Author Topic: Big gray cloud....  (Read 3681 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Mark.c0000

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
  • Karma: 0
  • Gender: Male
Big gray cloud....
« on: February 02, 2016, 10:50:01 PM »
Ok the other day I had the CEL pop on so I took my rx8 to the parts store because I needed a radiator cap anyway. I got the code and it was a p0420 not really a big deal I unplugged the o2 and dropped the cat to take a look. My o2 sensor is a little bit bent and my cat was already broken so I figured I would just knock a hole through it until I can pick up a test pipe. It started running a little better for about two days. Today I was driving back from the store (about 30 min away 60-65 mph speed limits) and it started running a little rough so a rapped it up a few times thinking maybe a fowled plug and got a huge gray cloud  (couldn't even see the car behind me anymore ) . The next stoplight no idle problem but another huge cloud and not again just the two times. Car is running fine now so start or idle problems and no more smoke. Anybody know what would cause this?

Offline ITSWILL

  • Rotary God!!
  • ******
  • Posts: I am a geek!!
  • Karma: 9
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2016, 05:18:06 AM »
Maybe an accumulation of unburned fuel or maybe a bunch or carbon built up in the cat that got knocked loose.
86 Base LS1 w/100 shot
88 TII 20B T70 turbo

Offline murz

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 622
  • Karma: 7
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2016, 05:29:37 AM »
I would suspect something got burned off from the cat?
1986 AS GXL Turbo swapped
1993 VR R1

Offline ~Groll69~

  • Administrator
  • Rotary God!!
  • *****
  • Posts: 1235
  • Karma: 1
  • Gender: Male
    • Elegant Lady Bridal and Tuxedo
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2016, 08:37:16 AM »
sounds like its the cat material that broke loose and exiting.  if it didn't exit, you would have a whole host of other issues.
"Long Live Rotary"

An RX-7 is like having a slut as a gf! She will love you, but she will also screw around with the guy at the parts store, most of the local cops, your insurance agent, your apex seals, your bank account and your credit card!!!

Offline Mark.c0000

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
  • Karma: 0
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2016, 10:15:42 AM »
Ok thanks guys. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed and hope it was just a chunk of catalyst or build up in the cat. Hopefully it will stay running good because it's my daily.

Offline Mark.c0000

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
  • Karma: 0
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2016, 05:42:08 PM »
Well she's dead... she was running pretty good for a few days after the first two times it smoked but now it is over. I was driving back from the store today and started getting a huge oil smoke cloud following me. It was stalling and running really rough and was a fight to get it back home. Guess it's time to save for another motor or rebuild kit. It almost made it to 200k so not too bad for a 13b msp.

Offline murz

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 622
  • Karma: 7
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2016, 05:21:38 AM »
200k is pretty good for that engine, did you run pre-mix? Also, I'd still make sure with a compression test, the oil smoke is definitely a bad sign though. This exact thing happened to me before. When do you plan on rebuilding?
1986 AS GXL Turbo swapped
1993 VR R1

Offline Mark.c0000

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
  • Karma: 0
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2016, 02:42:48 PM »
Yes I did premix. Just with normal off the shelf 2 stroke from Walmart. I'm hoping to get a replacement rebuilt motor to swap in to her so I can take my time on the rebuild. Want to port it and make sure I have all the parts I want before I start assembly. The bad part is it will definitely take longer than I want because all of my and my wife's money is going towards the move back to michigan. The guy at the dealership told me about  $5000 for a reman and that's more than I paid for the car lol. Maybe I'll have to find a good junk yard motor to buy some time on the rebuild.

Offline Mark.c0000

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
  • Karma: 0
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2016, 02:44:42 PM »
Murz why did yours start smoking like that? Bad side seal?

Offline murz

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 622
  • Karma: 7
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2016, 02:53:03 PM »
I didn't get the big grey cloud of smoke or anything that bad, I did get more smoke than normal, my apex seals were super worn when I took her apart. So just lost compression basically, the moment it happened I had to limp her home, I barely had power to stay over 2000 RPMs in 2nd gear, kept stalling, it was a mess haha. Pre-mixing is good, especially for the early renesis engines.

The amount of money a rebuild can cost really depends though, the only way to really find out is to just take her apart, if she's still together when you move back to Michigan, I wouldn't mind helping out. Hopefully the housings and Rotors are Okay. Either way, this sucks to hear man.
1986 AS GXL Turbo swapped
1993 VR R1

Offline Mark.c0000

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
  • Karma: 0
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2016, 04:03:14 PM »
I can still run up to speed as long as I keep the rpm's under about 4500. When it starts smoking bad it starts missing pretty bad and will stall if I let the rpm's drop. I'm guessing it's blowing oil threw the seal on one rotor and missing because the plugs are getting covered. But at almost 200k I'm guessing I'm going to need to replace just about everything as far as seals go hopefully the irons and housings are ok though.

Offline Mark.c0000

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
  • Karma: 0
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #11 on: July 10, 2016, 11:28:17 PM »
Well I finally have a new motor and hopefully will be swapping it next weekend. Drove my car out to a family members house and have everything all ready to go just need to swap it and break it in and I'll be back to driving my 8.  ;D

Offline ~Groll69~

  • Administrator
  • Rotary God!!
  • *****
  • Posts: 1235
  • Karma: 1
  • Gender: Male
    • Elegant Lady Bridal and Tuxedo
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #12 on: July 11, 2016, 06:21:13 AM »
great to see that you have your motor now.  Look forward to seeing your car soon.
"Long Live Rotary"

An RX-7 is like having a slut as a gf! She will love you, but she will also screw around with the guy at the parts store, most of the local cops, your insurance agent, your apex seals, your bank account and your credit card!!!

Offline Mark.c0000

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
  • Karma: 0
  • Gender: Male
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #13 on: July 24, 2016, 08:23:15 AM »
After many hang ups I'm getting close. If it wasn't raining I would probably have it in now. Really wish I could fit it in the garage for this the rain is holding everything up for me today.

Offline ~Groll69~

  • Administrator
  • Rotary God!!
  • *****
  • Posts: 1235
  • Karma: 1
  • Gender: Male
    • Elegant Lady Bridal and Tuxedo
Re: Big gray cloud....
« Reply #14 on: July 25, 2016, 08:19:27 AM »
maybe you can get it in tonight since the weather has cleared.
"Long Live Rotary"

An RX-7 is like having a slut as a gf! She will love you, but she will also screw around with the guy at the parts store, most of the local cops, your insurance agent, your apex seals, your bank account and your credit card!!!