Just replaced MAF and there is still white smoke...

[240sx_sr20det]

So I bought this car with a ka24de in it and it had a maxima maf and was running like shit. It would barely idle before dying. I replaced it with the stock MAF and now it idles perfectly but there is still white smoke coming from the exhaust. The car was turbo'd and the guy before me took the turbo out, but left the SAFCII in there. What could be the problem?!

[UNISA JECS]

First when you had the car with teh Maxima MAF you shoudl have verified that the SAFC was set to use that MAF with teh stock ECU, second now that your using a stock MAF you need to make sure the SAFC is set correctly to read your stock MAF and stock ECU, so in short check your IN and OUT settings.

[240sx_sr20det]

5 IN 5 OUT but then there are two more numbers that are 1 IN and 1 OUT.

I am a big time Noob to using a SAFCII.

[UNISA JECS]

5 IN 5 OUT but then there are two more numbers that are 1 IN and 1 OUT.

I am a big time Noob to using a SAFCII.

just leave the "other numbers" as they are as in stock dont touch them.

[PoorMans180SX]

White smoke usually means you're getting coolant into your engine, not excess fuel (That would be black smoke). Does the car overheat? Or haven't you got it running long enough to find out. Sounds like you have bigger problems than a MAF to me.

[240sx_sr20det]

I haven't had the car running long enough to know if it overheats or not. The MAF fixed the idling problem, now the car runs great. Someone said it might be a blown head gasket, so I'm going to try and get a compression checker and see if that is it.

Should I keep an eye on the coolant level? Maybe add some more in? or would that be bad?

[idlafie]

Does the white smoke only come out when the engine is cold or all the time even after the engine has warmed up. If it's all the time, then it's possible that you could have a blown head gasket. Monitoring your radiator coolant is always a good idea. Just make sure to add water/coolant to the radiator when the motor is off & the engine is cool.

If your white smoke only comes out when the engine is cold, then chances are it's your catalytic converter trying to convert those noxious pollution fumes / gasses created by your engine into gasses that are more environmentally friendly. See attached links for explanation:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/catalytic-converter1.htm
www.autoshop101.com/forms/h64.pdf
After your engine heats up, that white smoke should disappear.

You might however want to remove the digital fuel computer, (safcii), though...it might be causing you to run rich...and if you are, you could destroy your catalytic converter......

Anyhow, hope this answers your question.

ID

[240sx_sr20det]

Thanks for all the information. The is the thing, my coolant levels are fine and the white smoke continues to pour out with and without the SAFCII hooked up.

[jazzy240]

It doesn't take much coolant in the engine to make is smoke, so you may only notice a low coolant level after a while. Also, if you're getting coolant in your engine in the first place, you probably have a bad head gasket. You should get it checked out by someone especially if it's pouring out like you said.

[240sx_sr20det]

Yeah I plan on having it checked out sometime this week. I'm doing a compression check tomorrow.

[!Zar!]

Blown ringland.


Bang bang.

[240sx_sr20det]

Yeah, pretty much 95% of the people I've asked have said head gasket. I talked to the guy I got it from and he still insists that it is getting too much fuel. But I'll just have it checked out by someone who REALLY knows what they are talking about. Thanks for the help guys!

[idlafie]

He might be right. When he put the turbo in did he put in bigger fuel injectors?? If he did, then the injectors are putting too much fuel into the combustion chamber and the catalytic converter is trying to compensate for it. But if that's the case, then you would probably smelling a rotten egg smell coming out of the tail pipe.
When you get your mechanic to check out your car, have him check both your Engine Coolant temperature sensor, fuel pressure regulator AND your Oxygen sensor....All these items will cause your engine to run rich if they are bad.
Now if it's not any of the above, then a compression test would show a blown head gasket. To be sure, have your mechanic run a leakdown test too.
http://www.aa1car.com/library/leakdown.htm
An engine leakdown test helps to narrow down where your problem is....
Anyhow, hope this helps..
ID

[aznpoopy]

+1

super rich / flooding condition will also create white smoke
ask me how i know... lol

[fliprayzin240sx]

Come back when you got us some compression numbers...

