Track car started smoking @ VIR this weekend. While the motor only has 30k miles, they are pretty hard miles. I'm thinking that it's retainers, but wanted to see if anyone thinks it could be something else to look for. Will do a compression test and retainer inspection this week to try and confirm.

 

Cracked retainers cannot cause smoking.

Was the motor built by someone, or is it 30k since new?

 

Hey Bill! 30k and original motor. It's been a track toy its whole life. I had it out at the Dragon last year.

Valve guides?

 

Valve guides is wishful thinking, but doubtful. Does the car have a cat or test pipe?

 

3" headerback...no cat

 

A cat will mask the smoke. There are actually a lot of S2000s that smoke, but it can't be seen.

Oil consumption is the bottom line. Get a baseline of how much oil, if any, it is using.

 

10-4. Will check this evening and report back. I have a catch can connected to the PCV only. It caught only a few ounces over the entire weekend.

 

Also note that if the oil is on the full mark, it will burn those two top Xs faster due to pcv inhalation.

Put the oil level three Xs up instead of full. They are actually diamonds, not Xs.

Put it it exactly at 3 diamonds, and go from there. You may find that the burning will cease all together.

 

Thanks Bill...you rock as usual sir

 

I've noticed the same thing, and felt stupid for not figuring this out my first few years of ownership.

I was always so terrified of running the car on low oil that I kept it topped at the highest diamond, and it would just burn through those top diamonds. Per Billman, I keep mine at the 3 diamonds or half-way mark and it burns less oil, slower. I used to also smoke during long idles (or autocross) with the oil level at FULL, and have no longer smoked with the level adjustment. Common sense perhaps