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Old 11-28-2012, 10:46 PM
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Exclamation Lots of white smoke

Hello rotary brothers!
My 8 smokes a lot of white smoke after being off for over 4 hours, huge clouds of smoke out of the exhaust for a good 8 to 10 minutes.
The coolant level is always right I check it every week, the car has two small leaks, oil metering pump leaking, and water pump is leaking a bit, car has 123,000 miles, I'm the third owner so I'm not sure if the engine has ever been replaced, btw after the car burnts all the smoke (10min) it drives fine no problems.

Thanks!
Old 11-29-2012, 08:40 AM
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If your coolant pump is leaking, how can your coolant level be fine?

BC.
Old 11-29-2012, 10:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Bladecutter
If your coolant pump is leaking, how can your coolant level be fine?

BC.
Hello BC

My local tech "found" the two leaks (oil metering pump and water pump), and he showed me underneath of the car and yeah I could see oil was leaking.. but since it was oil all over I could not see where the "water pump leak" was running along.. at that point I was mad so I left lol

I have check my coolant level this morning and the coolant is at the right level on the reservoir.

Started the car and as usual huge clouds of white smoke for 10min then everything is normal.

Car has no cat and stock exhaust, both front and rear o2 sensors are brand new original mazda, also car has flex innovations grounding kit, race roots coils upgrade and ngk plugs they are only 1 month old.

If the car has an internal failure "if" then why the car runs like a champ after it burns all the white smoke in about 10min.

I took the car on a trip from VA to NY overall car performance was good zero problems other than the white smoke clouds.

Thanks

Last edited by Esp-rotary8; 11-29-2012 at 10:16 AM.
Old 11-29-2012, 11:03 AM
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Well, you don't have a catalytic converter! What kind of midpipe do you have? How long has this "smoke" been occurring and what's the smell like?
Old 11-29-2012, 11:22 AM
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haha, well could it be condensation?
It's getting colder out, and after about 4 hours of cooling the pipes would accumulate the moisture in the air. Once it heats the pipes it should smoke for (10 minutes in your case)5 minutes ish, at least mine does.
Old 11-29-2012, 01:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Grace_Excel
Well, you don't have a catalytic converter! What kind of midpipe do you have? How long has this "smoke" been occurring and what's the smell like?
Hello there

The straight pipe is a no-name no-brand mid pipe I bought the car like that, the smoke has been noticeable to me since temp dropped below 50F
I bought the car last feb so it smoke the same maybe not as much and it was cold if not cold feb this year.. now the temp is betwen 30s and 50f and the car smokes as described between 8 to 10 minutes big clouds of smoke.

The smoke smells like fuel to me.. not coolant at all. During summer time the car does not smoke at all maybe just a little bit for 2 to 3 minutes.

Thanks
Old 11-29-2012, 01:32 PM
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Originally Posted by HexRX
haha, well could it be condensation?
It's getting colder out, and after about 4 hours of cooling the pipes would accumulate the moisture in the air. Once it heats the pipes it should smoke for (10 minutes in your case)5 minutes ish, at least mine does.
Hello

Yeah maybe condensation but this is extreme smoke for 10 minutes I'm talking about smokes so bad that got my neighbors worried so I told them the car has a small leak and does smoke for the first 10min they were ready to contact the fire department thinking the car was on fire. After the 10min car stops smoking and runs fine.
I changed the clutch last weekend so I took down the mid-pipe looked inside.. everything was clear nothing clogged inside of it.. could it have a small crack and that causing the car to smoke a lot? front and rear O2 sensor are working, car has no CEL codes, well it does but the CEL for the tmp sensors are irrelevant.

Thanks
Old 11-29-2012, 02:29 PM
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Could possibly be a blown coolant seal.
Old 11-29-2012, 02:52 PM
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Originally Posted by GK1707
Could possibly be a blown coolant seal.
Hi

Yes maybe a coolant seal is taking a dump on me BUT is that were the case.. why is my coolant level good? and why the car does not run like crap all the times.. just smokes a lot for 10min at first start-up, also during summer time the smoke is not there or not visible.

Thanks!
Old 11-29-2012, 03:46 PM
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Originally Posted by GK1707
Could possibly be a blown coolant seal.
Originally Posted by Esp-rotary8
Yes maybe a coolant seal is taking a dump on me BUT is that were the case.. why is my coolant level good?
Remember, it smells like fuel not the obvious sweet coolant smell. If it was the coolant seal, a noticeable drop in the reservior will show, so I wouldn't conclude that it's actually a broken seal. The only way to determine that yours has a broken seal is to take an oil sample from the engine and send it to be tested for presence of coolant fluid in that oil sample. I will agree with HexRX that it is condensation, which I see with mine now that I have an Agency Power midpipe specially as temperature drops.

Well, this simple assessment will not give you a defenite answer; but are you having hard starts when the engine is warm, do you get constant misfires at 5.5-8,000 rpm, and are there excessive deposits of white gunk in your oil dipstick?

