StreetRage

iTrader: (8)

Hello fellow FD owners! I am having some not so fun problems with my FD. I just got my engine rebuilt by Banzai racing, and I know they did a good job as their reputation is great. But the engine is having some problems right now.
The car is a 93, mostly stock, the rebuild was a Street-Port, mods are intakes, downpipe, and catback
Everything is in place, all wiring hooked up, and everything is good. The given video is of the THIRD start-up.
On the first start up the motor ran at 3,000rpm for about 5 minutes, then a bunch of smoke started coming from the engine itself on the turbo side so I shut it off.
Second start up I did later that day like 4 hours later. same thing, idling a bit high, but this time at 3,500rpm for about 5 minutes.
Then the rpms started to climb up to 4k and the air pump starts to engage, disengage, engage, disengage, engage, disengage again and again, and smoke starts coming from the airpump/turbo side.
And on the third start up it actually ran at low rpms like 2500, then dropped lower, and again ran good for 5 minutes but then same story, air pump engages for a second or two then disengages, over and over, and as soon as that happens, smoke starts pouring.
I can't tell where the smoke is coming from, I'm looking everywhere but can't locate the source. At the same time there is also some smoke coming off of the turbos bc they have oil on them and all the other grease that my hands have put on while putting the engine back together, so there is light smoke from a few places. But when the air pump comes on, smoke just starts pouring.. and I don't know what it is..

ALSO.. I am not sure if the coolant is circulating!! I poured however much fit in at first through the filler neck, ran the engine the first time for about 5 minutes and the coolant did not go down. Only after that second start-up I had to add more coolant bc some went down, but still did not have to add a lot... After that 3rd startup the engine was at normal operating temp already, the filler neck/thermo housing was scorching hot, and the coolant was probably boiling and at such a high presure that you could hear pressure escaping, like a hissing sound, from under the rad cap. But the radiator and both top and bottom hoses were cold still. I don't think this is normal...

Please help me out guys. Really don't know whats going on.. Thanks very much in advance! sorry if I wrote too much, trying to be detailed..

DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

First off, the smoke from the turbo side is totally normal. You have greasy handprints, oil oil, all kinds of stuff on the turbos when they're assembled. The turbos get hot and it burns off.

Your high idle is just a high idle - troubleshoot that like any other high idle. Either the throttle isn't fully closed or you have a vacuum leak after the throttle body, that's it.

The air pump I wouldn't worry about too much, it might be it just turning off at high RPM.

Dale

jayscoobs

iTrader: (8)

Yeah that smoke is normal when starting a rebuilt engine. usually it just goes out the exhaust but I have a exhaust leak and mine smoked like that. Run the car until most of the assembly grease and what not is burnt off. It should dissapear.

XLR8

iTrader: (52)

Also, when burping the coolant system ensure the heater controls are turned to max heat, with the fan set to max.

You sometimes wont have to add coolant until the engine begins to warm and the thermostat opens. This allows a full path through the coolant system. Burping the system can take some time. Keep filling the neck as it cycles on starups. Eventually it will level off.

ZE Power MX6

iTrader: (159)

I would get a Lisle funnel, pop the filler cap and just fill the coolant as it goes down.

ArmitageGVR4

iTrader: (13)

In addition to the Lisle funnel which is terrific, a good trick is to pop off the coolant hose that connects to your throttle body up by the MAP sensor/TPS area. It's one of the highest points in the system and as you pour coolant in the fill cap, all the air in the system will come out up there. Reconnect it before coolant starts pouring out of it.

Another +1 on smoke being totally normal the first 20-30 minutes. I use high temp anti-seize on all the exhaust/turbo/manifold bolts and it looks like just like your video. If it doesn't clear up after running it hot for a while (give it at least an hour) then you may have to start hunting down an oil leak.

Do you still have AWS connected? Blipping the throttle may cause the idle to come down. If it's not that, you may have a vaccum leak to chase down or your idle screw is just too far out, etc.

The good news is it doesn't sound like anything is really wrong so you're almost there!

