Just finished my turbo build on my LS3 Camaro. Tuning went great, but when I took it to the strip for its first pass, about 3/4 down the track, I saw a huge bloom of oil smoke out of my hood stack. Now it’s constantly smoking, especially on decel. I wasn’t running a catch can, so could this just be oil pushed past the rings from too much crankcase pressure? My valve cover gaskets were blown out on both sides. Worst case scenario, could it be a blown ringland? The car seems to run okay other than the smoke. I also have a turbo oil drain in -10. Looking for help or opinions, thanks!
Mika said:
Ask your tuner.
I was thinking that too, but I wanted to gather some opinions first. What do you think could be causing the smoke?
Mika said:
Ask your tuner.
I was thinking that too, but I wanted to gather some opinions first. What do you think could be causing the smoke?
It could definitely be crankcase pressure if you’re not running a catch can. That can push oil into the intake.
Sounds like the rings might be the issue, especially if you’re getting smoke on decel. Have you checked your oil level?
Sage said:
Sounds like the rings might be the issue, especially if you’re getting smoke on decel. Have you checked your oil level?
Yeah, oil level seems fine, but I haven’t done a compression test yet. Should I?
@candicemarshall
Definitely! A compression test will help you figure out if the rings are blown or if it’s something else.
You should also look at your turbo oil drain setup. If it’s not set up right, it could contribute to pressure issues.
Zane said:
You should also look at your turbo oil drain setup. If it’s not set up right, it could contribute to pressure issues.
I have a -10 drain, but I’m not sure about the angle. I’ll check it out.
@candicemarshall
Make sure the drain is lower than the turbo outlet. If it’s not, it could cause oil to back up.