[sicarius82]

Blown ringland.


Bang bang.

+1, if it was turbo'd, there is a possibility the ring lands are blown. therefore the white smoke from the exhaust may be due to blow by. to check this, remove a vent line from the valve cover and see if white smoke comes out from there. if yes... blown ring lands... rebuild kit or new rods and pistons. gl

[!Zar!]

+1, if it was turbo'd, there is a possibility the ring lands are blown. therefore the white smoke from the exhaust may be due to blow by. to check this, remove a vent line from the valve cover and see if white smoke comes out from there. if yes... blown ring lands... rebuild kit or new rods and pistons. gl

Prior owner was running a turbo.

[240sx_sr20det]

So if these ring lands are blown, then the motor is going to have to be rebuilt again?

Any possibility it could be the catalytic converter? And it's just not converting the fumes...?

[sicarius82]

do the vent test. if no blow by, then maybe not blown ring lands. it always helps to do a compression test for peace of mind.

[nanner47]

just do a compression test already, its not hard... you unplug the fuel relay... take the plug out and check each cylinder one at a time.... stop assuming

[240sx_sr20det]

Car shop did a compression test; I have 75 lbs of compression in 3 out of 4 of my cylinders and 120 lbs of pressure on the other. Not a good sign. But it isn't the head gasket. I'll know more tomorrow...

[sicarius82]

Car shop did a compression test; I have 75 lbs of compression in 3 out of 4 of my cylinders and 120 lbs of pressure on the other. Not a good sign. But it isn't the head gasket. I'll know more tomorrow...

jesus... 75 in 3 out of 4? blown ring lands FTL... good luck with your rebuild/motor install.

[nanner47]

get another ka24de man.. theyr so cheap!!!!! dont bother fixing it

[240sx_sr20det]

better off just getting another motor?

[nissanguy13]

Im not sure about the pricing in NH. But I know places here that will drop in an S14 engine and tranny for around $400. You should be able to at least pick an engine there for a couple hundered. Which would be cheaper than having it rebuilt, and less hassle.

[240sx_sr20det]

Okay they fixed the problem! I wasn't quite sure about what he said but all I know is that they got it done for $220.50 and all 4 cylinders now have good compression and the car is running great. I'll get more details tomorrow when I swing by the shop. I remember him saying something about a bad injector seal and gas flooding into the engine or something similar to that. I'll keep you updated!

[xamraci]

is the car still pumping out smoke...and have you re-adjusted the safc to the stock MAF? if the motor problem is solved...make sure to adjust that "TUNE" using that loosely...could cause you more problems down the road


GL either way

[!Zar!]

Okay they fixed the problem! I wasn't quite sure about what he said but all I know is that they got it done for $220.50 and all 4 cylinders now have good compression and the car is running great. I'll get more details tomorrow when I swing by the shop. I remember him saying something about a bad injector seal and gas flooding into the engine or something similar to that. I'll keep you updated!

You really need to find out what the problem was. Because it sounds like a simple fix that they just charged you a decent amount for.

But then it's your money...

[drift freaq]

that sounds like a blown headgasket. If they fixed it for $220 you made out like a bandit. I just went through the whole mildly blown head gasket ordeal on a car and it acted exactly like what he was describing. Only difference was I had decent compression and yanked the head before it could get any worse.

[240sx_sr20det]

You really need to find out what the problem was. Because it sounds like a simple fix that they just charged you a decent amount for.

But then it's your money...

I'm going to find out exactly what happened to it; I just couldn't hear him very well with my bad reception. I'm going in today to get the whole story.

I also remember him saying my valve cover screws were stripped... great. :down:

[all stock]

replacing a hg isn't too difficult, esp on the 240. i'd do it for 220.

but that's me, not a shop.

[240sx_sr20det]

Thanks for the input guys!