I need some help. My car has recently started to smoke while idling. I noticed it but thought it was just condensation. Today I noticed its blue smoke, not condensation. It is something I definitely would have noticed before, so it must have JUST started.
I had a shop install a heads/cam package back in February and all was fine. It is running a little rich because I had headers and a custom y pipe installed and there are no cats and the o2 sensors are going nuts I'm sure.
I just changed the oil yesterday, could I have maybe put in too much? I put 6 qts in but only because it didn't seem full at the time.
Could too much oil make it smoke? Or is it something else? Any ideas?
Thanks,
Chris

 

I would say your rings. How many miles do you have on it?

 

BTW, who did the work for you? You are right across the water from me.

 

Yeah I know, I"ve talked to you before about dyno shops.
I have 40,000 miles and Holeshot Performance in Chesapeake did it for me. What would cause that? Improperly installed rings? Over-revving? A full moon?
Its frustrating because right when I have my car where I want it, I get this surprise.

 

If it is the rings, until its fixed, other than burning a little oil, is it hurting performance or anything? If not I may just wait until I get a bigger cam installed. Does it cause any other problems except smoke?

 

It could be a couple of things if smoking at idle.
Rings like mentioned above, valve seals, PCV system sucking
oil into the intake.
Does it smoke any other time, and if at idle is it just at startup?
If its just at startup its probably valve seals.
Check the PVC hose going into the intake, if there is oil present then
its coming from that.
Burning a little oil won't hurt, eventually it will foul plugs and
posibly O2 sensors.

 

that's a good point, if it is just at start up, it might just be the valve seals.
Unless you raised your compression ratio way high, the rings should be okay.
But I say you'd be buying racing fuel before you found out you had bad rings.
But LS1's are known to burn oil the more miles you put on them (I know mine is. I burn about an extra quart every 4000+ miles now. But I have 90k on it. But the smoke isn't noticable)

BTW, I haven't been back to the dyno since the last time. Everyones car is either braking (and it is mostly Ford Guys!! doh!!) or they don't have the $$. Sorry for not getting back up with ya.

 

No it isn't just when you start it. It is when its sitting there idling. And actually after I let some of the oil out it seemed to not be very noticable. I just started it and its outside idling right now, warming up so I can see if its still smoking. Doesn't seem noticable at all now. Who knows! Grrrrrrrrrr.
There may be a HINT of smoke right now, could be my imagination though. But also I have no cats. I haven't had te car re-tuned since I got headers and custom y-pipe w/ no cats so it smells pretty rich. Hopefully Friday or Saturday I'll take it back for more tuning. I just got some exhaust fumes in my eyes and oh my god they are on fire.
Is this something I need to take back to the person who installed the heads/cam? Or just keep an eye on it?
Thanks for all the replies!

 

I'd say keep an eye on it. Sound like you are a little parinoid. (course so would I) You need to get some o2 sims dude, and it will prolly run a little better too.

 

I was going to get o2 sims, but can't they simply be turned off in programing?

 

not sure on that one.

 

The lack of 02 Sims doesnt effect performance at all, it just sets the SES light on and throws a code.

I dont know about in your area but here in Houston at MTI I was quoted $75 for basic reprogramming. (Program out CAGS, EGR, rear 02s, raise rev limiter, etc)

The 02 Sims brand new are equal to or more than that. Used ones can be had for as little as half that. But all in all its better to just have them programmed out, since you can probably just have them do other stuff too at no additional cost while you are there.

Again, thats at MTI so I dont know whats available in your area.

-Chris