Last edited by Grace_Excel; 11-29-2012 at 03:51 PM.
Old 11-29-2012, 03:51 PM
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Old 11-29-2012, 04:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Grace_Excel
Remember, it smells like fuel not the obvious sweet coolant smell. If it was the coolant seal, a noticeable drop in the reservior will show, so I wouldn't conclude that it's actually a broken seal. The only way to determine that yours has a broken seal is to take an oil sample from the engine and send it to be tested for presence of coolant fluid in that oil sample. I will agree with HexRX that it is condensation, which I see with mine now that I have an Agency Power midpipe specially as temperature drops.

Well, this simple assessment will not give you a defenite answer; but are you having hard starts when the engine is warm, do you get constant misfires at 5.5-8,000 rpm, and are there excessive deposits of white gunk in your oil dipstick?
Hey

No hard starts at all, no misfires at all, access port reports zero issues, after the car warms up for 10min all the smoke stop then i rev the car pass 7000 RPM about to 3 times to get rid of the last puff of smoke and that is it.. then I drive the car like I am part of bank robbery and the car performs well.

As said before the amount of smoke at start-up is dramatic! for 10 min then all is good.

And no gunk on the oil dipstick.

Thanks!
Old 11-29-2012, 08:42 PM
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Your oil control ring seal (The rubber inside the metal ring) is bad.

Done.
Old 11-30-2012, 01:12 AM
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I'm going to say that white smoke has a blue tinge to it but you can't see because you are too close.

That means oil and it is leaking and pooling up so follow NYCGPS suggestion.
Old 11-30-2012, 07:33 AM
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stock oil control ring seal is not that great, It's a compromise between reliability and sealing.

for best reliability, when rebuild, you might wanna use all Viton O-rings, but it's a bitch to install, but it's really the installer's problem, expect to pay him another hour or 2 for the work (yea, it's a bitch to install)
Old 12-04-2012, 07:58 AM
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Originally Posted by nycgps
Your oil control ring seal (The rubber inside the metal ring) is bad.

Done.
Hmmm that's deep inside the engine.. I guess the only thing for me to do is to save my pennies and get a reman engine.. :S

Thanks!
Old 12-04-2012, 07:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Razz1
I'm going to say that white smoke has a blue tinge to it but you can't see because you are too close.

That means oil and it is leaking and pooling up so follow NYCGPS suggestion.
Hi

Since engine has over 123K miles.. then a reman engine is the only solution.

Old 12-04-2012, 08:01 AM
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Originally Posted by nycgps
stock oil control ring seal is not that great, It's a compromise between reliability and sealing.

for best reliability, when rebuild, you might wanna use all Viton O-rings, but it's a bitch to install, but it's really the installer's problem, expect to pay him another hour or 2 for the work (yea, it's a bitch to install)
Hi

My engine is so old over 123K miles, contacted Mazda USA and they told me the engine has not been replaced in my 8... so I am guessing also the rotors and rotors housing are crap.. reman engine is the solution in my book.

Thanks!
Old 12-04-2012, 08:33 AM
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Possibly the housings, but the rotors should be ok.
Old 12-04-2012, 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by alnielsen
Possibly the housings, but the rotors should be ok.
Hi

Yeah maybe, but what could be more cost effective... Rebuild or reman engine swap? I have been told my local rotary shop that a reman engine swap is the best option performance and cost effective.. What you guys think?

Thanks!
Old 12-04-2012, 02:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Esp-rotary8
I have been told my local rotary shop that a reman engine swap is the best option performance and cost effective.. What you guys think?

Thanks!
I think you've already had your question answered.

BC.
Old 12-04-2012, 03:05 PM
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Originally Posted by nycgps

for best reliability, when rebuild, you might wanna use all Viton O-rings, but it's a bitch to install, but it's really the installer's problem, expect to pay him another hour or 2 for the work (yea, it's a bitch to install)
Huh.......they are just o-rings in metal retainers....why would the viton be 2 hours more difficult?

You make me laugh
Old 12-04-2012, 06:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Bladecutter
I think you've already had your question answered.

BC.
I don't think so, that is why I asked.. I want to get as many opinions, and information as possible, this is my thread I can ask as many times as I want or anything I want.. I am not here to begin a pissing contest with anyone nor I like sarcasm.

Thanks!
Old 12-04-2012, 10:49 PM
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Originally Posted by dannobre
Huh.......they are just o-rings in metal retainers....why would the viton be 2 hours more difficult?

You make me laugh
because they are usually a bit oversized, so yes it's a complete BITCH to install them. but once it's in, they're good for pretty much the life of the engine

try it and u will know, but don't hurt me for making ya "try" it
Old 12-04-2012, 10:53 PM
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Lol...I did...and didn't find them difficult...maybe I just don't know any better. the oil control ring retainers are sharp though...cut my finger putting the o-rings in
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