Smoke or Steam? See Vid

[Terbro]

I've noticed either smoke or steam coming from the exhaust when the motor is good and warmed up. Actually, only when it's running a bit on the hot side; ~190 degrees. It's a freshly rebuilt motor. I'm a newbie to E85 and just read last night that E85 will produce a lot more water, but it's odd to me that it would be produced when the motor has been running for over 1/2 an hour and only when it's running on the hot side* I'm in Colorado, and it's very arid here, so steam doesn't last long in the air. I smelled it, and it seemed to smell a bit more like smoke vs. steam.

* I was getting into boost while test driving. I've got a new HE radiator, but a stock fan, so I'll need to upgrade the fan.

Just took this vid:

 

[belsie]

I'm in Florida with tons of humidity and no smoke (full E-85 for 6 months) hope it's not a head gasket! Compression check? Plugs wet? Good Luck..................

 

[getdowngranny]

You mentioned freshly rebuilt motor. The smoke on the video is hard to gauge the color but on my phone it does have a hue to it. Oil? Did you have any work done to the heads? Did you seat the rings properly? Was the turbo rebuilt?


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[Terbro]

The color of what's coming out the exhaust is white (or maybe light gray). The heads were completely rebuilt with new valves and some port work. Turbo was a new (to my knowledge) CHRA BB with a used housing.

 

[getdowngranny]

Have you checked your plugs to see what they look like?


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[belsie]

Remove radiator cap while heating up motor you may see some traces of bubbles or low level if leaking thru motor. Pull dipstick several times and look for milky film if water is in oil shut it down, pull plugs & do compression hot and cold to confirm. Hold a rag at tailpipe, you should be able to smell a sweet fume if this is E-85 residue? If water is passing to exhaust it will seam steamy and feel damp to the touch on the rag. Good Luck....

 

[Terbro]

Pulled a plug. How does this look? Motor has about 300 miles on it since the rebuild.

 

[Terbro]

Went for a drive to warm it up. Nothing coming out of the exhaust at cold start up. For several reasons, I'm taking it easy on the driving until certain things are fixed or in place (Scanmaster being one). Anyway, drove it for about 15 minutes (82 degrees here today). Pulled it in the garage, put it in park and didn't notice anything coming from the pipes at first, but a few seconds later (after putting it in park), steam started coming out. I'm now calling steam, due to the vid I took immediately afterward...having had the mirror idea:

Checked the oil while running as you recommended belsie (well, once) and it looked perfectly clear. I just changed the oil about 150 miles ago. No sign of milky-ness or anything unusual there. Smelling the exhaust, it does *not* smell sweet. It has a slight smell of...exhaust! It's nowhere near what it would be if it were running gasoline, but there is a slight hint of some form of exhaust. It's not overwhelming or even hard to take...but not sweet or "pleasant" like I've heard people speak about E85. It's ever so slightly...displeasureable.

But again, I've heard people talking about "more water" with E85. But no one's getting this, I guess...mild to moderate steam after it's fully warmed up?

 

[belsie]

E-85 smells and exhausts same hot or cold I would think at least mine does. If the steam is more when warm I would tie it to internal moisture passing thru into exhaust. Do not run any coolant / anti freeze in car while doing these tests. If you have drain system and re-fill " Water only" !!! Possibly try some coloring in water and see if it ends up at tailpipe?

 

[Terbro]

Not running coolant/antifreeze. Distilled water with RM125 only.

 

[Terbro]

But...with the slight smell of something burning, I had wondered if it was the RM125 I was smelling. So, taking your advice - draining and running straight water would answer that question.

 

[belsie]

I also run dis water w /125 and no odd odor here. Try hanging a rag over the tailpipe while running up to warm temp to feel for actual wet, not just warm, result on rag. Plug looks OK but water passing thru won't leave much of a hint. Next step compression cold & warm?

 

[Terbro]

I also run dis water w /125 and no odd odor here. Try hanging a rag over the tailpipe while running up to warm temp to feel for actual wet, not just warm, result on rag. Plug looks OK but water passing thru won't leave much of a hint. Next step compression cold & warm?

I think the fogged up mirror answered that question, no? Obviously, lots of steam coming out the pipe... But that was fully warmed up. I haven't noticed any steam (like in the first vid) until it's fully warmed up.

 

[Ttype6]

I would fill the radiator with a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water. If it's burning coolant, the smell will be obvious.