This is the first winter I've had my 7, and while it's been clean of any snow so far the temperatures lately have dropped a lot... I've noticed that when it's below about 30 degrees outside, my car seems to smoke more at startup (thin bluish white oil smoke) then a period of thicker white smoke, which I assumed was condensation being burnt off. It stops after about 3 mins and no abnormal smoke while operating at normal temps. This morning it got really cold, below 10 degrees, and it seemed to smoke etc even worse. Fluid levels haven't changed much, coolant is fine and oil has come down a bit which is understandable but not losing tons. Does this happen to anyone else? I'd really rather not be driving my rex, but my current circumstances don't give me much choice. I just hope it doesn't snow, otherwise I'll be walking a lot.

Edit: Car has 59k original miles, I have no knowledge of a previous engine rebuild.

 

I drove my FD alot last winter, and I alway gave it like 10-15 minutes to warm up on really cold days (with the heater blwoing). I had similiar things appen, and this was on my new engine that only had maybe 7000 miles, so I was not too worried about it. as long as it does not continue to have abnormal color exhaust after reaching operating temps, there is nothing to be concerned about.

This year I have a second car to drive thankfully, so my 7 is in hibernation!

 

Yeah, mine smokes alot too. It's a reman w/ ~3000 miles though.
But it is winter, so your car will look like it's smoking alot, but most of it is just probably heat or something. Blah.

 

Mine does the same thing. I have a rebuild w/18,000 miles on it. It smokes a lot for about 30sec to a minute. But, after the car is fully warm, it's fine.

 

I think its normal for the car to do that when its very cold out. I start my car up ever few days since its just sitting in my garage right now. There will be a period of smoke for about 4 mins but once it gets up to nomral operating temp it goes away. But its been in the teens to lower twenties here in Michigan.

 

the fd's always smoke (white) when cold... just give it a really good warm up and you'll be fine.

 

Mine also has a lot of white smoke for a bout a minute and 2nd grinds the first 5-10 times I go into it. Only when it's freezing, though.

 

If only global warming would hurry up, we rx7 owners wouldn't have to deal with cold anymore.

 

be sure to 'tap' the gas pedal to quit the accelerated warmup. I get less smoke screen when letting it idle normally.

 

Rotarys naturally don't like the cold on startup. There is nothing wrong with your car.

 

i am in south florida and it was about 45 degrees and my car does the same thing but the smoke only goes out about one foot then disappears.

BTY...i just noticed this week that black soot has been coming out the exaust. does anyone know what that is and if it is normal?

 

i had a thread on the black soot like stuff coming out of my exhaust fairly recently. It seems to be normal. Lots of others claim the same thing...only when started cold that is. Everyone seemed to agree it was condensation or something in the exhaust. I wouldnt be worried about it.



-Jeff

 

my car never gets up to normal operating temp.. we're talking after like 30 minutes of straight driving, is there a problem? is the sensor just fugged up?

 

Best thing is to start your car in in 3rd gear in cold conditions like that, to prevent high acceleration while the oil in the pan is still almost frosen and will not lubricate good untill warm-up, that will reduce also that white smoke period.

 

Nothing is fugged up, don't turn on the heater for like about 10 min's because that reduces the warm-up speed..

My car does the same thing, takes forever to warm up, especialy for past couple of day's that's been super cold here in NYC

 

i just let mine warm up for about 20 minutes. the smoke for the first few minutes is normal.

as long as there aren't any problems after it's warmed up to normal operating temps, then you have nothing to worry about.

edit: it doesn't hurt to disable the AWS either. either blipping the gas or just completely disable it thru the ecu...

 

I really hope you guys dont just let the car sit there and idle till fully warm, thats not very good when your trying to ELIMINATE carbon build up

20 min especially!!!

the past few days its been 5 degrees here in chicago and I let my car warm up for a good 2-3 min then I just drive like a complete ***** untill it gets a lil juiced up. If I hit the highway, and then shut the car off, the temp needle starts going down in under 5 min. IT makes me worry about going WOT if its not completely warmed up. I bet those coolant seals are loving it though!!