White smoke, strong gas smell

[TheTimanator]

My car has been sitting a lot. Finnally got it running again last weekend and haven't driven it since. I went out to start it this morning and when I first started it, it acted like it was running on 3 cyclinders or something...really rough idle. Started spitting out a lot of white smoke and then all of the suden there was an overwhelming gas smell. I let it run for about 5 minutes. Started to run a little smoother but still strong gas smell and a lot of white smoke. Searched the forums and came up two things

1. white smoke- possible blown head gasket
2. gas smell- bad/leaky injector

So, first I did a power balance test. While the car was runnining I popped the coils off. On the 3rd and 4th cylinder pulling the coil off had no effect. I pulled the plugs on the 1st and 3rd cylinders to compare. They both look like this:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/pf593cd45fa1cb76573420b7d1a509895/f03586b3.jpg
But in 3rd cyliner you can that the piston top looks wet:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid201/pd58e6aadf56082593c8686bb95e91875/f03586e3.jpg
Next, I checked the oil, looks normal...no gas smell or sweet smell. I also checked the coolant and didn't see any oil although the engine never got hot enough for the thermostat to open.

So, whats next. I was thinking about sending my injectors off to Deatschwerks to be serviced. When they get back pop them in and see what happens. I'm guessing I should probably replace my spark plugs too.

What do you guys think?

[SpeedMonkeyInc]

I would check the o-rings first. Sounds exactly like what happened to me. When I pulled the injectors from the offending cylinder the o-ring was indeed torn.
If not that then go ahead and send your injectors out.

[MELLO*SOS]

white smoke *could be* from coolant, might have a blown HG. Try taking off the radiator cap and cranking the motor.. Blown HG will shoot water out of the radiator cap as the cylinder pressure escapes into the coolant system. My old KA24E died this way, it would dump so much white smoke you couldnt see out of the rearview mirror.

GL

edit: never knew about the bad orings pouring white smoke. Just experienced many cooling/hg problems

[SpeedMonkeyInc]

White smoke will also come from too much fuel. When my car had the bad o-ring white smoke was pouring out the tail pipe. I don't think this sounds like a BHG issue because the oil is normal. Unless he is loosing coolant I think the head gasket is unlikely.

[240sxworkinprogress]

I would go with SpeedmonkeyInc. I had the same problem with a pinched O-ring. My car white smoked like a train and it was dripping gass out of the exhuast. Just check your injector o ring that should fix it!!!

[S13Eye]

It doesn't sound like a blown head gasket. You would have recognized the sweet smell comming from the exhaust. An overly rich condition can cause large volumes of white vapor to come out of your exhaust. Rich doesn't mean black. My car has a similar problem with #3 and #4 running too rich, and the exhaust contained a lot of this white 'smoke' which was actually raw fuel vapor. I pulled off the rail with everything still attached. With the ignition disconnected, i cranked the engine and #3 and #4 made big pee-streams instead of atomizing. On start up it would sound like a Subaru and would get better as the engine warmed up.

Check the o-rings and replace them regardless, check spray patterns, and remove the vaccum line off the FPR to make sure there is no gas in it. It would also be nice if you could check the fuel pressure. Don't drive until you figure out the problem. That much gas will cause cylinder wash down where oil is washed off the cylinder walls and damage will result. If your oil doesn't smell like gas, it will.

[TheTimanator]

Well, I got the fuel rail off to check the o-rings and it started snowing so I had to stop. I'll try to check them tommorow. I sure hope thats what it is, a blown head gasket is not something I want to deal with.

I also had gas spraying out of my exhaust when it was running. It shot out almost 2 feet!

BTW, thanks guys for responding so quickly!

[slideways2004]

my car does this also. it backfires at high rpm(4k and above) and hessitates down low. i replaced the injectors orings and still the same. can dirty injectors be casuing this?

[aznpoopy]

im almost positive its a bad injector o-ring. happened to me before as well.

your spark plugs are probably fouled to shit and your oil is very thin with gas. don't forget to fix all that, as well as the offending injector.

