96 Lx 450 Smoking!

[JustMarkC]

Help! I just purchased a 1996 LX450 and drove it last night with no issues. This morning, I took it out for a longer drive ( 5 Miles) and noticed the engine was hesitating, RMP was moving between 700-1000, when vehicle is stopped @ a light and excelarating. I came home to get my wallet to get some BG 44K fuel additive to clean out the injectors. I started driving and noticed HUGH amount of smoke coming out of the exhaust! It was like a smoke machine. I hope it's NOT serious. Any reply will be grateful and helpful.

Thanks!

Mark

[dougjohn]

I wonder if it was a starter issue - -although that wouldn't explain the smoke from the exhaust.

The starter contacts begin to wear after time will sometimes get stuck on -- like it's constantly trying to start the engine.

When it happened to me, the LX was hesitating and the RPMs would swing between 800 and 2000. When I tried to turn th engine off, the starter kept grinding away. It eventually stopped, well after I hit the thing with a crescent wrench!

I had the starter replaced and that solved the problem. One thing to look for, if it's a starter issue is that sometimes when you try to start the LX, you'll get nothing -- just a "click", then it'll usually start up again. This might happen several times before it gets stuck.

The easy (more expensive) fix is to replace the starter. The more difficult (cheaper) fix is to remove and rebuild the starter. The part that needs to replaced are the contacts -- which are about a $4 part.

When this happened to me, there was no smoke.

What color was the smoke? White? Black? Blue-ish?

...

Doug

[JustMarkC]

I wonder if it was a starter issue - -although that wouldn't explain the smoke from the exhaust.

The starter contacts begin to wear after time will sometimes get stuck on -- like it's constantly trying to start the engine.

When it happened to me, the LX was hesitating and the RPMs would swing between 800 and 2000. When I tried to turn th engine off, the starter kept grinding away. It eventually stopped, well after I hit the thing with a crescent wrench!

I had the starter replaced and that solved the problem. One thing to look for, if it's a starter issue is that sometimes when you try to start the LX, you'll get nothing -- just a "click", then it'll usually start up again. This might happen several times before it gets stuck.

The easy (more expensive) fix is to replace the starter. The more difficult (cheaper) fix is to remove and rebuild the starter. The part that needs to replaced are the contacts -- which are about a $4 part.

When this happened to me, there was no smoke.

What color was the smoke? White? Black? Blue-ish?

...

Doug

Doug,

After the "White Smoke" incident, I shut off the car and tried to start it again. I did have a hardtime starting .... it wasn't turing over. After about 5 more tries it started.

I talked to a master mechanic on a local talk radios show and he told me 3 thing that could casue the large amount of smoke.

1 - Head Gasket

2 - Exhaust manifold

3 - Vacuum modulator - He didn't know if it has the 96 has this.

Any experience with replacing Head Gaskets or exhbaust manifold?

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. I think it's best if I just replace the starter, since the smoke issue will have to be resolved.

[dougjohn]

Head gaskets have a tendancy to go with the 1FZE engine. Should be easy enough for a good mechanic to tell though. I (luckily) haven't had a problem with head gaskets, but know of several people who have.

Probably time to have a qualified mechanic take a look.

I'd only worry about the starter if it didn't engage at all. Based on what you said, it sounds like it was trying to start, but just not turning over -- if so, that wouldn't be the starter. When my starter started to go, I thought it was a problem with my battery (or other electrical issue) because it just wouldn't start (engage at all). I just "clicked".

...

Doug

[JustMarkC]

Head gaskets have a tendancy to go with the 1FZE engine. Should be easy enough for a good mechanic to tell though. I (luckily) haven't had a problem with head gaskets, but know of several people who have.

Probably time to have a qualified mechanic take a look.

I'd only worry about the starter if it didn't engage at all. Based on what you said, it sounds like it was trying to start, but just not turning over -- if so, that wouldn't be the starter. When my starter started to go, I thought it was a problem with my battery (or other electrical issue) because it just wouldn't start (engage at all). I just "clicked".

...

Doug

Yup! It's the Head Gasket! Luckily, this happened the next day, after delivery. I can get my $$$ back. Sounds like he did know the problem but was hoping the problem would arise weeks or months later.

Thanks for you feedback dougjohn