How much smoke is too much?

"Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo" (akioohtori)
11/27/2018 at 11:07 • Filed to: project golf ball

So it ended up being too cold for me to bother to clean the garage enough to get the Civic out of holding yesterday. I did, however, start it up and try and get it up to temperature. Emphasis on try. What ended up happening is it smoked me and my renter out of the garage for a couple hours. So my questions is: how much is a care supposed to smoke after coming out of hibernation?

The smoke was predominantly coming out of the tail pipe, though there was also a fair amount coming from... everywhere else. The smoke was pretty acrid, so I’m thinking it was mostly burning oil, not spider webs, electronics, and literal rats nests.

Probably.

My Saab, for reference , smoked lightly, mostly out of the exhaust, for about the first month after its resurrection. After that it has stopped completely. The Civic has been sitting for an unknown number of years and the oil quality and viscosity is unknown.

Other than the plumes of acrid smoke (shit is seriously awful) it seems to run fine. Compression seemed good when I turned the engine over by hand. The thing starts like a dream.

The exhaust is missing after the cat and the underside of the car is covered in spider webs…. So there is that.

What does oppo think? Too soon to worry, or should I start planning the rebuild

DISCUSSION (20)

Sovande > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:16

I would change the oil and put in fresh gas and drive it.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:18

smoke out of the tailpipe is one thing

everywhere else.... eeeeeh...probably not supposed to be doing that

Mini Guy- Now has a 4Runner > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:23

Its on Fire

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:23

The exhaust is missing after the cat

So... how is exhaust coming out of the tailpipe?

I figured you’d have changed the oil as well.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:24

It depends on how long it lasts. I would recommend fresh oil, coolant, and making sure all of the exhaust fittings are attached as they should be. Then brake klean the hell out of everything on the car. Like a couple of cans of the shit sprayed everywhere. Then drive the doors off the thing for a bit. If it doesnt catch on fire and the smoke goes away, you should be good. You can determine at that point where it might be leaking from or if it just all old garbage. Fire extinguisher might be a good backup plan..

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
11/27/2018 at 11:26

It depends on what the smoke is. Especially if it leaks some oil and it has sat around for a bit, yeah it is gonna smoke from everywhere. I have found anytime I install used exhaust parts they smoke from all over the place until all the crud/grease burns off and then its fine.

Jayhawk Jake > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:28

I hope the garage was open to fresh air. If you got smoked out for a few hours, it worries me that you’re running your car in an enclosed space.

You won’t actually see the smoke that will literally kill you. Don’t run your car inside.

Urambo Tauro > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:30

How long did you let the engine run for? First thing that comes to mind for a car that seems to be burning oil after sitting a while is valve stem/guide seals.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
11/27/2018 at 11:31

hmmmm.... makes sense

tbh... nothing of mine ever sits long enough to smoke.... if it does its coz i broke it

(nothing of mine is currently motorized either so if those start smoking something bloody wierd is going on)

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
11/27/2018 at 11:33

Yeah the tailpipe is the only part that worries me. The everywhere else I choose to believe is burning off accumulated contaminants.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Jayhawk Jake
11/27/2018 at 11:35

>_>

<_<

Haha nah is is mostly open, but the exhaust is venting into the least open portion. Usually I’d back it up to one of the garage doors, but I don’t have that luxury at the moment.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:37

welp... leave it running outside for a bit... see what happens

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
11/27/2018 at 11:47

Haha fair point. Ok... most of the exhaust is coming out the the rear-most bit of the exhaust that hasn’t fallen off.

And I usually do, but I usually go completely overboard on my refreshes on non-running cars and I’m trying to be better about that. Also i wanted to run some seafoam through the oil before changing it.

But yeah, oil is getting changed now.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Urambo Tauro
11/27/2018 at 11:48

My concept of time isn’t great, so i can’t say. The engine was just starting to get warm.

fintail > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:50

Kinja'd!!!

Urambo Tauro > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 11:56

If it is oil, and if that’s where it ’s coming from, it should go away after a few minutes of driving. B ut with the engine running at mere idle RPMs , it may have just needed m or e time.

My bird IS the word > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 12:04

I think your engine could use new gaskets if it is smoking that much.

It probably doesn’t “need” new gaskets though, so why do all that work?

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 12:09

Likely just due to sitting.

Most cars smoke more upon sitting for a long time, especially if the battery went dead at some point, as they have to re-tune on the fly.

Change the fluids, give her fresh gas, and take her for a drive. I’d bet your smoke issue goes away.

Jayhawk Jake > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/27/2018 at 12:25

I’m basically saying if your garage is filling with smoke and your car literally isn’t on fire, maybe you should rethink your workspace. I’m not your mom and I’m sure you know about carbon monoxide. It just isn’t something to be fucked with

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > Jayhawk Jake
11/27/2018 at 12:35

Oh yeah, you’re not wrong and this is a good illustration of how poor the ventilation is and that I should re-think my arrangement.