[CMAR]

Good morning all.

Looking for some much needed help.

Problem: exhaust smoke.

I have a 2019 camaro ltg. No tunes, only bolt ons. About 2 months back I started noticing smoke out the tail pipe while driving. I noticed it only happens when in gear and when letting off the gas. Prior to the smoke I had another issue with a squealing noise from under the hood. I soon found out it was coming from the built up oil pressure. When I removed the oil fill cap, the noise instantly stopped. I monitored oil pressures and everything seemed as it should. I did some research and decided to add a vent cap. However this caused excessive spray under the hood. I then added an additional catch can that was vented. This helped tremendously with not having the MAF covered with oil, and it also stopped the built up pressure. No smoke. After a month I decided to just run two regular catch cans (no breather) and instantly I began blowing smoke out the tail pipe. The contents in the catch can was milky. But it was heavily diluted with gas. I decided to return to using the catch can with the Breather, and I am still getting an abundance of white smoke from the tail pipe. Does anyone have any suggestions, advice, criticism, etc. I just ran blue devil, it seems to have helped a bit. But it's like I'm driving a lawnmower with a f^up carb. Below are the modifications I made.

Injen CAI
Zzp high flow catted downpipe
Zzp larger throttle body
American Thunder Axle-Back Exhaust
Two catch cans

Current DTC's
P0420 permanent
P0171 comes and goes
P0131 comes and goes

[WhiteMale]

White is coolant...hows your reservoir looking?

[CMAR]

Originally Posted by WhiteMale

White is coolant...hows your reservoir looking?

Looking good. full and not discolored.

[CMAR]

I was thinking coolant at first as well. But I've done 4 oil changes in the last two months. No evidence of coolant. And also it only occurs when I let off throttle and in gear. Not in neutral at all.

[SomeGeoffGuy]

You have to figure out where the coolant is coming from if you are sure it is white smoke. Fuel will usually smoke very black, and oil will smoke bluish. If you are sure it is white, I would run a coolant system pressure test and see if it drops after you pressurize it. I would also run a compression and leak down test since it might explain your crankcase pressure problem.

Also, I am not a huge fan of aftermarket air intakes for the LTG. I would try putting your stocker intake and see if anything changes - it might fix those codes at least.

-Geoff

[CMAR]

Only codes I currently have seen here.

[CMAR]

Originally Posted by SomeGeoffGuy

You have to figure out where the coolant is coming from if you are sure it is white smoke. Fuel will usually smoke very black, and oil will smoke bluish. If you are sure it is white, I would run a coolant system pressure test and see if it drops after you pressurize it. I would also run a compression and leak down test since it might explain your crankcase pressure problem.

Also, I am not a huge fan of aftermarket air intakes for the LTG. I would try putting your stocker intake and see if anything changes - it might fix those codes at least.

-Geoff

Geoff,

Thank you for your time and help. I'm positive it's white.but even now as I'm driving the car, it's intermittent. I'm currently in 6th gear at 60mph 1700rpms, and zero smoke. However, if I go wot and let off, there's a puff of white smoke.

If coolant was in the system, wouldn't it be a constant smoke? Forgive me, just trying to pick your brain.

[ctrlz]

I think you have a pre-cat leak from your new downpipe installation. This is likely the cause of all your codes. Air is getting in and the O2 sensor is reading lean. Have you checked fuel trims to see if the car is enrichening to compensate?
As for your oiling problems, I would revert to stock to see if they go away. Somewhere in your (multiple) catch-can install there may be a check valve missing or in backwards, or you may have the in/out ports on the cans mixed up. Your current installation is causing problems worse than those you are trying to fix by having the cans in the first place.

[CMAR]

Originally Posted by ctrlz

I think you have a pre-cat leak from your new downpipe installation. This is likely the cause of all your codes. Air is getting in and the O2 sensor is reading lean. Have you checked fuel trims to see if the car is enrichening to compensate?
As for your oiling problems, I would revert to stock to see if they go away. Somewhere in your (multiple) catch-can install there may be a check valve missing or in backwards, or you may have the in/out ports on the cans mixed up. Your current installation is causing problems worse than those you are trying to fix by having the cans in the first place.

Thank you sir,

So you are suggesting to go back to the stock hoses off the pcv and eliminate the catch cans. For the oil burning / smoking issues. I'll do that tomorrow morning and see if it helps. I know it can't hurt.. . I installed two cans for the amount of oil one can was catching. It's full after 400miles. As far as the in out connection from pcv to can + can + CAI housing is all correct.

The DTC codes definitely came after alterations. P0420 after downpipe installed, the others came after the CAI installation.

Thank you for your time and help respectfully.

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by CMAR

I installed two cans for the amount of oil one can was catching. It's full after 400miles.

This sounds like a lot of oil. You should check out some of the catch can threads here with photos. Filling up the can in 400 miles is not normal.
Did you install the intake first? That may have something to do with how much oil you are collecting.
The milky oil may be due to aeration of oil in the crankcase.

[CMAR]

Originally Posted by ctrlz

This sounds like a lot of oil. You should check out some of the catch can threads here with photos. Filling up the can in 400 miles is not normal.
Did you install the intake first? That may have something to do with how much oil you are collecting.
The milky oil may be due to aeration of oil in the crankcase.

Yes I did install the intake 1st. Catch Can came afterwards due to the MAF, and turbo getting too much blow by. The second Can was installed shortly after because of frequently emptying of Can 1. I then switched to a vented Can to eliminate the over pressure of the crank case. However, I probably did more harm than good. Idk.... However, the car still runs like a champ for a 2.0. I realize I probably have multiple issues going on leading to the smoke and oil consumption. I'm just trying to figure out where to begin and how to correct the issues. I didn't know if anyone had similar issues after certain modifications or what. I do appreciate everyone's time to read and respond.

Thank you,

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by CMAR

realize I probably have multiple issues going on leading to the smoke and oil consumption.

You also have to look at how your modified plumbing might affect wastegate management.
Modern turbo cars use a bypass valve which sends metered air back to the intake. It complicates the plumbing compared to a normally aspirated car like the V6 or V8.

I can't find anything with catch cans on the I4, but this thread on turbocharging a V8 talks about the need to add check valves. Principle would be the same for any turbo car:
https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=579036

[SomeGeoffGuy]

Originally Posted by CMAR

Geoff,

If coolant was in the system, wouldn't it be a constant smoke? Forgive me, just trying to pick your brain.

Head gaskets are funny things. It might suck in coolant through a minor leak when you lift because the pressure in the cylinder is less than the pressure in the coolant system (because the car is probably cutting off fuel on a lift). But when pressurized, the extra pressure could be sealing the leak up, bleeding off into the coolant system (and out the surge tank) or to the atmosphere. You do a compression test and a leak down test to check this.

My car club had a race car that only had head gasket problems under nitrous - the guys blew it under test and tune, but couldn't find the leak. It didn't leak or cause any issue when driving or even racing under normal compression. See the pinks episode of Motown Muscle vs. Michigan Speed if you want to see the Thunderbird we had smoke under nitrous and not when NA (we still won!).

-Geoff

[ctrlz]

I did find a thread in the I4 section on catch cans.
Again, these are not straightforward bolt-ons because of the varying pressures caused by turbocharging.
https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=582636