[monkey7]

I had this problem also, it started running rough with bunch of smoke. It was one of my injectors. Checked my coolant resivoir to see if it looked like chocolate milk, see if there was water in the oil. There was none.

Then I ran the car for a minute, then take off each spark plug and see whats going on. Then I found one that was drenched with gas. Replaced the injector. All was well.

[n2n2i]

I had a similar problem but it was my distributor that was the cause of the problem. Check the spark on the wet cylinders, or if you can swap the distributor with a good one and test it that way.

[slideways2004]

I had a similar problem but it was my distributor that was the cause of the problem. Check the spark on the wet cylinders, or if you can swap the distributor with a good one and test it that way.

did you have white smoke and strong smell of gas too?

[TheTimanator]

I CAN'T OUT GET THE INJECTOR OUT!!! I pulled and twisted as hard as I can. It hasn't budged. Is it safe to try wd-40 to get it out? or something.....

[SpeedMonkeyInc]

I hate pulling injectors. The trick that works for me is to use pipe grips and twist back and forth while pulling steady. You won't need much force if you keep at it that way, and you won't damage the caps.

[aznpoopy]

I CAN'T OUT GET THE INJECTOR OUT!!! I pulled and twisted as hard as I can. It hasn't budged. Is it safe to try wd-40 to get it out? or something.....

use two flathead screwdrivers. stick them in the two gaps on the side of the injector top and pry it out. be careful. you might want to wrap the heads in masking tap or something to minimize the chance of breaking the plastic.

[slideways2004]

the plastic is very britttle. especially when it's old like our cars

[slideways2004]

also, is it easier to take the whole rail out rather than the injectors? i just got some extra parts and i have another fuel rail with injectors already in them

[stevesr20]

take the whole rail out. 10min job.

[S13Eye]

Spray WD-40 on the exposed injector. Let it soak in for a couple minutes and then attempt to turn the injector in the well. Once the injector is free to turn, it should pull out. If you get it to spin and it still won't pull out, you can use the last resort. Thread in the two screws on the sides of the well, and use two small screwdrivers, and the two screws for leverage to pry up on the two slots in the side of the injector.

[TheTimanator]

Spray WD-40 on the exposed injector. Let it soak in for a couple minutes and then attempt to turn the injector in the well. Once the injector is free to turn, it should pull out. If you get it to spin and it still won't pull out, you can use the last resort. Thread in the two screws on the sides of the well, and use two small screwdrivers, and the two screws for leverage to pry up on the two slots in the side of the injector.
I actually just tried this...minus putting the screws back in, but I was still able to get good leverage...so much so that I bent on of my screwdrivers!! The injector spins inside the housing but it still hasn't budged

[TheTimanator]

I hate pulling injectors. The trick that works for me is to use pipe grips and twist back and forth while pulling steady. You won't need much force if you keep at it that way, and you won't damage the caps.
pipe grips? like this?
http://www.jameswalker.biz/images/prod_and_serv/tico_pipe_grips.jpg

[S13Eye]

I actually just tried this...minus putting the screws back in, but I was still able to get good leverage...so much so that I bent on of my screwdrivers!! The injector spins inside the housing but it still hasn't budged

Keep spraying lube. Try it with the screws and don't just apply constant pressure. Lightly pry up on it repetedly. They will eventually pop out. The plastic is very brittle and you should not be bending screwdrivers on it.

My engine sat in my garage for over 3 years and who knows how long it sat around for before it was imported. The rail was completely dried out and the leftover gasoline formed a powder. The injectors were as stuck as can be. If you are sending out your injectors for a cleaning, just send the whole rail and let someone with experience remove them.

