Panicked over White Smoke

[Tom McMenamin]

I just had my radiator replaced and 4 injectors on the right side of my 560.
Got the car back on Thursday night car ran fine. No Problems, None.

Today I started car to wash it and major white smoke is pouring out the exhaust. I mean lots of White Smoke.

Car seems to run fine no missing or no fast temp rise nothing like that. Just lots and lots of white smoke pouring out the exhaust? Any ideas?

[Tom McMenamin]

transmission modulator diaphragm?

[Peter Kraft]

If the problem started suddenly after work was done, where were people's fingers last?

It might be the modulator, but it's more likely this:


You might want to ask the tech if he removed the valve covers(to make it easier to remove the injectors). If so, then a broken/loose camshaft oiler may be spraying oil driectly into the breather tube. Where it goes straight into the aircleaner and gets burned. It usually causes heavy smoke from the tailpipe. The passeger side is a likely culprit, because the breather hose fitting on the valve cover sits right next to the rear camshaft oiler.

[Peter Kraft]

Duh, I guess they did replace the passenger side injectors after reading the op again. I think there is a very high chance that a loose cam oiler is the cause. I wouldn't drive the car much like this because the affected valvetrain parts aren't getting very much lubrication. You can remove the aircleaner lid and inspect for oil residue. The oilers come in a kit, cost a few dollars, and should be replaced anytime the valve cover is removed to prevent problems like this.

The catalytic converter(s) don't like oil very much, another reason to not put too many miles on the car until you get it looked at.

It really steams me that shops do this kind of thing, I'm sure you spent upwards of $900 or so to get this work done. Totally unacceptable.

[Tom McMenamin]

Yep a $1000 job to do injectors and replace radiator.

I gues it will not hurt it to drive it 15 miles back to the shop in the AM. The only people that will mind will be who is driving behind me?

Anyway I can disable the smoke for a few miles?

[Tom McMenamin]

Thank you for the response. I didn't know that a cam shaft oiler existed. You are a credit to this Forum. Thanks and I' ll post the results when I get it back!

[Peter Kraft]

I makes me a little nervous about driving 15 miles, because if it is the cam oilers, the valvetrain will be starved for oil. Camshafts are close to $1000 each now. I don't know if you can abate the smoke, because if you pinch the breather hose shut, the crankcase pressure could blow out the oil seals. I would carry a quart of oil with you, and stop after a few miles and check it. I would call the shop and play dumb, ask if they had the valve covers off. If they admit it, they can't play the "it's an old car" scam and claim it's just a coincidence IF it turns out to be the cam oiler.

[Tom McMenamin]

I know that because I was at the shop when they were replacing the Injectors.

Problem in my mind is why didn't it do it right after I left or over the next couple days. Everything was sensational until this AM.

Go figure!

[Peter Kraft]

Originally Posted by Tom McMenamin

Thank you for the response. I didn't know that a cam shaft oiler existed. You are a credit to this Forum. Thanks and I' ll post the results when I get it back!

Your more than welcome.

The cam shaft oiler tube is metal, but has plastic fittings that connect it to the motor. These plastic fittings get very brittle and break easily, that's why many reputable shops replace them every time the valve cover is removed.

This is the cam oiler:




These are the plastic fittings, known as the "cam oiler kit"(you need two kits per engine):

They cost about $7.00/kit, wholesale.


The breather hose is on the rear of the passenger side valve cover, attached to a nipple that points towards the aircleaner. The hose goes from the valve cove to the underside of the aircleaner. If the oiler is broken, it could be spraying oil almost right into the hose, where the suction at the aircleaner draws the oil right into the engine and it gets burned. Causing a huge plume of white/grey smoke.

I hope this helps, and good luck.

[Peter Kraft]

Originally Posted by Tom McMenamin

I know that because I was at the shop when they were replacing the Injectors.

Problem in my mind is why didn't it do it right after I left or over the next couple days. Everything was sensational until this AM.

Go figure!

The plastic oiler clips could have had a crack, but choose to let go fully later on. It also may have taken some time for the oil to migrate through the breather system to the aircleaner. The oiler clips simply press fit into holes on the cam bearing, they have little barbs on them that hold them in. It's sort of a Mickey Mouse way to it, but don't usually present a problem unless they get disturbed, and not replaced when the valve cover is off.

[Tom McMenamin]

Transmission Modulator Diaphragm. Towed the car in this AM, Went thru everything step by step narrowed problem down to the Modulator.

Replacing Modulator tomorrow PM.

Now the Big question is...

What the heck does the Transmission modulator actually do? What is the purpose of it?

[ScottinSoCal]

Originally Posted by Tom McMenamin

What the heck does the Transmission modulator actually do? What is the purpose of it?

Uses the vacuum coming from the engine to help control shifting of the transmission. If the diaphragm fails, you wind up pumping transmission fluid up through the vacuum hose straight into the engine.