UPDATE 5/23: looks like there is a leak somewhere on the driver's side of the intake manifold. Significant coolant can be found at the front of the manifold at the metal coolant elbow. Do I need a new manifold?
Ok, So I'm thinking of doing a full tune up with the car. The issues I'm having are both only intermittent, but progressively are getting worse. Still no CEL.
First, the car starts and runs fine for it's first 5-10 minutes (depending on ambient temp and traffic) until right after the the temp needle starts to rise. At the point the car starts to come up to a normal temp (just to the left a little of half), the car will misfire when under even light load until higher RPMs seem to smooth it out, sometimes, but most often it continues to miss until the car is well warmed up. There is no sign of misfire at idle, though. Of interest, is a tiny bit of coolant had somehow developed near the driver's front COP, on the head. It hasn't really reappeared since I wiped it up. Of note, one day, on a 30 minute 10 mile drive to work last week, the misfire was light the whole way (as was traffic) but would, for once, clear up at higher revs. I'm guessing new MSD COPs and new plugs should help, but could that leak becoming from the water jacket right there on the intake manifold(it does have the improved manifold already)? Don't wanna burn up fresh COPs with an unaddressed coolant leak, from what I've read. Haven't popped out the plug boot yet to check the plug well for moisture, but so far the boot looks pretty dry.
The second issue has appeared before, but the last time I saw it (6+ months ago), I found a plastic bag melting on my Bassani cat-back, so I could have mistaken it. So far, only after idling for a few minutes with a warm motor, the car will blow a bluish smoke out the tailpipes when you blip the throttle. It happened once on my way home today. With a relatively warm motor from the beginning, about 8 minutes into the drive home the car misfired just for 2 gear changes, and then seemed to straighten out. But after driving about a mile through a 20 MPH zone, and then sitting in traffic for 5 minutes or so, I gave it a blip before I started to ease the clutch, and I got a pretty solid cloud of bluish smoke out both tailpipes before I even started to move.
After this, the car had to sit in more traffic, but it wouldn't smoke anymore. I may have been too paranoid though, and revving the motor before it had a chance to build up. For the rest of the drive home, there were only a couple of times where it would seem to drop off and lose power as I tried to ease away (not responding to throttle correction either), and it wouldn't make any signs of a misfire, just a stumble and surge, like it was choking. From a stop, I would rev the car normal, drop the clutch normal and increase the throttle normal and it would hesitate and then try and catch up.
So I get home, park the car in the garage which is nice and level, and I leave the car running and pop the hood. The motor is definitely hot, and the majority of the CAI is heat-soaked. I let it run for a couple of minutes poking around a bit, then blipped the throttle at the body, and watched the rear of the car and sure enough I got the smoke. I ran over and smelled it, and it was definitely more blue than gray, and more gray than white. I'd have to say it smells more like fuel, rather than the oil I expected, and am wondering if maybe I've burned up a cat, or a valve seal, PCV valve, or even my MAF? Placing your nose or hand near the tailpipe, and it definitely smells dirtier than it used to and feels hotter as well, but my fear could be playing that up more than anything, but I did notice this before I checked the forums.
No CEL either. I don't have a code reader, but I think autozone does hook theirs up for free and they're 6 blocks from my place. I've never noticed smoke at start up, but will be checking everything even more often though.
Will take pics or vids as necessary.
Ok, So I'm thinking of doing a full tune up with the car. The issues I'm having are both only intermittent, but progressively are getting worse. Still no CEL.
First, the car starts and runs fine for it's first 5-10 minutes (depending on ambient temp and traffic) until right after the the temp needle starts to rise. At the point the car starts to come up to a normal temp (just to the left a little of half), the car will misfire when under even light load until higher RPMs seem to smooth it out, sometimes, but most often it continues to miss until the car is well warmed up. There is no sign of misfire at idle, though. Of interest, is a tiny bit of coolant had somehow developed near the driver's front COP, on the head. It hasn't really reappeared since I wiped it up. Of note, one day, on a 30 minute 10 mile drive to work last week, the misfire was light the whole way (as was traffic) but would, for once, clear up at higher revs. I'm guessing new MSD COPs and new plugs should help, but could that leak becoming from the water jacket right there on the intake manifold(it does have the improved manifold already)? Don't wanna burn up fresh COPs with an unaddressed coolant leak, from what I've read. Haven't popped out the plug boot yet to check the plug well for moisture, but so far the boot looks pretty dry.
The second issue has appeared before, but the last time I saw it (6+ months ago), I found a plastic bag melting on my Bassani cat-back, so I could have mistaken it. So far, only after idling for a few minutes with a warm motor, the car will blow a bluish smoke out the tailpipes when you blip the throttle. It happened once on my way home today. With a relatively warm motor from the beginning, about 8 minutes into the drive home the car misfired just for 2 gear changes, and then seemed to straighten out. But after driving about a mile through a 20 MPH zone, and then sitting in traffic for 5 minutes or so, I gave it a blip before I started to ease the clutch, and I got a pretty solid cloud of bluish smoke out both tailpipes before I even started to move.
After this, the car had to sit in more traffic, but it wouldn't smoke anymore. I may have been too paranoid though, and revving the motor before it had a chance to build up. For the rest of the drive home, there were only a couple of times where it would seem to drop off and lose power as I tried to ease away (not responding to throttle correction either), and it wouldn't make any signs of a misfire, just a stumble and surge, like it was choking. From a stop, I would rev the car normal, drop the clutch normal and increase the throttle normal and it would hesitate and then try and catch up.
So I get home, park the car in the garage which is nice and level, and I leave the car running and pop the hood. The motor is definitely hot, and the majority of the CAI is heat-soaked. I let it run for a couple of minutes poking around a bit, then blipped the throttle at the body, and watched the rear of the car and sure enough I got the smoke. I ran over and smelled it, and it was definitely more blue than gray, and more gray than white. I'd have to say it smells more like fuel, rather than the oil I expected, and am wondering if maybe I've burned up a cat, or a valve seal, PCV valve, or even my MAF? Placing your nose or hand near the tailpipe, and it definitely smells dirtier than it used to and feels hotter as well, but my fear could be playing that up more than anything, but I did notice this before I checked the forums.
No CEL either. I don't have a code reader, but I think autozone does hook theirs up for free and they're 6 blocks from my place. I've never noticed smoke at start up, but will be checking everything even more often though.
Will take pics or vids as necessary.