Problem: went on two different driving trips about 500 a piece... during one of each trip leg about half way through the trip (300 miles out) i look in rear view mirror and for a BRIEF 10 To 15 SEC GRAYISH smoke pours out of the back of the car and then stops and the car is fine after that..

i have checked the oil line and for leaks..NOT IT
during those secs of smoke the rpm does not change or there are no noticable noises from the engine or car it self..

Possibilities: beginging of trip i used 92 gas, half way i used 93 the change in tank might of
> another is Oil coming into combustion chamber but i thought that was black smoke
> biggest one of them all is that the fuel pressure in my car at initial startup is zero. i have to turn the car pump on 3 times to start well and the car runs great. so i think a brief moment the pressure drops and the car misfires..


HElp!!
o another, could it be sparkplugs

 

Sounds like fuel regulator is the issue, lack of check valve and possibly pressure out of spec. Woody

 

Oil would be bluish or black smoke. Did you notice this after just filling up? Even if it was just a reasonably short time of driving? if so, then it might be vapor lock from a hot tank and cooler gas. I have had this experience with my motorcycles after a fill in the hot summer-no other time. The first time it scared me, huge plume of smoke, then when I figured it out I learneed not to fill the tank to normal fill to give the gas some expansion room. Only happens in the hot summer. I had filled it the night before I took it to work, it had been hot, and I got about 20 miles in when it occurred. It didn't occur to me that what i put in the night before would give me the trouble the next morning, but it did. 2nd time was about 10 miles after I filled it up, again on a hot day. Basically a huge fart, then it died on the road, after sitting a biut it started right up and never did it again.

 

10-15 seconds is an extremely long time, relatively speaking. Oil smoke is blue. Black smoke is running rich.

What other problems does your car have? Stuttering? Bad idle? Have you ever run the car with a low oil level? Have you ever over-revved the engine from a bad shift?

 

White / Blue smoke is oil
Black is fuel
Pure white is coolant (actually steam)

If it happens again be sure to note how quickly it dissipates. Steam will go away quickly.
Knowing this will lead you down the right path on diagnosis. Also check under the car for any signs of leaks. Something might be dripping and hitting the exhaust.

A word of caution from an old mechanic, don't overthink the problem from the start. Be sure to check the basics and start from there. Fluid levels, leaks & just plain looking around.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

RB

You have changed your fuel filter by now I presume !!

 

answers to questions..

no i had a quarter tank of gas so it was not right after filling up

it only happens on long hauls...not small drives..
and i was really mad at the time so really it was about 5 sec of smoke..it started out little then alot then it dissapears..
the car at the time did not stutter shutter or jerk..rpm was normal no movements..it was like 92 degrees and the water temp was a hair above middle line..

i checked the engine bay and underneath the car and no signs of leaks..

i think it might have something to do with my fuel pressure valve..it does not keep pressure when car is off for a long time..i have to turn the key to position one for like 2 times and then the car starts normal (to avoid hard start)
so i am not sure..
and suggestions now, does this help

 

ok so i was looking around the car just now and could not see where it was coming from..no leaks but i did notice the pan that is under the engine bay has water in it..not sure if that could be it..because i would do it when the engine was warm all the time..so not sure still what it could be..still looking..

 

forgot to add..the dip s***'s that put oil in my car put it slightly above max..and i notice on the cap it says more then max oil will cause engine damage.. so again dont know

 

Mine had an oil leak from the rear of the pan gasket. Would only happen when excersized and even then not always. Sometimes a puff. Sometimes enough smoke to cause cars behind me to back way off. From inside the smoke appeared grayish to me.

 

Would the smoke/steam happen during/after a turn? or was it while doing a straight line? I'm curious about the water pooling in the engine's bottom cover as I do not get any down there and I drive mine in good rain here. would you be able to dip a rag or something in it and ensure it's water and not possibly coolant?

My two theories would be jostling during a turn would cause free water to steam off as it hit parts of the exhaust, or overflow from the coolant reservoir is steaming off on the engine if a tube is not routed properly

 

I've never seen black smoke come from coolant.

 

well no it is only in a straight line...on the highway doing about 75 to 80 for 3 to 4 hours straight no stopping and it does it for a breif 5 sec and then it stops and the car does not do it agian..there might be a leak but my dip stick does not show leaks... well i wash i engine bay out and i see water down there..i dont think it could be coolant, cuz it that was the case i would have blown my engine long ago.i will check the bottom of the pan though..

and i dont gun it ...i drive at a constant speed of 75 to 80 for couple of hours and it does it for 5 sec and it is fine for the rest of the trip..

i checked today and no leaks on the ground and looked everywhere except underneath due to lack of lift..so i will inspect it more..

now mind you that it only does this on long trips and it does it on way there or way back never both legs.

 

How is it that on a long trip like that you spot it every time? My guess is that it happens more frequently and you do not spot it every time.
If the oil is a bit high there is a possibility that engine coolant is leaking past a head gasket and filling the sump with coolant. A little leak like that ruined a GM V6 I had.

 

I LIVE NEAR BY, WHEN YOU ARE TOO TIRED, CALL ME AND ILL PICK IT UP, GOT A TRAILER. JUST LEAVE THE TITLE AND KEYS, I WILL SEND THE TAGS BACK.

WOODY

 

well when it happened to me once i never forget it..my last car blew a head gasket on a trip and ever since then i am always on alert on hot days...that is why i guess i can stay awake the whole trip and never get tired..plus there was a 08 merk 350 on my *** and i was watching him when it happened.. it has 12 thousand miles and i have done 6 long trips and it has only done it twice..it better not be a gasket...i will leave it and shoot the thing with my 50 cal..and walk away and never buy chrysler again..i have lived by them all the way and i would hate to be another jap buyer.

 

i should of said this up front..i bought it in november with only 247 miles on it from the dealer..it has never been sold rented or anything..just floating to one dealer to another..so it has been sitting around i have to replace the fuel pressure pump cuz it has never worked right and i never changed the fuel filter..i would like to believe it is those two causing it..maybe somewhere down the road the pump stops momentarly and causes a misfire and the smokes comes out..dont know..all i know is that is making me made and there are no codes thrown..and mechs dont know what i am talking about..

 

I would suggest, as others have, that your check valve is causing the low fuel pressure when starting. I am currently dealing with this issue and about to give up on warranty coverage and fix it myself.

The white smoke is a separate issue, in my opinion. Five seconds of white smoke every 250 miles is more likely something hitting the outside of your exhaust or a buildup of water in an exhaust pipe from normal combustion. In the back Cats where they are lowest and in the cool airstream under the car is my suspect.

As you have no other symptoms it is likely unrelated to oil burning (black or blue smoke) or coolant (white smoke but frequent) I doubt a serious issue.

If it is a leaking head gasket, it will get worse over time and you will see a coolant level drop. Meanwhile, I wouldn't get too excited or worried.

But, fix the check valve, that's wearing hard on your starter.


roadster with a stick

BTW, Chrysler had damm little to do with the construction of this car. A good thing too with Darnelli at the helm. If it is a head gasket don't shoot the poor thing. I'm thinking of starting a shelter for wayward Xfires. Call me and I'll be happy to dispose of it for you.

 

no i am ok today..i will get the pressure valve fixed and then hopefully it will cure her..thanks everyone for your help and intrest..i hope one day i might get to go on a meet..never have before

 

I think you car just gets tired and breaks wind once in awhile, I know this happens to me from time to time...

 

Grayish smoke also?