SMoking from Exhaust

88GTMustang

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Oct 31, 2003
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LA california
Hi all, I have a 1988 Mustang Gt I dont drive it much at all, well Because I got a 1995 Stang V6 that i use as my daily driver and Insurance sucks on two vehicles. But any way lately i been noticeing some whiteish blue smoke coming out from the Exhaust. It smokes at idle, and if i drive the car hard or easy. Not SURE why but recently i installed a new distributor and was wandering if the timing could be making it do that, or i Have no mufflers or cats on it is that a possibility, Or if my Engine is Fired......ANy help would be Excellent!!!
 
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90mustangGT

I felt sorry for girls because
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Jan 15, 2002
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It could be the rings, but probally not, I hope. Check the PCV system. Is it sucking up oil? It can suck up alot of oil I am telling you. Then do a comprssion test, if that is bad it is probally the rings but if it is good then it is most likley the valve seals, they are usually first to give. No biggie, they can be changed on the car with the right tool. Also inexpensive. Good luck.
 

88GTMustang

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Oct 31, 2003
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LA california
90mustangGT said:
It could be the rings, but probally not, I hope. Check the PCV system. Is it sucking up oil? It can suck up alot of oil I am telling you. Then do a comprssion test, if that is bad it is probally the rings but if it is good then it is most likley the valve seals, they are usually first to give. No biggie, they can be changed on the car with the right tool. Also inexpensive. Good luck.


But can i rule out the Timing and Lack of exhaust on my car????
 

86Five-0

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May 6, 2003
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Compression test will tell the tale. How's the oil? Does it consume alot of it? And you said it's got no mufflers or cats. So what exactly does the exhaust consist of beside headers? Like 88GT said, first check the PCV(behind the upper intake, gotta reach down) and see how that is.
 

88GTMustang

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Oct 31, 2003
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well....To tell you the truth i bought it a little while back and i only drove i a couple times....I changed the oil in it and PCV valve, still same thing.......the Exhaust is only the Headers and O/r Pipe...By the way the car is so hard to start because the spark plugs are always black and need to be cleaned for them to fire....Anything else someone can tell me?????????
 

strtracer442

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Dec 12, 2003
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Roseville,MI
"By the way the car is so hard to start because the spark plugs are always black and need to be cleaned for them to fire....Anything else someone can tell me?????????"

Black from carbon(too much fuel) or black from oil. If its black from oil, the engine needs to be rebuilt. Do a compression test, all cylinders should be within 20% of each other.
 

strtracer442

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Dec 12, 2003
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Roseville,MI
OK
Having the exhaust off the car will not cause it to smoke,
having the timing off( too much,not too little) can and will eventually cause engine damage, including the pistons, rings, bearings,crank surface,head gaskets, etc.
 

custom89stang

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Dec 9, 2003
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Seattle, WA
If you have to clean the spark plugs its the piston rings (formerly the o-rings). I burn 500 miles a quart and its the 8th cylinder the one in the far back right. I can tell because when i pull that one the plug is oily, all th others never need to be cleaned or replaced. Also, the Fox Mustang 5.0 Engines are notorious for piston ring failures. To get it fixed is a lot, i'm gonna end up buying a new engine haha.
 

88stangnut

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Dec 25, 2003
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westfield ,mass
I had that problem wit my 88 lx, it would smoke a little in the mornin and coming off the line at a light ust drivin normal it would smoke a little, and i would do the same, take the back left spark plug out and it would be coverd in oil, so i sold to car to a kid tellin him it needs valve seals, cuz it only had 105k on it. but the kid came back tellin me it needed rings so i got hit wit lemon law, get a compression check first, most of the time its valve seals but in my case it was rings, hope i could help
 

88GTMustang

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Oct 31, 2003
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LA california
88stangnut said:
I had that problem wit my 88 lx, it would smoke a little in the mornin and coming off the line at a light ust drivin normal it would smoke a little, and i would do the same, take the back left spark plug out and it would be coverd in oil, so i sold to car to a kid tellin him it needs valve seals, cuz it only had 105k on it. but the kid came back tellin me it needed rings so i got hit wit lemon law, get a compression check first, most of the time its valve seals but in my case it was rings, hope i could help

What do you mean hit by lemon law??? Cuz the guy i bought it from said the timing was off and thats why it smoked, But now im almost positive its the Piston rings.
 

88stangnut

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Dec 25, 2003
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westfield ,mass
88GTMustang said:
What do you mean hit by lemon law??? Cuz the guy i bought it from said the timing was off and thats why it smoked, But now im almost positive its the Piston rings.


Here In massachusetts theres a law called the lemon law, if you purchase a car for over 700$ and the seller dident write "as is" on the bill of sale, u can go back to him and demand the money that it will cost to fix it from the seller, thats what i hada do. I was talkin to a kid i work wit and hes big on 5.0's and he said in my case since my spark plugs are very carbon coverd he said its most likely that the valves are coverd in carbon and thats why it back fires sometimes, If anywon had that problem let me know if theres anyother way to fix it then pull the heads
 

IndyBlk5.0

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Nov 24, 2003
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New Whiteland, IN
what fuel pressure are you running at? and also, are you using any water from your cooling system? it would also be a good idea to take off the heads and have them machined. the fox 302's are getting old enough now that it is likely to have a head gasket failure, i see more and more cases every day. If you plan to keep the car i would pull the heads and have them flatted (clean up cut) to make sure they are not warped. Might as well do a vavle job while your at it, maybe looking at 150-200 depending on what you do. Its not too hard to do yourself. If it is rings, well just rebuild the engine lol, not much more you can do.