Calling All Wrenchheads

[rpm]

Well, I've ordered a service manual for my Suzuki Carry. It's in the mail. Before it gets here I have a problem I need to diagnose. When I run my engine at road speeds, it runs fine. When I run it at low throttle or idle like when I'm crawling along in 4x4, it smokes. The smoke clears up quickly when I pick up the rpm's. No water in the oil or oil in the water. No visable seal leaks. The amount of oil loss is not major (1 pint in 600 miles). I'm going to pull the plugs Monday and see what they look like.

My initial thought was rings, but would that clear up at higher rpm's? Does'nt ring smoke usually increase with engine speed?

My second thought was some sort of pcv/ vacuum line issue.

Any suggestions?



 

[FrodeMk3]

Rich mixture at low rpm's? Is it EFI? Shouldn't do that.

BTW, is it when you use throttle/accelerate?

[rpm]

EFI. If I am crawling along in 4x4 at idle it slowly builds up. If I gas it to speed up, it will belch a cloud and continue for another 30 seconds or so and disappear.
I'm really thinking rings. After I pull the plugs, maybe i can isolate it.

[SIK1]

What color is the smoke?

[DrDea]

 Had a 84 chevy van that did this.Rings it was.Does it do this when it warms up?If not your probebly right on the rings.

[rpm]

White/light blue, it's oil smoke. Normally I'd think rings, valves or head gasket. I don't see any signs of a leaking head gasket (oil/water mix), I don't hear any noise resembling broken rings or bad valves. That's why I'm thinking pcv or some other vacuum issue. I'll learn more when I get the manual, but it does not have a troubleshooting section, just tech.

Yes, it does it when warmed up. Engine speed seems to be the controlling factor.

[WWhiskey]

color of smoke is very important here , sounds like carb / efi problem. ring smoke would be constant and more at higher rpm , only way for this too be oil smoke is  either at high oil pressure  or leaking down the valve guides , usually the latter , high oil pressure smoke occure at decell after high rpms most of the time if you still think rings just do a compression check i.e. pull the plugs and screw in the pressure checker one cylinder at a time right down the amounts of each  and the leak down. also you did not say how many miles on this rig and what type of life it had?

[WWhiskey]

what type of tranny?( i know    why would it matter)

[rpm]

About 38,000 miles on a 660cc 3cyl, 5 speed manual work truck. Suzuki J6A engine. Not normally considered high milage for them.
I have the factory manual on order, but it is a complete teardown / rebuild manual. It's not a troubleshooter.

[DiabloTX]

You're burning your rice...burner.

[rpm]

Well, rice IS white...

and Diablo, you would be impressed with where this little fediddleer can go. I did a rear wheel stand coming out of a gully in 4x4 today. It was so cool I had to turn around and do it again!

This little ride makes a Gator or Mule look like a Big Wheel.

[SD67]

Well since you let us know it's manual not auto, it's not the solenoid on the tranny (A common cause for white smoke in autos) so I'm willing to lean toward stem seals too.

[DiabloTX]

Well, rice IS white...

and Diablo, you would be impressed with where this little fediddleer can go. I did a rear wheel stand coming out of a gully in 4x4 today. It was so cool I had to turn around and do it again!

This little ride makes a Gator or Mule look like a Big Wheel.

This thread is WORTHLESS without pics!!!!!!!!!!!

[Excel1]

White/light blue, it's oil smoke. Normally I'd think rings, valves or head gasket. I don't see any signs of a leaking head gasket (oil/water mix), I don't hear any noise resembling broken rings or bad valves. That's why I'm thinking pcv or some other vacuum issue. I'll learn more when I get the manual, but it does not have a troubleshooting section, just tech.

Yes, it does it when warmed up. Engine speed seems to be the controlling factor.

i have to agree. from your description it sounds like rings. worn valve guides or oil getting past the stem seals usually shows up the most as lots of smoke when de-accelerating.. oil gets pulled down the guides and into the cylinders by high engine vacuum.

if you have no luck with the more obvious stuff, pvc valve etc, i wouldn't mess around with it, i'd do a quick compression test to check for low cranking pressure on one or more cylinders then do a  leak down test. the leak down test is an accurate way to diagnose the engine for worn rings, leaking head gasket and valves, cacked head etc without having to tear the engine down

[DiabloTX]

Or drop an LS1 in it!