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 Post subject: Smoky EA
Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 12:52 am 
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Location: Parramatta
NSW, Australia

My '88 EA - EFI (not multi-point) is smoky & needs a little help but cash is in short supply right now... :(

Anyone out there with some advice to keep her chugging along? I'm not a great fan of additives, but if they don't make fixing it later even harder, I'll try!? Please advise??

She's a 5-speed manual with a new clutch and head gasket, but has recently lost her "pull"... I tow my horse trailer on weekends & lately fuel just seems to "evaporate"... I've had her for about 6 years & she was serviced only 6 months ago.

Good things will be done eventually, just need about 6 months grace!?

Thanks heaps!!

 

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Re-learning all I've forgotten about cars...
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Thanking heavens my old girl is NOT a sea of computer chips!!

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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 3:02 am 
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its eaither going to be rings for vavle stem seals .. how many km's she done?
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 2:18 am 
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This is what I just put onto another post about mileage... tells her story!

Thanks for the tip!! I'll keep that in mind when I get my "diagnosis" down the track. We do several long trips with the horse float, so the km's she's done have been fairly hard too!

"I bought my 1988 EA in 1999 and the clock said 265,000km. The log book said it got to 220,000km in 1992 & right now the speedo says 270,400km after 6 years & never having a day standing still in the driveway since then 1999.... (?? 5,400km in 5 years...???... NOT!!)

The speedo itself works but it hasn't recorded a TRUE km since 1992. My sums at 20,000km a year (VERY light for me) makes a total of 260,000 plus 270,400 totalling 530,000km.

She runs "smoky" (see other post) & has done 1 head gasket since I've had her, new clutch a month ago & next Moday is having a diff seal fixed.... other than that (touching wood) she's a terrific car.

This may not HELP with tips, but to me it's testament that these cars just "Keep on going". Regular tune-ups, weekly fluid checks & "Optimax" fuel.... keeps my old girl going!"

My mechanic friend (he's a Holden man unfortunately) said the other day that "it's not a viable option to spend money on the motor, just upgrade the car!". I can see his point, but I know the car & am confident she'll not let me down if I look after things as I go.

I see you're in Qld... any tips on guys in Sydney who'll not rip me off??

Cheers

 

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Re-learning all I've forgotten about cars...
Currently caring for a 1988 EA Falcon, 4L, 5 speed sedan with Ghia wheels (nice)!
Thanking heavens my old girl is NOT a sea of computer chips!!

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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:36 am 
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What sort of smokey is your car running?

Diagnosing rings and/or valve guides is very premature when you don't even know what colour the smoke is!!.

Blue smoke, especially taking off from the lights, or under acceleration, is definately rings. Could also be valve giudes.

Black smoke is rich running. Any number of things could cause this.
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 2:11 pm 
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Ride: EA Falcon

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The boot lid of the car gets quite black & a tissue over the pipe while running turns black... I'm not sure about accelerating but I'd assume the same. I'm one of those cars nobody seems to follow for any distance & I am guessing it's due to smoke or smell.... :oops:

I read another topic about a non-working MAP causing black smoke. I have disconnected the vacuum hose to it & the car went SO rough & the smoke was 100x wores, I re-connected it & it improved greatly but still black. Therefore it's still working...

Sometimes she runs smooth as silk, other times it's like something is blocking something & "rough" is the word...

 

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Re-learning all I've forgotten about cars...
Currently caring for a 1988 EA Falcon, 4L, 5 speed sedan with Ghia wheels (nice)!
Thanking heavens my old girl is NOT a sea of computer chips!!

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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:21 pm 
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Well it's definately rich running. If your engine doesn't burn oil, don't even think about worrying about rings and valve guides.

One thing it could be is the fuel pressure regulator. They've got a rubber diaphram in them and if that rubber diaphram cracks, extra fuel gets pumped into the engine through the vacuum line. The ECU has a very hard time dealing with that.

So, check your MAP sensor by cleaning it or getting another one from somewhere and check your fuel pressure regulator. To do this, disconnect the vacuum hose while the engine's running. If fuel pisses out of the regulator, it's time for a new one. I'm note sure where they're located on teh Falcons but follow the fuel line from the fuel rail and it will lead you to a gold coloured device with two fuel lines connected and a vacuum line connected. They look like a UFO.
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 10:19 pm 
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O2 sensor? temp sender?
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 Post subject: smoke
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 10:53 pm 
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mate i just went through a problem with smoke but only at start up a clear smoke not a rich dark smoke it was my leads and pulgs wernt working and not burning the fuel i dont know if thats close to ur issue or not pm me if it is ill try to help more
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Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 10:57 pm 
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Ok, I'll check the goldy thing (in the morning) as that description rings bells.... I have a feeling it may have been changed last service though as I complained of the smoke then too...

