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Blue smoke on startup from brand new engine

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Old 03-17-13, 09:51 PM
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Blue smoke on startup from brand new engine

We get lots of blue smoke on startup from my brand new engine. Once the car is warmed up or driven around there is no blue smoke. Can this be OMP related? I don't know how it works exactly so if there are any videos or other links you can recommend I'd like to look at it. Something may be connected wrong and engine getting too much oil at first. Any ideas on what may be the reason or what to check?
Old 03-17-13, 10:30 PM
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Are you talking about the very first start up? If so than it's normal to get a ton of smoke, as that's everything used during assembly burning off.

Additional lubrication during the break-in process isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm just starting to break my new engine in as well and I'm running 2-3oz/gal of premix in the tank. Mine also smokes like a shisha bar when cold, but it goes away once temps rise.

It's better to be over-lubed than under-lubed, ESPECIALLY during break-in.
Old 03-17-13, 11:52 PM
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Sounds normal to me for the first start up.
Old 03-18-13, 05:50 AM
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To be clear, not the very first start up after the build, each cold start up we get lots of blue smoke.
Old 03-18-13, 08:09 AM
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Are you premixing or anything of the sort?
Old 03-18-13, 08:14 AM
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I've seen it on a lot of perfectly healthy broken-in engines with no cats. I wouldn't automatically be worried.
Old 03-18-13, 08:31 AM
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A video would be helpful
Old 03-18-13, 09:19 AM
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What are the details of the engine? Was was reused and what was replaced?
Old 03-18-13, 09:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Reno_NVFD
What are the details of the engine? Was was reused and what was replaced?
Originally Posted by ALPSTA
We get lots of blue smoke on startup from my brand new engine. Once the car is warmed up or driven around there is no blue smoke. Can this be OMP related? I don't know how it works exactly so if there are any videos or other links you can recommend I'd like to look at it. Something may be connected wrong and engine getting too much oil at first. Any ideas on what may be the reason or what to check?
I think the engine is brand new.
Old 03-18-13, 10:06 AM
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brand new? or brand new rebuilt?
Old 03-18-13, 10:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Tem120
Are you premixing or anything of the sort?
Not at the moment.

Originally Posted by arghx
I've seen it on a lot of perfectly healthy broken-in engines with no cats. I wouldn't automatically be worried.
The engine hasn't been broken-in yet. Just starting it at the workshop to move the car in and out of the workshop. And short trips to other workshops in the industrial zone.

Originally Posted by GoodfellaFD3S
A video would be helpful
I will record one and post it. There is one in my build thread but when smoke was gone

https://www.rx7club.com/build-thread...-989042/page4/

Originally Posted by Reno_NVFD
What are the details of the engine? Was was reused and what was replaced?
Originally Posted by RENESISFD
I think the engine is brand new.
Brand new engine from Ray @ Malloy Mazda.

Since blue smoke is not permanent, my mechanic is suspecting the OMP system but he doesn't know how the system actually works so wants some information on that to check if during re-install there was something wrong like with new lines or breathing nozzles or the actual unit etc. Obviously the engine is getting a lot of oil for some reason.
Old 03-19-13, 03:59 AM
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Ok, here is a video, it's not very clear because my friend took it with his iphone but you can see the smoke:

RX7 Idle 2 Video by ALPSTA | Photobucket
Old 03-19-13, 07:12 AM
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I thought you said it was smoking?

You're just being overcautious since you just spent a bunch of money. It's absolutely nothing to worry about. The engine is fine.

What turbo (s)? New or used? It could be a turbo pushing a little oil but even that looks minimal.