StreetRage

iTrader: (8)

Hey guys, thanks a lot for replying so quick!
I def don't have an exhaust leak. I used all new gaskets for everything and tightened the crap out of all bolts.
Yeah I know some of that smoke is definitely from all the assembly grease and I did use Loc-tite on the turbo-to-manifold bolts and stuff so I'm sure a good amount is assembly smoke.
But as I said, it's weird because as soon as the air pump comes on, the smoke just starts pouring. The light smoke during the first 5 mins is nothing compared to when the air pump turns on after 5 minutes. and then the smoke pours.
And how does the air pump normally function? I don't remember from before the rebuild. Basically mines desn't turn on until the motor is pretty much warmed up already, and then the clutch engages for a second, then disengages, over and over, and the smoke starts coming.

StreetRage

iTrader: (8)

Question about the cooling: So when you pour coolant in the filler cap, it just fills the radiator right? It doesn't go into the motor until the thermostat opens correct?
So isn't it real bad that my motor was already at operating temperature with little to no coolant going down from the radiator itself?That's like the motor operating without having any coolant circulating at all.. When is the thermostat supposed to open and let the coolant in?

Yes, I still have AWS connected, and yeah I will check the throttle, but I didn't really mess with the screws on the throttle body or the cable settings so it should be okay just as it was before the rebuild. And thanks, I will def disconnect that hose up top on the next start up.
And unfortunately I can't have my heater running bc it seems like something got in there or during the whole build process and when I turn it on, it rattles around as though something is in there..

Tem120

iTrader: (5)

if you dont have emissions , I'd just say disconnect the airpump for now .

airpump basically raises the RPM's at idle , and adds air to the cat . to pass emissions LOL it does not HELP or benefit the car in any way or form . infact reving to 3k everytime it starts isnt exactly good for a cold engine .

ArmitageGVR4

iTrader: (13)

Don't disconnect the hose when running the car, only when filling it the first time.

When you fill the coolant it goes everywhere as long as you get all the air bubbles out. Even when the thermostat is closed, there's still a little bypass. The radiator is never fully sealed off on the top side and of course the bottom side is wide open to the motor/water pump.

The airpump is basically a closed system, unless you've got it disconnected somewhere. There is a hardline that runs down near the downpipe that goes to the main cat that could be leaking I guess but it shouldn't be smoking. If your ACV gasket is loose/missing, you could get a pretty substantial exhaust leak coming from the firewall side behind the intake manifold but you'd hear and smell that. Unless you've got a leak in the airpump system I can't explain why you see more smoke with the pump on. Best thing you can do in this case is use your nose and figure out if your smoke is exhaust, burning grease/loctite, or straight up engine oil.

ZE Power MX6

iTrader: (159)

Anything at a lower level than your filler neck will get fill, whole radiator/motor. Only thing you need to do is burp out the bubbles, disconnecting the TB line while you fill it will help push out most of the air, then the Lisle funnel will do the rest. If you don't think your coolant is circulating then you should check your waterpump.

StreetRage

iTrader: (8)

Oh I see, So coolant does go into the motor then, that's good to know. It's weird that it took in less than a gallon only. Yes, I will unplug the hose by the tb and see if more gets in.
Water pump seemed fine when I was putting it in.. The fins were spinning along with the pulley, not loose or anything. should be good.
I can't tell the smell of the smoke.. It's mixed in with the exhaust fumes since the car is in the garage.. But it does not smell like oil. It smells like transmission oil really.
Yeah, i really don't get why it starts smoking real bad when the air pump comes on.. I will run the engine again tomorrow and try to hunt it down. I will try to make a video for you guys to see.

StreetRage

iTrader: (8)

Q about the Air Pump though.. Is it supposed to turn on as soon as you start the engine? Because if its purpose is to bump up the RPMs and add air to the exhaust, then it should be turning on (engaged) as soon as the engine turns on right?
Mine is only turning on like after 4 or 5 minutes.. as I said, engages, disengages a bunch of times and smoke comes with it..
I do need the air pump though, I'm in CA, and I have to pass smog soon as I get it running.