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I have a 2003 with 171xxx currently. Bought it at 169xxx. My dd. Bought it in December. Since then I've changed the spark plugs with NGK IR. The ones it came with looked like the original for the car...They were horrible. K&N fipk intake. Tanabe concept g exhaust. Invidia TP. Changed the PCV valve. I changed the oil with with valvoline max life high mileage 10w-30 and have to keep adding oil since ap1s apparently consume it, but I was also leaking from the vtec solenoid but I've changed those gaskets and that leak is gone. Before changing the exhaust my rear bumper was always covered in soot. I was told that was blow by. My problem now is, since putting the exhaust on there I blow smoke like crazy now. It has a burning smell to it. Sometimes a blue tint to it. Mostly a darker color but also sometimes a whitish.... it smells bad but I know that's from the test pipe. When I take off from a stop it lets out a little plume of smoke. Pretty embarrassing and I hate it. I checked my sparks plugs today. Cylinder 4 (closest to the firewall) it covered in carbon and oxidation as seen in the picture. The other three had light carbon build up at the base of the threads. They all had a little oil residue under the washer. The car runs fine, pulls hard, I've never had a problem in the few months I've had it. judging by the picture smoke billowing out of it what kind of options/advice/fixes can you guys give me? any insight is appreciated.
Last edited by CreativeS2KName; Mar 10, 2017 at 01:19 PM.
Reason: started on my phone... it posted before i finished it...
This sounds a lot like my problem. Same cylinder too. Good compression, good power and burning smell from the exhaust. Does it blow clouds of smoke usually after idle or leaving a stoplight? If possible let the car sit for a bit and get a bore scope and look down in the cylinder. See if theres oil on the cylinder and if there is any scarring on the cylinder walls. My guess if it is blowing clouds after idle usually, no scarring, and you see oil on the cylinder if you're able to get a bore scope is valve stem seals. I actually just did a write up on how to change them and it isn't very challenging if you're decently mechanically inclined.
Well, compression looks good, across the cylinders. You may have a bad valve stem seal on #4. Does the car blow a lot of smoke, after a long idle. Or just after slowing down, using lower gear (engine compression)?
This sounds a lot like my problem. Same cylinder too. Good compression, good power and burning smell from the exhaust. Does it blow clouds of smoke usually after idle or leaving a stoplight? If possible let the car sit for a bit and get a bore scope and look down in the cylinder. See if theres oil on the cylinder and if there is any scarring on the cylinder walls. My guess if it is blowing clouds after idle usually, no scarring, and you see oil on the cylinder if you're able to get a bore scope is valve stem seals. I actually just did a write up on how to change them and it isn't very challenging if you're decently mechanically inclined.
I came across your post after posting mine and they seem similar. having so many miles i hope it is just the seals. i skimmed over your write up earlier. i have never tried something that in depth. hopefully after family leaves this weekend i can source a bore scope and take a look in there.
Originally Posted by windhund116
Well, compression looks good, across the cylinders. You may have a bad valve stem seal on #4. Does the car blow a lot of smoke, after a long idle. Or just after slowing down, using lower gear (engine compression)?
it blows smoke every time i leave a stop light/sign. when i first blip the gas after sitting there.
I came across your post after posting mine and they seem similar. having so many miles i hope it is just the seals. i skimmed over your write up earlier. i have never tried something that in depth. hopefully after family leaves this weekend i can source a bore scope and take a look in there.
it blows smoke every time i leave a stop light/sign. when i first blip the gas after sitting there.
Amazon has some nice bore scopes for around $40. Definitely sounds like valve stem seals. I bought supertech ones. They're really cheap. Less than $2 a piece i believe. Do a leak down test it will likely rule out bad rings.
Who can diagnose this?
