when i start my fc, i get a few seconds of silver smoke, which looks like oil

is that a bad sign or normal???

 

if it is oil then no problem. but if it is white that is coolent and that is a problem

 

what would be going out or leaking when coolant is getting into the combustion......place
lol

 

Wait a minute, isn't white smoke on start up normal. Isn't that the cold start assist dumping coolant into the combustion chamber to increase compression to help cold starts?

If the white smoke goes away, I'd say you are fine. If you constantly have white smoke and loss of power, I'd say a coolant seal has gone bad.

 

If you get white smoke at high rpm-say over 4k probably coolant getting into the combustion process, side seals most likely. If this is the case probably would see low oil and coolant levels real quick. A little at startup is o.k. but this is probably the beginning of the problem.

 

well I dont have a cold start assist so I wouldn't know.

 

Then you shouldn't be seeing any white smoke on any startup.

 

think all you guys have some reading to do.....


steam on start up is normal...due to condensation in the exhaust system burning off..this should clear up shortly..if you have white smoke during any RMP range after the engine has discarded condensation in exhaust....coolant is being burned..blue smoke is oil......black is fuel. The cold start assist does not dump coolant into the combustion chambers.......never should you have coolant being "dumped" into the combustion chamber. The cold start uses coolant temperature to bring RMPS up to 3k to allow cats warm up. Also...sides seals would not cause coolant to get into the combustion chamber...water o-rings maybe..nut not side seals, apex seals, or corner seals.

 

I've never paided to much attention to an fc's engine bay components, but on a SA and FB they have sub zero startiing reservior that contains a 90/10 mixture of coolant that gets injected into the carburator when temps get below zero degrees to aid in the building of compression on startup. I wouldn't see why this would be any different on a fC.

 

hmm interesting....maybe i should read up. hehe

 

why coolant though? why not just more oil....coolant as compression builder?? wierd.

 

It has nothing to do with the cold start assist. It is either oil smoke or coolant smoke. This would have to be noticable (very thick) to be either of the two. If were talking a little smoke (or very thin looking) for less than 5 seconds then that is normal and the motor is just showing its age. So describe what it looks like and well narrow it down. -Gabe

 

does coolant every get "injected" into the motor to help with compression building though? that makes no sense to me....

 

No it was designed to help with the starting of the motor in sub zero conditions .. You will find that mazda sent a factory service bulletin to take them out of the cars after 1988. They were essentially useless. ICEMARK has the actual bulletin I might be getting my years off but it happened like that. -Gabe

 

ok.....i feel better now.

as for your problem Sirgrantalot, if it silver, im assuming you mean like a steam color...in the morning as was said above...its normal.....just moisture in exh. burning off...as long as it doesnt last after the engine has been running for awhile (up to OT).

 

And I quote, "This is the device for encreasing the starting ability of the engine in extreme cold. When the ignition key is turned to the position of "START" under the circumstances where the temerature is below -18c (0 degrees f), a cetain amount of starting assist fluid is supplied into the carburetor (or manifold) by a pump installed for supplying the starting assist fluid.

If you would like, I can supply a pic of the nozzles that show it being directly injected into a carburetor right next to the primary fuel nozzles. That is why is specifies ethylene glycol antifreeze for ALUMINIUM engine parts only.

I guess you don't know jack Rotorific...lol j/k dude

 

Oh yeah, it might not have anything to do with Sirgrantalots problem, but it does get injected into the motor.

 

So you mean I might have been right? Woohoo!

 

It doesnt help with compression though. -Gabe

 

The number one byproduct of combustion is Heat...

The number 2 is H2o

That's why you see steam on cold days...The internal combustion process produces water, until the car is hot enough to burn it off...

Mine has a light haze of smoke on startup, but then goes away...Some weeps past the seals as it sits overnight...no biggie...

 

i think, from what i hear from you guys, that its normal cause the smoke lasts for like 5 sec and then is gone, its really thin and comes before the usual steam when its cold

thanx for the info, though

 

Hey...when i start my car, I get white smoke(normal) but after that I get black smoke(TONS)...I dunno what's going on!!! help?

 

damn dude that sux
it doesnt sound good, but im basically a noob on the actual problem solving of fc's so ill leave the advice to the experts

ill just say it doesnt sound good
lol

 

Black smoke equals to much fuel.

As for Rotorific, That is the whole reason it was injected, to help with compression. What did you think it was for, keep your fuel from freezing?

 

what color would it be if the radiator is only filled with distilled water and redline water wetter?