low to mid 80s. Compression could be better but prove is there it starts fine with clean chambers.

I have a weak coolant seal that I am aware of, but thats not the main issue. When I do start it in the morning (when I got lucky and its actually running) it emits these huge clouds of solid white/grey smoke. I am pretty sure that its oil that is being burned there, as it does smell awefully bad for around a minute and then it just stops smoking as if nothing happened. I noticed my oil level is dropping rather fast. I now use 1quart per tank of gas. It was filled with 20W50 and yesterday I topped it off with 2 quarts of castrol gtx 15W40.

I did my homework and searched potential causes, this is what I get so far:

• Bad oil control rings

That was my main guess right there, but seeing as the car does smoke everytime I start it that sounds fishy. Usually one would say that if there is one damaged oring it only smokes when the damaged spot points down when the rotor stops. Also all plugs are glazed in black. I have a pretty pile of old oil control rings on stock and the o rings actually arent that bad.

• Bad thermopellet

Apparently some people have had the TP replaced and the start smoking went away. But I don't have a clue on why thats happening. Mines still stock.

• Oil too thick

Same there people solved the starting smoke by using a lower viscosity oil like 5W30. As funny as it sounds I have no clue why. I noticed that my oil pressure is pretty high when starting and idle (1500 rpm +- 50 - 60 psi on stock gauge)
That might be a hint.

Any help greatly appreciated
Steven

 

yea sounds like the oil control rings are shot.. when oil gets to hot for to long or they just get old the rubber seals Vanish. Best to just take it out and pull it apart. rebuild kits are like 500. If the apex seals are in spec and side seals are ok and the bearings are not to worn you might get away with a cheaper rebuild

 

Thanks,

well yes thats what I think too, the rings might just be bad, but I find it strange that all the plugs are black and that the smokescreen stops after a minute like nothing ever happened.

As for the rebuild, I have a spare motor I am preparing for it. Point being I just don't have the space to work on the car as my shop is completly overfilled with cars. None of them running/rolling except the FC. The spare motor will get new seals and all, the oem 3 piece seals and corner seals are for the dumpster. Bearings and hard parts are fine. i am halfway through the cleaning.

So thats why I am wondering if I could limp it round for some more months, engine failing couldn't come to a worser moment. Maybe the racecar will be finished soon enough so I dont need the rebuild anymore

 

remember. its not the Hard rings that go bad. Its the rubber orings inside. When you take them apart You will see that they are Split broken. Or in some cases like my engine the outside oring closest to the heat and compression were missing half of the side. So they do melt and vanish. and that is no joke

 

Yes exactly the o ring inserts, the rubber stuff. I have a pile of them Even the 150 k kms old ones are not torn apart or cracked.

I testet it on a warm engine, revving to 6500 rpm in neutral while parked and letting off the throttle. No smoke, not even a puff. I did it a few times
Afaik thats a sign of healthy o rings.

I got some liqui moly stop leak and Injector cleaner. I will give it a try.

 

last year i put off rebuilding my engine for over a year with smoke and oil consumption. I was lazy. I thought it wasnt that bad. and i figured oh its just a rotary.. she will smoke. But after a quart of oil every few days i had enough of the friggin money the oil was getting to cost me. So i just friggin took it out and rebuilt it.


Not a PUFF. of smoke at all. Just like new

 

Oil control rings. My story: Triple-R: FC3S Buildup - Chapter 3: Part 26
The top of the page is entertaining but wasn't back then.
Regards,
Crispy

 

smoking and oil consumption can only be one thing, trying to talk yourself out of it isn't going to fix it any quicker.

 

Yes it is

Replacement motor is on its way, just need to wait on the new paycheck
Thats my christmas present, a rebuild kit Oh wait I already got my race motor ... So the rebuild kit is the icing on the cake

But good news in the meentime, motor doesnt smoke as bad as before with the oil leak stop. Second day was about 50 % of the usual smoke,
and now it only has a tiny blue streak comming out, which could almost described as normal. Nonetheless I trigered firealarm today while leaving the underground parking

 

STP oil treatment with 20W-50 usually does the trick for a temporary fix until it gets bad again.