# White smoke, need help



## supernissannx (Mar 1, 2005)

I have a 93 NX 1600. Recently I replaced two injectors, but didn't replace the o-rings. (Bad idea). I drove the car home, and it was fine and appeared to run really nicely. Later on that day, I started it and white smoke was comming out, and even more smoke when I would rev it. Next day in the morning I tried starting the car, but it wouldn't... I found out that the engine was flooded when i poped the hood... After all this happened i replaced the o-rings finally. I started the car without the fuel pump fuse, deciding to get rid of all the fuel in the system, but the car just idled and didn't die. Could the fuel pump get bad? I took the spark plugs out and they weren't wet this time, but i still must be running rich. I'm pretty sure that the injectors aren't bad. Is the fuel supposed to be running out of the line (before filter) under so much pressure with only half full tank? I also keep my eye on the FPR. Any suggestions? At this time: White smoke, car runs without fuel pump fuse, too much pressure pehaps? Thank you for your time. By the way coolant is full. I don't think it's leaking anywhere.


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## HATEnFATE (Dec 24, 2002)

supernissannx said:


> Is the fuel supposed to be running out of the line


please elaborate.


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## supernissannx (Mar 1, 2005)

HATEnFATE said:


> please elaborate.[/QUOTE
> 
> Sorry, to put is simply is it supposed to be under pressure from the tank at all time, or at some point the fuel should just stop running from the tank when disconnected at the fuel filter. Sorry not an american born here


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## HATEnFATE (Dec 24, 2002)

Don't worry about where you'r from....we all drive these and love them equally. 

I've seen some cars spit fuel out of the line with the pump not working and some will not spit anything out. 
When you pull off your fuel line you will get some gas coming out of your line since it is still under pressure from when your car ran last BUT it SHOULD NOT run with the fuel pump disconected. Something doesn't seem right. Sure you pulled the right fuse?

The white smoke is a little odd. Does it smell like anything other then smoke? I've seen many people confuse Large amounts of steam and condensation for smoke but thats usually only durring cold weather.


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## supernissannx (Mar 1, 2005)

Yes I pulled the right one. It's a green fuse. Couldn't go wrong there. About smoke, could it be coolant? I'm gonna check my coolant level again, because it looks like drips of water on the tip of exhaust. I'm also gonna put another FPR and better spark plugs. hope its not coolant...


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## Slacky (May 31, 2004)

does it smell like fuel is coming out of the tail pipe or is it kinda a sweet smell like radiator fluid, that should answer your own question


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## supernissannx (Mar 1, 2005)

ok, did all that. There is still smoke comming but not as much. No it doesn't smell like fuel burning for some reason, but i just have no idea what i could have done to the cooling system if all I did was change the injectors...
After a short run i pulled the plugs and the new plugs were covered all black and there was some smoke comming from the cylinders. I wouldn't say that its oil. There is one more to do: change the oil. It's necessary after a flood. I'm thinking if I have moisture on the muffler, there is no way it could be gas, because it would burn after such a long trip through the exhaust system. At this moment: white smoke, black spark plugs, missfiring a bit when reved. Could i still have too much fuel pressure???


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## Bror Jace (Apr 26, 2003)

Thick white smoke is a classic headgasket leak or antifreeze is getting into where the fuel is burned some other way. 

Often you'll notice a sickening sweet smell ... like rancid pancake syrup.


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## Slacky (May 31, 2004)

could be too much fuel pressure yea, cus then the car would run like poopy. if it was a coolant issue u would have bubbly discolored oil, white tips or clean spark plugs most likely just one but maybe 2 because they would have been basically steam cleaned and... you'd be really low if not out of coolant


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## supernissannx (Mar 1, 2005)

ok, I'm at the point of thinking that it's eating coolant. I just can't figure out what i did so it starting doing that. Another thing i messed with is the cover on the intake manifold that has 11 screws on it. I didn't change the gasket on that thing. Could it be it? That thing is like right before the injector ports. But it started smoking before I messed with it. I checked the coolant by taking the radiator cap off and there is coolant tipped off!!! I drove the car around the block and its just smoking... and there is mist on the exhaust. I touched the mist and its like water but not green. I mixed my coolant 75% coolant/25 water, but that was a long time ago. Don't tell me that I could have water in my gas, because the car is reving up like it used to before this crap happend. i'm gonna check my injectors for leaking, otherwise it's all dry in the combusting chambers before starting and after running well except the spark plugs being all black


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## supernissannx (Mar 1, 2005)

Yes the car revs up real nice, just to update...


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## ZooYork (Jun 23, 2004)

do a compresion test to check the headgaskettttttttt :cheers:


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## Bror Jace (Apr 26, 2003)

A compression test .. or leak-down test should show the problem. Your case sounds like it will be an obvious one.

Minor leaks are best tested by used oil analysis ... UOA.

Minor leaks won't show up as milky residue or an oily film in the recovery tank. They will, however, cause your wear rates to skyrocket.


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## Slacky (May 31, 2004)

but hed deff be able to tell just by lookin at the plugsif all are toasty brown then hes all good but if theres one thats lacking color and almost clean then that cylinder is the culperate and if u catch it now before its to bad then u could use that sealent stuff taht u run through the radiator, ive used it plenty of times and it works for small leaks though ive used it for external leaks only im pretty sure it works for internals also


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## HATEnFATE (Dec 24, 2002)

^^^^
Any kind of sealant like what you are talking about is a gimmick. Thats just a way to mask what is really a problem. Great way to turn something small into somthing HUGE!

If you feel that using that is good then I pitty your engine. Ohh yeahl......stuff like that it also GREAT for cloggin up heater cores too. Nothing says fun like tearing your dash apart.


