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Author Topic: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke  (Read 7508 times)

erickmarciano

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When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« on: September 15, 2003, 20:10:36 »
When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke with a strong gas smell . what can this be
the car runs fine

thanks'Erick

1971 280sl
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rwmastel

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2003, 21:31:32 »
Is the smoke white, gray, blue, black, or what?  Is it a single puff, or does it smoke for 5 seconds, 20 seconds, or what?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
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erickmarciano

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2003, 05:59:03 »
it is a single puff grey I think and it smells like gas

thanks

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1989 Porsche 930 coupe
1988 e30 m3
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2006 ps1000
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Douglas

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2003, 06:38:51 »
Usually, this means worn valve guide seals.

It's the smell of gas that's throwing me....Could it be oil you smell and not gas?

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
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n/a

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #4 on: September 16, 2003, 07:38:07 »
sounds to me like a leaking injector.
any thoughts on this from anyone else.

Jerry P.
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erickmarciano

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2003, 08:40:54 »
i am shure it is gas
what can this be??????

1971 280sl
1962 VW
1954 Allstate vespa
1958 gs150 vespa
1962 gs160 vespa
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1994 E500 W124
1971 280sl
1989 Porsche 930 coupe
1988 e30 m3
2001 ducati mh900
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Cees Klumper

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2003, 14:39:09 »
Maybe the cold start valve time switch does not shut off in time (it is only supposed to activate the injector for a few seconds)? Or the cold start valve is worn/leaking?
I checked this valve once by leaving it hooked up, carefully removing it from the intake manifold, then starting the car and observing the valve spray pattern and duration.
How about checking the mixture with a CO meter?
Before I replaced my incorrect distributor, I noticed quite a bit of grey smoke when driving in the city and the CO value would go way out of whack when the engine would be idling.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
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rwmastel

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #7 on: September 17, 2003, 06:41:02 »
I agree with Cees and Jerry - it's probably a fuel injector or the cold start valve allowing extra fuel to run into a cylinder after the car is turned off.  It stays there until you start the car then gets burned, creating your fuel smell and white/gray cloud.

Only other thing it could be is engine coolant, but you would not get a fuel smell from this.  From what I have read (no personal experience), when a head gasket goes bad and some engine coolant leaks into the cylinder it burns white or gray.  I don't know how to test for this, maybe a compression test on the cylinders, a compression test on the coolant system, and check to see if you are loosing coolant.  Just guesses.

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
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Benjegen

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2005, 09:10:02 »
Hi,
I just want to know what you did to get rid of the smoke when starting the engine.
I have the exact same thing on my 250SL, and I do not know if I should do anything to fix it or leave it like it is. Otherwise the car drives absolutely great.

Thomas
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ja17

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #9 on: September 18, 2005, 09:30:49 »
Hello Erick
Yes white or grey smoke can be fuel. Try temporarily disconnecting the intake cold start and see if the smoke goes away!

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio
« Last Edit: September 18, 2005, 09:31:31 by ja17 »
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Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio
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Chad

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2005, 09:38:31 »
Is it completely gone right after the puff at first? If so, this might eliminate some things mentioned, I believe. I would bet a buck on harmless unburnt fuel.

Now, if my older diesel were putting out a small puff only at start up I would say that the engine and injection pump had just been rebuilt by elves overnight... My dogs seem to love the old thing though.

-CD-
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Benz Dr.

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #11 on: September 18, 2005, 23:16:15 »
Didn't you just do the valve stem seals without pulling the head or installing new valve guides?

  It's oil smoke and this repair didn't work.....

 If you have some black smoke with the oil smoke that's just a spark plug fouling out until it clears away. If it's just a start up condition you might be able to drive it that way for quite a while.

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erickmarciano

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #12 on: September 18, 2005, 23:39:39 »
did the valve seals with head on , and the car is GREAT no no smoke at all ,did the chain at the same time .if you do the work yourself it is worth a try the seals are only 20$

1971 280sl
1962 VW
1954 Allstate vespa
1958 gs150 vespa
1962 gs160 vespa
Logged
1994 E500 W124
1971 280sl
1989 Porsche 930 coupe
1988 e30 m3
2001 ducati mh900
2006 ps1000
1962 Vespa GS160

rwmastel

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2005, 20:40:49 »
Eric,

You started this thread in 2003.  Was your head work the cure for your problem back then, or did something else cure this problem 2 years ago?

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420
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erickmarciano

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Re: When the engine fires up I get a puff of smoke
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2005, 22:36:41 »
in 2003 I has just got the car so all was way off.to much gas...
I never removed the head .. for the gas smell it was to rich for the blue smoke it was the valve seals.
I am now so borred there is nothing for me to do to this car it runs like a new car thanks to all of you

Erick

1971 280sl
1962 VW
1954 Allstate vespa
1958 gs150 vespa
1962 gs160 vespa
Logged
1994 E500 W124
1971 280sl
1989 Porsche 930 coupe
1988 e30 m3
2001 ducati mh900
2006 ps1000
1962 Vespa GS160
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