Quote:
Originally Posted by Paoli380
Hello- I've owned a 380sl (1984) for about 5 years now and just found this forum. It runs really well, but when I stop the car abruptly on a slight downhill grade, it will smoke terribly for about 15 seconds or so. It's a very white smoke and there are plumes of it. I drive it about 1400 miles a month, and it might smoke just once or twice. There is no pattern of weather or temp that affects it--just a slight downward grade. When it happens, it also almost stalls out as well.
Could this be the trans modulator? Any thoughts would be appreciated. My mechanic is stumped because he cannot replicate it to see the problem.
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My 560SL did somewhat the same thing. It had 200K miles on it and burnt oil regularly although barely enough to have visible smoking and it ran very strong and smooth. One day I was stopped to talk to someone the car was on a fairy steep down hill grade. after about 30 seconds the car started smoking like a mosquito fogger. I thought I cracked a piston ring or something. I got the car off the hill and started driving it and it cleared up in about 1 mile. I never had the problem again although I'm sure I would have if I stopped down hill again.
Now I suppose you are going to want to know what it was that caused the problem. Unfortunately I never ran it to ground, because I pulled the engine out to put in a V-12. But I do believe this is an intake valve seal problem and I'm sure it would be reduced significantly with just valve seals. Also in doing the valve seals the guides could be easily checked at the same time.
John Roncallo