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## supernissannx (Mar 1, 2005)

ok i have some questions... is there normaly any water in the fuel, i mean literally... I rev up and there is water dripping out of exhaust. I can't say it sweet smelling, hell i can't say it's sour. All i know is that my coolant stays at the same level and doesnt decrease. I drove the car for 15 mins and it's kinda smoking still but not like those others on the road, although i still wanna solve the problem. Now in my opinion I have one or maybe 2 injectors that are actually in open situation (not working), but i pull plugs and it's all nicely dry (not soaking). Changed the oil, i thought that the smoke decreases a bit. I'm gonna be putting one of my old injectors to replace #4 injector. I try to keep an eye on that one, since others work fine. How about a new filter, spark plugs? What do u guys say worth the $??? How do i do all those test withought purchasing gauges??? I don't feel like dropping $50-100 for some gauge to use only once or twice at most.


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## sunnysentra (Jul 24, 2002)

well the black plugs indicate no spark or the injectors are wide open. Too much fuel and not enough spark. You better get your hands on a Nissan Consult to determine the injector pulse. If you changed the injectors, maybe something is wrong there? 

The white smoke is baffling. This is usually Coolant, head gasket. Do a compression and leakdown test. The water in the exhaust is the CAT converter trying to burn that fuel. Your CAT maybe red hot also when you are running it. Anytime you run rich, the CAT trys to burn off the richness of the gas. You add more fuel, then the converter burns it it red hot or it will quit. then carbon will shoot out the pipe if the CAT is bad, but that is why you have alot of water. the converter converts the NO2 and hydrocarbons to CO and H20. That is why short time trips in the car usually rust exhausts becuase there is so much water trapped in there. 

Better check the injectors and your coil if you have over 80,000 on it. The coils tend to go to pot after that. I replaced mine because of the wet plugs and no start. I had weak spark. 

Chris 92 classic


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## kibitok (Jan 16, 2004)

*Steam vs. Smoke: A Definition Problem?*

Hi there,

Am no expert, but mine has been running with the white smoke(steam) for 2 years, no problems. It was not doing it before I bought a new carburettor and distributor for it. 

It was blowing black smoke and smelled of unburnt fuel (running rich). After the swap, it was smelling sweet like and was steaming like crazy, thought i did not fasten it tight enough. I recheked and it was fine. This was early in the morning (ambient temp 12 degress centigrade).

I find that it will drip water from the exhaust and steam lightly at midday (ambient temp 26 degress centigrade). No coolant lost. It is excerbated by idling the engine since the exhaust temp does not rise when engine is at idle. You have admitted that it lessens when you drive around the block, right? 

The water and steam at high ambient temp is less, this is due to the exhaust being hot and vaporises the water quicker. When the exhaust is cooler i.e. during start up and cold mornings, you will see more steam or water dripping. 

When it is hotter like at midday you see less steam since amient temp is high and thus exhaust temp is higher. From a vat of boiling water you will see more steam in cold temp than in warmer temps. (Note i run mine without the cat. We only had leaded fuel until Jan this year when unleaded became available.)

Water is a by product of burning petrol fuel. The more efficiently it is burnt the more water is produced hence the increase after the change of injectors. have you by any chance noticed a better fuel efficiency? Its a by product! Glad you noticed the improved performance.

Happy sunny days y'all!

Hope this helps allay your fears!


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## Tavel (Aug 21, 2004)

supernissannx said:


> ok i have some questions... is there normaly any water in the fuel, i mean literally... I drove the car for 15 mins and it's kinda smoking still but not like those others on the road, although i still wanna solve the problem.


similar to what /\ he said, but shorter :thumbup: 

water is a byproduct of hydrocarbon combustion, just like it is in cellular respiration. water condenses when cold, at startup the exaust pipes are cold and the water condenses on them, then is pushed out by the current of air). if it is humid/cold outside the water will condense upon leaving the exaust causing white "smoke", but it's no different from seeing your breath on a cold day. 

if other cars are doing it at the same time you are (as you said), then it's simply because it is cold/humid outside and NOT a problem.


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## sunnysentra (Jul 24, 2002)

supernissannx said:


> ok i have some questions... is there normaly any water in the fuel, i mean literally... I rev up and there is water dripping out of exhaust. I can't say it sweet smelling, hell i can't say it's sour. All i know is that my coolant stays at the same level and doesnt decrease. I drove the car for 15 mins and it's kinda smoking still but not like those others on the road, although i still wanna solve the problem. Now in my opinion I have one or maybe 2 injectors that are actually in open situation (not working), but i pull plugs and it's all nicely dry (not soaking). Changed the oil, i thought that the smoke decreases a bit. I'm gonna be putting one of my old injectors to replace #4 injector. I try to keep an eye on that one, since others work fine. How about a new filter, spark plugs? What do u guys say worth the $??? How do i do all those test withought purchasing gauges??? I don't feel like dropping $50-100 for some gauge to use only once or twice at most.


when you mean white, does this mean really white that lingers or just steam? There is a difference. does it happen around 40 degrees ambient temp outside? Chris


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## supernissannx (Mar 1, 2005)

PROBLEM SOLVED! Turns out just like I thought, I had too much gasoline in my exhaust system after flooding  , so after 30 mins of driving it, all cleared up. There is no more smoke what so ever, only mist in the morning!!! Yes there is some mist on the exhaust tip, but far, far less. I think I'm back to normal! Though I still think i have higher fuel pressure then it should be and/or i'm still leaking a bit of fuel, because sometimes when i start the car it starts without the starter revolving a few times. I'll get to it later. In the mean time i get about 350 miles with 89 a tank :thumbup:


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## Tavel (Aug 21, 2004)

supernissannx said:


> i get about 350 miles with 89 a tank :thumbup:


city driving pwns mileage


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