I wouldn't worry about anything until you put some actual drive miles on it and see if it clears up.
Old 03-19-13, 08:09 AM
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Your engine is more then fine and that video is hilarious, I pull great compression with my motor and when I start it up cold it's like a James Bond smoke screen. Most RX-7's burn oil on start up after they've had the thermal pellet mod done, which nearly everyone does after rebuilding a motor. As long as the oil smoke doesn't persist after it's completely warm then I wouldn;t worry about it.
Old 03-19-13, 08:32 AM
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Guys, I posted the wrong video, sorry

That video was after the car is warmed up. And the one below is the cold start. As you can see there's plenty of blue smoke. And the engine is brand new from Japan so I don't think it has the thermal pellet mod from factory.

RX7 Idle 3 Video by ALPSTA | Photobucket

The turbo is brand new GTX35R.
Old 03-19-13, 10:28 AM
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Looks pretty normal for cold start with emissions removed. Probably a little overly rich while cold, that can be adjusted with water temp corrections. Another thing to remember is that there is always a lot of condensation in a wide open exhaust system at start up.

It does not look like an oil injector issue. Did you install an oil restrictor on the turbo? If it is not restricted it can cause excess pressure at the CHRA which will cause smoking.
Old 03-19-13, 10:53 AM
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Yeah, yours isn't smoking too bad at all.

For comparison, here's mine (new Mazda engine (not a reman) rebuilt with a streetport and stronger apex seals) smoking while cold.

Old 03-19-13, 12:36 PM
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looks fine to me also, a little leakdown in the engine through the new plates and oil seals which should get better with time. add in the grey smoke which is too much fuel which will make the other smoke seem worse than it is.

if it persisted through warmup then you should be concerned.
Old 03-19-13, 05:06 PM
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Here is a short drive video, as you can see the blue smoke is there for quite some time. Is this normal? So far all the comments have been comforting. I am just hoping nothing has been damaged during, install or first minor ecu tune or first start up.

RX7 Short Drive Video by ALPSTA | Photobucket



.
Old 03-19-13, 05:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Banzai-Racing
Looks pretty normal for cold start with emissions removed. Probably a little overly rich while cold, that can be adjusted with water temp corrections. Another thing to remember is that there is always a lot of condensation in a wide open exhaust system at start up.

It does not look like an oil injector issue. Did you install an oil restrictor on the turbo? If it is not restricted it can cause excess pressure at the CHRA which will cause smoking.
Yes there is an oil restrictor on the turbo. What's worrying me is the color of the smoke, because from shouldn't it be black or white if it's a condensation or a mixture problem? Btw you're right, all emissions stuff is removed incl. the cat.

Originally Posted by fendamonky
Yeah, yours isn't smoking too bad at all.

For comparison, here's mine (new Mazda engine (not a reman) rebuilt with a streetport and stronger apex seals) smoking while cold.
The smoke in your video is white color mine is blue. Looks like yours is condensation or steam in winter start up.

Originally Posted by RotaryEvolution
looks fine to me also, a little leakdown in the engine through the new plates and oil seals which should get better with time. add in the grey smoke which is too much fuel which will make the other smoke seem worse than it is.

if it persisted through warmup then you should be concerned.
Fingers crossed, I'm hoping this will get better with time and tuning.
Old 03-19-13, 06:17 PM
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keep in mind the exhaust, turbo and even engine will all be oil soaked and that will collect in the exhaust and take some time to burn off. if it keeps on after several hours of run time then i would probably start looking into crankcase ventilation and your turbo oil restrictor.
Old 03-19-13, 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by rotaryevolution
keep in mind the exhaust, turbo and even engine will all be oil soaked and that will collect in the exhaust and take some time to burn off. If it keeps on after several hours of run time then i would probably start looking into crankcase ventilation and your turbo oil restrictor.

+1
Old 03-19-13, 06:56 PM
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it's better to be over-lubed than under-lubed, especially during break-in.
twss...
Old 03-19-13, 09:36 PM
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Originally Posted by SWAT81
twss...
Old 03-20-13, 07:16 AM
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Thanks for the replies guys, I'm relieved but I will still keep an eye on it after the 3k break-in miles. I hope it's not there by then.


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