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does your car smoke too?

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Old Apr 4, 2008 | 12:33 AM
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does your car smoke too?

Considering the rotary engine, there's always going to be a notable amount of smoke coming out the exhaust. On my FD, it doesn't stop smoking until it has reached operating temp. Is it supposed to take that long for it to clear. Operating temp for me is about 90C.
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Old Apr 4, 2008 | 05:51 AM
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errr...getting tired of these posts.

would really help to know if your running on the stock exhaust or not. also how many miles are on your turbos. white, black, or reg exhaust color? knowing these things should get us started
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Old Apr 4, 2008 | 06:39 AM
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Originally Posted by beyond1stcrack
Considering the rotary engine, there's always going to be a notable amount of smoke coming out the exhaust.
This is just not true. If there is smoke then you are burning oil, coolant, or excess fuel. It is not "normal" for the car to smoke, even if it is highly modified. Just like it is not "normal" for a rotary to leak fluids. If it is smoking then something is wrong, or the car needs to be tuned. A small amount of steam from the exhaust at start up (which may appear to look like smoke) caused by condensation is normal.

Last edited by Banzai-Racing; Apr 4, 2008 at 07:00 AM.
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Old Apr 4, 2008 | 08:31 PM
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I am also curious about this. I use to have a heavily modified street ported T2 that never smoked and ran great cold or hot. Now I have an FD that smokes just like yours..when cold. and it breaks up alot if I step on it the slightest bit while cold. I'm hoping that a tune straightens this out like banzai said.
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Old Apr 4, 2008 | 09:13 PM
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Originally Posted by T2 Tsunami
I am also curious about this. I use to have a heavily modified street ported T2 that never smoked and ran great cold or hot. Now I have an FD that smokes just like yours..when cold. and it breaks up alot if I step on it the slightest bit while cold. I'm hoping that a tune straightens this out like banzai said.
is your o2 still hooked up? that would be your rough idol at cold start.
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Old Apr 4, 2008 | 09:17 PM
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My FD used to stop smoking at around 45C. Now the turbos are blowing oil so it doesn't stop smoking.
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Old Apr 4, 2008 | 09:26 PM
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when i start the car
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Old Apr 4, 2008 | 11:31 PM
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Car has a Power FC Commander, 3" downpipe with stock CAT and muffler. The Air Pump is removed because one of the bolts broke off when taking it off and we couldn't get it out so opted to eliminate it. The turbos are new, Efini twins. Mileage is about 100k but don't know if the engine was ever rebuilt. We replaced all the vac lines recently too.

It is very perplexing because it will sometimes start up blowing clouds of white smoke, but doesn't smell like coolant. Sometimes it starts up and no smoke. When you drive it, it sometimes doesn't smoke at all, then, for no apparent reason when stopped at a stop light or something, it will start billowing white smoke again. It's not consistent. Sometimes it smokes, sometimes it doesn't and it's not blue smoke.

We've replaced the PCV valve, are using Lucas Oil Stabilizer along with Castrol 20W-50 oil.

Stock Air Cleaner.

Could it have anything to do with leaky fuel injectors?

It's very strange and we don't have any RX7 shops in Honolulu to take it to...
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Old Apr 5, 2008 | 09:46 PM
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I have 30k turbos on my car with the emissions removed. it smokes and runs rough for the first 5 minutes or so (I know some of the roughness is because of the emissions delete) and the smoke is a little blueish gray....I have a 3" DP, gutted cat, HKS carbon ti and stock intake.

Trev
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Old Apr 5, 2008 | 10:09 PM
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no. no smoke here.
'Course...it IS a new engine...lol!
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Old Apr 5, 2008 | 10:13 PM
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I have smoke while my car is warming up but it is just runs rich while its cold I know you can change that on the PFC but i just havent gotten around to that yet.
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Old Apr 6, 2008 | 01:11 AM
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Originally Posted by beyond1stcrack
Car has a Power FC Commander, 3" downpipe with stock CAT and muffler. The Air Pump is removed because one of the bolts broke off when taking it off and we couldn't get it out so opted to eliminate it. The turbos are new, Efini twins. Mileage is about 100k but don't know if the engine was ever rebuilt. We replaced all the vac lines recently too.

It is very perplexing because it will sometimes start up blowing clouds of white smoke, but doesn't smell like coolant. Sometimes it starts up and no smoke. When you drive it, it sometimes doesn't smoke at all, then, for no apparent reason when stopped at a stop light or something, it will start billowing white smoke again. It's not consistent. Sometimes it smokes, sometimes it doesn't and it's not blue smoke.

We've replaced the PCV valve, are using Lucas Oil Stabilizer along with Castrol 20W-50 oil.

Stock Air Cleaner.

Could it have anything to do with leaky fuel injectors?

It's very strange and we don't have any RX7 shops in Honolulu to take it to...

BINGO

Your cat has to reach operating temp to clean up any emissions. Your O2 sensor has to reach operating temp to make any fuel corrections, so you're in open loop (rich) until it sends a signal. The air pump heats up the cat on cold start. Think of an oxyacetalyne torch, the amount of oxygen controls the temp. You're probably greatly reducing the life of your cat too.

So basically you're running rich and you're not cleaning up emissions on cold start.

Last edited by AHarada; Apr 6, 2008 at 01:18 AM.
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Old Apr 6, 2008 | 02:12 AM
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Mine smokes at very cold start up. Its all fuel i'm pretty sure. Not sure how long it smokes for, but its definitely gone by the time its warm. I am planning on taking a video clip just to ensure everythings alright...
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Old Apr 6, 2008 | 03:31 AM
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same here smoks a lil bit on start up till it starts warming up.. full exhaust no restrictIONS
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Old Apr 6, 2008 | 07:28 AM
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Originally Posted by AHarada
You're probably greatly reducing the life of your cat too.

this is myth
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Old Apr 6, 2008 | 07:56 AM
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My Car "spits" smoke until it reaches 30°C. Guess you let a mechanic check your car.
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Old Apr 6, 2008 | 08:49 AM
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On my FD, it doesn't stop smoking until it has reached operating temp.
This is condensation, not smoke!
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Old Apr 6, 2008 | 03:10 PM
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Random Smoke After Warmed Up

Thank you all for the comments/thoughts guys...

The really weird thing about my car is that it will randomly start smoking AFTER it's been warmed up. You can be driving for 15 min or so, be at a stop light, and then, it starts billowing non-blue smoke. Would this still be an AIR PUMP thing once it's been warmed up and at operating temperature?
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