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Shes smoking


jschunke

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Hi,

This will be my first car, if I can stop it from smoking.

Its a 1994 Seville SLS (Northstar).

There is no water in the oil. We recently replaced the fuel pressure

Regulator (FPR) and all eight fuel injectors. So we think it may

be water Entering the combustion chambers. Is it FUBAR?

Please see picture of it smoking below.

http://www.ahappyhabitat.com/tmp/summmmmer1041398.jpg

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How many miles?

Any knocking? How bad is it when you do a WOT?, does it clear up at all?

What is the condition of the oil?

As Joe says what kind of exhaust is that?

Do a compression test

I would pass on this given the smoke and the exhaust system

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The first thing I would do before adopting a used Cadillac into the family is drive it and run the OBD codes before I shut it off (see link in my signature block for instructions) and get a CarFAX.

What does the smoke smell like? If it smells like coolant, walk away.

The exhaust pipes shown in the photo are horrifying to people used to Cadillacs. This 1994 SLS came with a stainless steel exhaust system that ends in twin tips on either side. What we see in the photo is some ordinary galvanized pipe run out the rear and sawed off. Here's a photo of my exhaust system with a fisheye lens:

Borlas_fisheye_800X534.jpg

I really have my doubts that this car will look good once you see the OBD codes and the CarFAX. And, I would ask where the exhaust system came from.

With that kind of smoke, the catalytic converter is probably toast. If so, the Service Engine Soon light should be on. Some people pull the bulb or cut the wire on this light to sell a car, but it won't pass emissions inspection and you can't register it if the car is trying to turn on that light. You can check it by getting in and turning on the key; the Service Engine Soon light should be on until you start the engine, then go out.

There is a Driver Information display under the speedometer. Sometimes messages appear on that, like "Low Coolant" and such. We have heard of people putting black tape over it to sell a car. Look for that too.

Get the CarFAX. Run the OBD codes. And, come back here with the tale.

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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Why bother? There is plenty of used Cadillacs out there.

Jim, the underside of your Eldorado is very solid and clean. Do you drive it in the winter time?

The saddest thing in life is wasted talent

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It has 130,000 miles. The car has been in the family

for 6 years. We wanted to pass it down from mother to

daughter. For exhaust, it has stainless steel Flowmaster

Delta Flow mufflers. The rest of the exhaust is original.

Lousy tips.

It passed inspection, so sometimes the

smoke isn't so bad. That pic was a few minutes

after starting and it clears a bit after warming.

The only codes are service ride control.

It really does run well other than the smoke.

The service light is not on, and not tampered with.

So it may just be the catalytic converter?

The exhaust doesn't smell like water. But it does

consume water (2 cups per week), and has

a small leak way back in the water crossover seal by

the water inlet tube for the heater core.

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The exhaust is not OEM - the OEM tips are dual tips per side like on Jim's Eldorado.

Why were all eight fuel injectors replaced? The smoke could be from unmetered fuel entering the combustion chambers from a leaking injector(s).

The description of the area leaking coolant is confusing - the water crossover is on the left side of the engine and the heater core pipes are on the right side of the engine. If the water crossover seals are leaking, that is a major job - not as bad as headgaskets but almost as bad... many fasteners in hard to get to areas. If the leak is at the heater core pipes, it may be a loose clamp.

Kevin
'93 Fleetwood Brougham
'05 Deville
'04 Deville
2013 Silverado Z71

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Jim, the underside of your Eldorado is very solid and clean. Do you drive it in the winter time?

The photo was taken after repairs were completed after I was rear-ended by a Honda, taking out the exhaust system. What you see is all new exhaust components from the rear Y back, except for 1994 STS tips from a recycling yard. I drive the car every day, year round.

Whoever did the exhaust system work threw away the tips. They are very expensive. From Cadillac, they come only with the mufflers, and the right muffler includes plumbing back to, and including, the rear Y. Ouch.fighting0025.gif

The car is beginning to look like it has a leaking FPR or injectors. I would check the FPR first. Anybody familiar with checking the FPR on a 1993-1994 Northstar?

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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it has new fpr and injectors. no codes like p0300 so no engine miss from leaking coolant fouling the plugs. cat should be ok since it passed emissions. 2 cups/week is still more than usual though. what do plugs look like?

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What *does* the exhaust smoke smell like?

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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Here are pics of two front spark plugs. They are both

coated with black carbon, each with very heavy carbon

on one side, a little lighter on the other.

http://www.ahappyhabitat.com/tmp/summmmmer041433.jpg

Records show that the smoking started at about the time

the fuel pressure regulator (FPR) was installed.

The FPR was replaced because it was hard to start when

hot.

So the next step is to replace the FPR again? The theory

is that gas is getting into the intake through the vacuum

line on the regulator?

Thanks.

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The plugs are carboned up. Are these the only plugs you pulled? To be sure the engine could be running rich or burning oil. Take it out on the highway, get it up to about 70 and run it like that for a good 8 to 10 miles and watch for a smoke screen out the back. If you see one and the smoke is blue - it's burning a lot of oil and it's new motor time. If the smoke is black then the car is running rich, if white it's coolant and head gasket and head bolts are shot. This car may just be more trouble and expense than it is really worth and there are many nice Cadillacs on the market. Now it's time to think with your head and wallet and not your heart.

Good luck

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Great photographs! I get the impression that these plugs weren't torqued properly.

The cause of the smoke can very likely be determined by simply smelling it.

CTS-V_LateralGs_6-2018_tiny.jpg
-- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes
-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data
-- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC
Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars.

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