Smoke from catch can
 

Started noticing it a little bit of smoke from the catch can. No real other symptoms, But the engine Bay smells a little bit like coolant.

Is there any way that a blown head gasket could cause smoke from a catch can? If so can someone explain how because I'm just not getting it lol

Anybody?

Is there coolant in the engine oil? And are you sure its not blowby pushing out of the catch can?

I'm not seeing any coolant anywhere it shouldn't be, and the radiator is always full full. So I don't know why there would be a smell. If it is blow by, it's new cause it's never smoked from the catch can before.

Also wondering how tf there could be smoke coming up thru the intake runners? There's nothing down there that vents that im aware of?

Can you post a picture of your engine bay/catch can setup?

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...b7f035c6c4.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...129e45cf83.jpg

A couple things I have done recently:

1 : new valve cover/ spark plug gaskets
2: new ap2 retainers and keepers
3: oil change 10W40 high mileage valvoline
4:crushed a 2020 panamara 4s to 140mph

really looking for help on this one someone!

Well it sounds like blow by to me. You shouldn't be getting any smoke/vapor coming from the catch can no matter what it is, and if you are, I assume also coming from the front valve cover breather since its all connected. If its moisture/coolant (depending on how much) you would eventually start to see signs of it in your sump and valvetrain if you were to pull your valve cover off. But just like blow by gasses - oil and unburnt fuel) Coolant could find its way out into the breathers if the HG is breached and coolant is getting into the combustion chamber and being pushed out with blow by gasses rather then just burnt. So in that case it would have to be a blown HG and piston rings both. Might want to do a comp test since easy and see how the numbers look. Hopefully motor is ok.

That catch can seems way to small and it also looks like you got an outlet connected like an inlet.
Just an observation, it might not be a serious problem at all.
Does it catch any fluid?

Ok cool. Compression test next, will update with numbers.

Think anything could have happened with the keeper/retainer swap? It also happened right after a fresh oil change

Do a leakdown and compression test.

You have twin -8 or -10 an lines to a catch can with an outlet that looks like a single -6. You are chocking off the flow of air from the engine by doing this. The filter outlet size should be equal to or larger than the combined size of the lines coming from the engine.

Once you get a larger outlet filter on the catch can, consider relocating the an bungs to a different spot on the valve cover. Do a RAIN H8R VC mod, and have the bungs put above the baffle plate.

This is an interesting comment... I don't believe I've read this concern on here before. Do you recommend a separate catch can for each VC outlet? Typically the catch can setups we see are all going to have the restriction you described above.

#1. Cheap ebay catch can with super small holes... probably doing your engine more BAD than good... Get a proper catch can like schmucks or something with some volume so your actually let your crank case breathe.

#2. since your most likely pressurizing your CC under boost... most likely getting more and more blow by from pushing oil in the wrong places, not to mention, its not healthy for your engine.

#3 I feel like that one hose is kinked a bit too.... you really need to get some nice -10 PTFE lines and make sure theres ZERO restrictions.

still looking into this issue...

yeah, the catch can isnt the best.. but also the other port on the valve cover has a breather.... its smoking good out of there also...

so, i dont know if this has anything to do with anything, but im only making 12psi... ive always ran 15psi with the little ball bearing style boost controller... just strange it went back to gate pressure for no reason???


i need to do another compression test, i did one but i was rushed and didnt write any numbers down... i know i didnt see anything like 80psi.. but #1 was 150psi - then jumped to 175 wet .... so i think its tired...

I haven't heard anything yet to make me think the motor is not tossed, on the contrary. Not sounding good. :sad:

Possible a vacuum/boost hose got mixed up after the spring/retainer job? That might explain the wastegate issue and pressurization of the crank case or valve cover.

No, that wouldn't explain smoke coming out of breather at what I assume is idle/vac, unless he has a cam under the hood watching the vent at WOT while he is driving,which is probably not likely.

imean... it still makes great power.. .think i should crank that boost controller back up to 15psi and keep driving it?

No. I noticed the same symptoms from my supercharged engine... then I did a leakdown test. I had extreme blow-by. That's when I took the motor to Inline Pro.

I HIGHLY suggest you do a leakdown. If not, you could blow the motor and damage the block to a state where it's not repairable. Not a fun position to be in, ask me how I know.

Your Oil Catch Can (OCC) setup makes no sense and seems to be built to vent excessive pressures in the crankcase.

1) You're venting the PCV to atmosphere
2) You're venting the valve cover crankcase vent port to atmosphere
3) Unless you have a checkvalve in the return line that we can't see you're essentially just venting the AN lines to atmosphere with no return

I see you had another OCC by the BMC that was also venting to atmosphere. Was there a reason why you needed to vent ALL of these ports to atmosphere? Were you getting too much oil or pressure in the intake/VC or something? If so, it sounds like you have excessive blowby. A leakdown test is your best next step. Your low boost is suggestive and upping the boost to get back to 15psi is a good way to blow up the engine for good.

Where else would you vent them to? The catch can fills up every 500 miles or so, and I just dump it... return hose as in, back to the oil pan?

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...f029029f9a.jpg

Having that many vents seems excessive. Like a crankcase ventilation fix for excessive blowby.

Having to dump the OCC every 500mi also seems excessive...as if you are getting excessive blowby.

The smoke from coming from the OCC and vent filter is also indicative of excessive blowby.

Low boost could be a symptom of rings going bad allowing excessive blowby.

From your compression numbers, cylinder 1 doesn't seem too healthy.

All signs are saying the engine is bad. A leak down test should help determine where the leaking is: rings vs headgasket but given symptoms, I'd wager rings are going.

I had a similar problem, running 15 psi and after a few days started getting smoke out of my catch can , I ran a compression test and it wasn’t well, I have my motor out right now going to rebuild it , but we believe it’s bad piston rings etc block,
the reason this all started was because BAD tune!