Now, how or where would I find these others?.... the O2 sensor & temp sensor?

I'm waiting for a service manual (in post) so these things should be in there, but until then any other clues about them?

Today I changed the air filter element & it seemed a lot more sort of smooth. I do the M4 several times a week & getting to 110km felt easier! Still fumey though...

Thanks everyone for these tips by the way!!!! :D

 

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Re-learning all I've forgotten about cars...
Currently caring for a 1988 EA Falcon, 4L, 5 speed sedan with Ghia wheels (nice)!
Thanking heavens my old girl is NOT a sea of computer chips!!

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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 3:26 am 
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Ride: EA Falcon

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Just want to add.... today when I changed the air fliter element, I de-greased the rest of the engine & bay (loose bolts on rocker cover) & when I started the car a splash of chunky black liquid (smells like fuel) plopped onto the path behind the exhaust pipe. The engine ran as normal, so it wasn't water in the mix.... unless it got into the pipe via the manifold...??? :?

The second start it did the same but less of it.

Normally I start her on grass, but there is no sign of this being a regular thing... I'm wondering if the engine pipe is full of crap & a new system may help with black "emissions"???

If water IS entering the pipes, is my catalytic converter still going to work properly??

Has anyone heard of this being an issue?? :?:

 

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Re-learning all I've forgotten about cars...
Currently caring for a 1988 EA Falcon, 4L, 5 speed sedan with Ghia wheels (nice)!
Thanking heavens my old girl is NOT a sea of computer chips!!

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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 10:28 am 
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If water's getting into your exhaust it's time for a cylinder head gasket. But if this were the case, you wouldn't be able to tow a horse float @ 110km/h

Nearly all cars blow out visible water vapour in the morning when cold. It's probably black because of all teh carbon deposits in the exhaust system. Unless it's cylinder head gasket, that problem is a secondary problem for you at the moment.

Also, if it's been running really rich for a while now, your cat converter is most likely blocked up. So you might be up for a new one of those aswell. They're not a huge amount... I think around the $150 for a high flow cat? Can anyone else confirm/deny that price?

Also, while you're changing the air filter, get everything ready for the other components, i.e plugs and leads. Don't put new plugs in it untill you've got the rich running sorted out, otherwise you'll just foul up your new plugs and could be up for another set again.

Oh, and oxy sensor is in the exhaust pipe near the engine. Easy to see. It's the only thing screwed into the exhause and has 3 or 4 wires going into it.
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Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 11:35 am 
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The head gasket was done a few months ago, so I HOPE there isn't a problem with THAT.... :shock:

Hopefully it was just the morning condensation... I had started it briefly to get it near the garage, so that could be it.

The diff seal is being done today & I have asked the guy to check the fuel regulator as I didn't get a chance. See what he says. I'm wanting a new exhaust system fairly soon too, so a new cat sounds like a definite...

I'll hole back on leads etc then until this smoke is sorted! Thank you!!

:)

 

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Re-learning all I've forgotten about cars...
Currently caring for a 1988 EA Falcon, 4L, 5 speed sedan with Ghia wheels (nice)!
Thanking heavens my old girl is NOT a sea of computer chips!!

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Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:03 am 
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When I had a sick plug lead, the engine would make smoke/vapour on the first start of the day from about 30-40 seconds after start and lasting about another 10-30 seconds. It varied from just a few whisps to heaps (like street disappeared in mirror - could only see smoke). The colour was very pale blue/whitish grey. When I replaced the leads this smoke stopped completely - I was hugely relieved as I had been thinking valve guide seals or head gasket.

Martin has just fixed exactly the same problem.

 

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Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:16 am 
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Finally got my girl back from diff seal job.... turned out she needed a sleeve over a groove that had worn in the axle, but all's good.

While she was there I asked the mech to check some things re fule/smoke.

I don't HAVE a fuel pressure regulator as I have EFI, not MPFI... that's fine. BUT there was a loose vacuum hose going to the manifold from a sensor (forgot what he said...) which they clamped on tight & she ran beautifully coming home... though it was dark, there was no sign of the cloud I normally see (like Greenmachine mentioned) so that's a GREAT sign! Oxy sensor checked & working beaut.

This weekend, seeing smoke is all but gone I'll do leads & plugs. That seems to be a fairly common suggestion.

Thanks for every tip on here!! Educational as well!!

LOVE this web forum!! :D

 

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Re-learning all I've forgotten about cars...
Currently caring for a 1988 EA Falcon, 4L, 5 speed sedan with Ghia wheels (nice)!
Thanking heavens my old girl is NOT a sea of computer chips!!

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