[aznpoopy]

also, is it easier to take the whole rail out rather than the injectors? i just got some extra parts and i have another fuel rail with injectors already in them

you can just swap the rail.

i would pull all four injectors and put new rings on them, regardless

[shift_drift]

how common is it that the actual fuel injector is bad, and not just the o-rings? My car idles fine, but i can feel it misfiring just sitting there, and it also has a hestitation between 2 and 3 k rpms. Also if i blip the throttle, the engine will stumble the rev. I have some white smoke, but not as much as some of these other guys are complaining of, and i'm positive its not burning coolant or anything like that. It seems like if I had bad o-rings, the injectors would be leaking out a ton more feul. I did a tune-up(plugs,wires, dist cap+rotor), and also pulled codes, and the only one I was throwing was a 45. what do you guys think?

[aznpoopy]

it happened to me before.

the symptoms were different then a bad o-ring, at least for me. the car idles, but it idles really um... 'lumpy.' you don't get huge plumes of white smoke. rather alot of thin blueish smoke smokes out the exhaust, especially when you drive and put load on the engine. the engine eventually flooded, but not for a while.

with a bad o-ring, i got alot of white smoke, even at idle. engine oil got washed out super fast. the car would also flood and lock the engine everytime i parked it. it was like owning a rx7! :P

[TheTimanator]

Well, i sent of the fuel rail and all to Deatschwerks. Put them back in and all is well once again. In fact, the idle seems smoother then it's ever been. Unfortunately since I sent the injectors I have no idea if the problem was o-rings or an actual injector, but either way it's now fixed.
Thanks guys!

Next...fix my electric fans and wire in my new pivot fan controller, install KTS coils, FMIC, bov, and oil pressure guage. I have way to many parts sitting around and I'm still unsure if I can trust my car to get me any where. oh well

[aznpoopy]

glad to hear it's working! :)

[ilovecoupes]

im a little confused on which o ring you guys are talking about? Because I have the same problem with my car and i think its the injector. But, now my car won't start.

[Ninjabread]

Alright my car seems to run rich as hell, but I haven't seriously looked into it yet. What I wanted to know is the smoke you describe, either white or black, is that as the car is idling or under load? My car runs rich as hell (smells like gas out back) but it does not smell like gas in the engine bay leading me to think that it's not the injector o-rings.

I'm thinking it might be the water temp sensor, so I'm thinking of replacing that, the 02 and also checking my sparkplugs. BTW I've got new plug wires, and igniter so I don't think it's my ignition but is it possible the timing?

Any input appreciated!

-Matt

[RyanZ32TT]

Bringing up an older thread ...ok, i just installed new injectors with perfect o-rings, and my s14 is STILL shooting out fuel. It smokes white, and if you put your hand in front of the exhaust pipe, you hand gets covered in fuel/moisture that smells like you dipped your nose in a gas tank! And my plugs are fouled too, covered in black, not wet though. they were wet before i installed the new injectors so, im getting close but im not there just yet. Any ideas!? Would the maf or egr cause any of this!? Timing is good too its set at stock 20btdc ...

[aznpoopy]

are you sure you installed the o-rings correctly. very easy to mess up.

they have to be hand installed, with the o-rings properly lubed. when they go in right they feel like they 'snap' into place. if you torque them down with the caps its guaranteed you rip the o-rings.

there are also other ways an injector can flood. the injector itself could be stuck open, or the wiring could have a short.

[RyanZ32TT]

Hmmm ..interesting, yeah when i went to install them, they didnt pop in, even with a good push down they didnt, so i used an 8mm socket and just tapped them in! :hammer: ...but, i did this like 3 times now and they havent torn on me, ill stop doing that now though lol. I actually just got these injectors today too, off an s13 dohc, engine they were taken off of was running fine. Im thinking it might be my FPR ...im confused on how to diagnose it though!? and i know ill get hit for this one but, it IS on the fuel rail right?!?! :newbie: :Ownedd: ...just making sure guys! New to 240s by the way, thought id mention that to avoid any uber pwnage lol ..thanks

[240tek]

A failed injector can fail "open" allowing fuel to pour out. Thus white smoke, this can also be caused by a pintle cap or breaking o-ring. Sometimes installing the O-ring is half the battle but making sure it's still good when inserted into rail is another story. Only use the O-rings available at the dealership OEM. There are some brown o-rings available on market, they are too fat and break down inside rail.

