adoh30

Hi guys I have a '92 twin turbo FD3S Twin turbo RX-7.

Lately my car has been starting up and some white smoke is coming out (didn't happen before) so being a noob at cars I have checked the following the oil - inside the oil cap the is some white emulification which would indicate to me some water is getting in - could this be the head gasget leaking?

Also when I put my foot down there seems to be almost like a rush of air coming from the engine that I never had before - are these two problems linked?

I live in wales, UK, so I just need to do a service on it with a head gasget change and perhaps the head skimmed or could it be another problem - please advise.

Thanks

Adrian

alexdimen

iTrader: (13)

you don't have a head gasket in your rx-7. in fact, your engine doesn't even have heads... ever look under your hood before?

there are coolant jacket o-rings, which perform a somewhat similar job.

when you put your foot down where? the brake? the clutch? front porch? your statement is pretty vague.

Buzzardsluck

I find that statement very funny only because I might of said something stupid like that a year or two ago.

I hate to say search but.......

Have you been having to add water? How long does it smoke white?

Rush of air, maybe a vacuum leak? Is there a loss in power?

pinks2000

blown turbo possibly? i had a blown turbo and had loads of white smoke pouring out the exhaust as a result of this.

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Blown turbos smoke when you get hard on the throttle. It's more of a bluish-grey smoke, since it's burning oil.

Smoke on startup is usually burning coolant or burning oil, which is leaking past the seals in the engine block. It is akin to a head gasket leak, but adoh30 if you keep mentioning head gaskets you're going to get ridiculed. I suggest you find a rotary shop and have them test the engine.

Did the engine overheat since the start of the problem? (Overheating warps engine housings and can give way to sudden seal leaks)

Dave

adoh30

This message is to all, as I said I am not mechanically minded, I have a passion for driving cars but thats it im afraid, I need your help in understanding, you say search but you have to know what your searching, to try and be a little more help....

There is a loss of power at the top end, the smoke does not continue after the engine is warm, I do not appear to be losing any oil or water, the oil cap does smell like petrol (if that helps) the engine has never over heated, also to clarify when I put my foot down on the accelerator. Any thoughts on the new info I have provided, your help will be appreciated.

scotty305

iTrader: (2)

White smoke on startup suggests that your coolant seals are wearing out. Have you driven the car aggressively without warming it up? Boosting when the car is cold is a good way to wear out your coolant seals.

First, I suggest you read the following webpage:
http://www.fd3s.net/o-ring_failure.html

Second, read question 24) in the FAQ located at https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generation-specific-1993-2002-16/faq-3rd-gen-other-useful-links-68640/

Third, search for "blown coolant seal" , or "champagne bubble" . Be sure to check your coolant level very carefully for the next few weeks.



If you want to learn more about the unique rotary engine that is in your car, and why the RX-7 doesn't have head gaskets, check out this site: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/rotary-engine.htm



It's unlikely that the petrol-smelling oil has anything to do with your smoke at startup. That smell is due to blowby, or combustion gasses escaping past the various seals in the motor. This happens to every engine, piston or rotary. It is more severe in turbocharged rotaries, and gets worse as the engine ages and the seals wear. I recommend changing your oil more frequently, personally I change my oil every 1500 miles because I don't like the idea of gasoline in my oil.

Good luck,
-s-

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

adoh30, nobody expects newbies to know all the ins/outs of a rotary engine. But some newbies persist in asking lots of basic questions where laziness is the problem - hence the rough treatment. Not so in this case.

In case Scotty didn't make it clear, the petrol smell is normal for these cars, and one reason why it's good to use a thicker oil (20w-50 for example) and change it more frequently.

Read thru the FAQ, and pay attention to the subject of coolant seal failures. There are a few tests that will help determine if this is the case (champagne bubble test, coolant pressure test), but really if you can find a solid rotary shop they will give you the best diagnosis. Dealers are not recommended.

Do consider that 'white smoke' is sometimes water vapor, caused by condensation in the exhaust. This confuses some people if they haven't started up an FD in cooler weather before.

Dave

adoh30

thanks all for the suggestions, however still haven't answered why I have loss of power, why there is a severe rush of air sound and why when I open up my oil cap there is white/yellowy gunge/paste there - I always thought that was because water is mixing with the oil?? can anyone suggest anything for this or the probably cause.

Thanks in advance

G's 3rd Gen

iTrader: (11)

you have a loss of power because of the woosh sound. It is likely a coupler linked to the turbo system has cracked. Thus your loss of power when boosting. Check all your couplers and air hoses that attach to the intercooler, turbos, etc. There are alot of diagrams that can be found to help you find it. This a common problem when the old brittle hoses crack due to heat wear. Check them all carefuuly. Taking each one off for close inspection by process of elimination is the best way. Dont try to poke around and find it. It should be rather obvious when found. As for the goo on the inside of your oil cap. That is normal. Codensation forms there and is normal. Wipe the inside of the cap if you wish. Good luck. Take it one step at a time. G

c_akira

iTrader: (1)

adoh30 - how long have you had the car for? If you do a search on "white smoke" you will see a lot of threads on this topic. Does the car stop smoking after it is warmed up? After the car is warmed up turn it off and start it up again. Does the white smoke come back? If it does then there is a greater chance that your coolant rings may be leaking. If not then this maybe normal for your car (assuming you haven't owned the car for very long). Also, have any aftermarket parts been installed under the hood?

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

The gunk in the oil is normal.

The whoosh, like G's said, is probably the boost leak that is robbing you of power.

Dave

adoh30

Guys many thanks for the help, I will start to trace the problem