smoke and pcv's and modulators, oh my

[Alex C]

to those that are interested:

 

the local dealership delivered four parts to me yetserday at work (thanks guys). Those four parts were:

88 C* thermostat,

pcv valve,

2 dealership license plate trims.

 

This morning I tackled the installation of these parts. I stopped by napa and picked up a thermo gasket, and a set of NJK plugs. I started with the pcv installation. I never knew that the valve itself is on the manifold, I was thinking it was the black F vacuum part, kinda like on a chevy. Anyway, I pulled it out, it was oily and had carbon chunks on it, and it still sorta moved around inside, but not as good as the new one. I also checked the hose going from the pcv to the F-piece, it was also oily and full of carbon chunks, and ince it was pinching in the middle I found a secton of spare water hose the same diameter ( I store all of my car parts and tool in my trunk, so there is all sorts of weird things back there).

 

I then proceeded to pull the plugs out, the passenger side were light brown with a bit of carbon on them, the driver side were the same except for some white buildup on the ground electrode. The worst being the driver side rear. (When I did my headgaskets a few years back the driverside rear was running super lean, but that was a maladjusted intake valve and I corrected that when I adjusted the valves).

 

The last project was to install a thermostat (no I didnt have one in). I pulled off the old gasket and fit the OEM part in (fit like a glove, unlike those junky aftermarket ones from parts stores).

 

After putting everything back the way it was (vacuum lines, water, etc..) I started the car, got a cloud of smoke the quickly went away. I drove to medford with no problems.

 

When i restarted the car it was smoking heavily, full on future lung cancer patient. It was funny and sorta embarrasing. (when people yell that your car is on fire). It smoked badly the next 3 times I started it up and drove it.

 

The smoke smelled a bit like oil and a bit like sweet (I dont have any antifreee, so thats not it).

 

My last try was after it cooled down I adjsuted my vise-grips and clamped the vacuum line for the modulator off. Voila, no smoke. So Im thinking Adam's suggestion that my vacuum modulator is bad was a good one.

 

Good thing there is a mechanical backup for the modulator, even though it wont shift till its at a higher rpm.

 

One thing I noticed about the water temp, the needle stays perfectly horizontal when its warm now. This is also a hair below the spot where I know my fans will kick on by themselves without me throwing the switch. I guess my gauge is off a bit.

 

Thanks for listening,

 

Alex

 

 

P.S. no more lithia license plate trim

[75skunkaroo]

When i restarted the car it was smoking heavily, full on future lung cancer patient. It was funny and sorta embarrasing. (when people yell that your car is on fire). It smoked badly the next 3 times I started it up and drove it.

little sedan drives by, someone yells "your cars on fire", alex parks at al's, KA-BANG!!!, crowd drops, well you get the picture(someones seen uncle buck a few too many times)

 

sorry for the irrelevant jabber.

the smoke that i saw was not very much, so it seems that you're gettin closer

 

-mike

[Alex C]

you saw it at low smoke, it was far worse, uncle buck like