If an injector harness is damaged it may not open/close the injector properly or at all. In one of my previous cases, fuel was trapped by injector not functioning, only 2 cylinders firing. I diagnose by looking at injector, if black, check that injector. If white or regular it's not that injector.

Removing injectors is not difficult, for others, dont be afraid to stick a flat blade screwdriver between rail and injector below the connector to harness. Injectors are not "that" fragile as they are thought to be.

[240tek]

MY method of installing injector:

install o-ring/s

lube and place injector in rail

place "cap" with screw and turn 2 to 3 turns

install other screw and do the same thing

repeat by walking each side until the injector is flush and the screws are tight

I have crappy pintle caps so they can tend to remove themselves during install, the best are the ones that come with nissan injectors but hard to get hold of.

[mmdb]

Can you hook up an ODB scanner? Maybe it's a bad sensor.

[RyanZ32TT]

Ok, awesome ..ill look them over one more time then, and install them back in the proper way, and while theyre out i can check the fpr ...oh, so what should i do then when checking the fpr? all the lines look ok, no cracks or leaks ...!? :bash: ...oh, and no i dont have a scanner, i took it to autozone once and they said that they dont have the right scanner for my model car?! i was just like are you are sure?? i mean its a 95 240sx, how do you not have the right scanner for this car?! Maybe he was lazy lol, or maybe they really dont have it, dont know ..that is a possibility though about a sensor going bad somewhere

[aznpoopy]

if you're not throwing a code you got no need for a scanner.

if you are throwing a code you can just turn a little knob on the back of the ecu and the check engine light will flash the codes to you. search for the procedure, its on zilvia (among other forums)

[RyanZ32TT]

Ok, checked codes, all i got is 41 air temp sensor ..i know thats not causing all of this. I noticed now, that when i try to start it, its little by little taking more cranks to get it to start, and when it does start, i hear very odd noises, almost sounds like a pop can full of coins being rattled inside the engine?!?! Then it goes away after like 10-15 seconds, idle is HORRIBLE when i first start, and after those 10 seconds and noise goes away, the idle calms down a bit, but its still high, around 1500rpm, and the engine shakes like mad ..and fuel is still shooting a good 3-5 feet out of the muffler :eek: ..best thing is, is that i have the idle adjust screw, ALL the way in, and its still at 1500rpm ..wtfffff :(

Injectors look fine, o-rings are perfectly fine and lubed, just installed a new FPR in hopes that it would help, nothing ...how can i tell if im looking at my injectors, if theyre stuck open or closed!? Im thinking its either the injectors or the maf, possibly the timing but i doubt it ..any ideas? :(:(

[RyanZ32TT]

Anyone!? ....please!?

[markyboi]

bumping a thread...


my car blows white smoke during start up...once the engine warms up, the smoke is gone

i already checked the coolant.

the weird thing is, it doesnt do it all the time, it blew white smoke once last week and it did it earlier today.

[HalveBlue]

Could be a lot of things.

Since most materials have a tendency to expand as they heat up it could be that you have a tiny leak that self-sealing with the increased temperature. At least for now.

Standard procedure for all trouble shooting situation should be to check to see if the ECU is throwing codes. Start there.

If that give you any leads, go to Harbor Freight and pick up a compression or leakdown tester for under $20 and test your engine.

If that still doesn't return any results start checking your fuel rail.

Good Luck!

[bardabe]

white smoke with strong gas smell + pics I see, Runnign Filthy bloody drowning engine rich. White smoke = Uncooked fuel. Happened to me 3 times. Injector O rings give that a shot.

[markyboi]

ill try the injectors and the compression ...

oh btw, before it started to put out white smoke last week, it threw a code for the EGR. I fixed that problem and after a couple of weeks, that's when the white smoke problem came