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Topic: A puff of white smoke when gas is applied on a warm engine!

in Forum: C3 Engines


A puff of white smoke when gas is applied on a warm engine!

Posted: 8/3/25 8:25am Message 1 of 9
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Franksville, WI - USA
Joined: 8/3/2025
Posts: 6
Vette(s): 1979 Chevy corvette

I did valve seals umbrella style last year on a 79 L48 and the blue smoke is gone, Put a 500 miles on it and all is good, this year, start up and shifting between gears is still good, no smoke but now after the car is warmed up I give it some gas like waiting at a stop light I get a big puff of white smoke out the exhausts pipes… no white smoke while driving just after it idling. No coolant loss, reservoir is clean, compression is 180psi, car doesn’t run hot, only on the interstate after 20 minutes, that’s another issue. Please help. Regards




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Re: A puff of white smoke when gas is applied on a warm engine!

Posted: 8/5/25 9:07am Message 2 of 9
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France
Joined: 8/21/2002
Posts: 145
Vette(s): 1978 L48 Auto. Red with Oyster Leather interior. Owned since 1990.

I may be well off-base here, but...  About 30 years ago we had an issue and the car would put out a lot of white smoke, at various times.

That turned out to be the vacuum modulator on the (auto) transmission that had failed, allowing trans fluid up into the manifold via the vacuum line.   Replacement of the modulator cured the problem.

As I say, may not be the same as your issue....

I think that white smoke is also sometimes a sign of head gasket issues - not wanting to alarm you or anything!😀




Stephen J Irons
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Re: A puff of white smoke when gas is applied on a warm engine!

Posted: 8/5/25 5:33pm Message 3 of 9
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Grapevine, TX - USA
Joined: 8/26/2006
Posts: 1532
Vette(s): 1972 LT-1 convertible with factory air. 2017 Black Rose Grand Sport M7 convertible.

4 speed or auto?

As already mentioned, white smoke is usually coolant.  😬




   

Re: A puff of white smoke when gas is applied on a warm engine!

Posted: 8/5/25 7:36pm Message 4 of 9
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Equinunk, PA - USA
Joined: 10/31/2007
Posts: 2475
Vette(s): 1972 conv, 4-speed, 350, 200hp, numbers match, rally wheels, war bonnett yellow w/white top. good condition, nice driver.

Check for white sludge in PCV valve or the bottom of oil fill cap. Another sign of water in system. 




Re: A puff of white smoke when gas is applied on a warm engine!

Posted: 8/6/25 10:57am Message 5 of 9
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Franksville, WI - USA
Joined: 8/3/2025
Posts: 6
Vette(s): 1979 Chevy corvette

4 speed, wouldn’t it blow white smoke all the time instead of just when equalizing gas/clutch after an 30 second (ish) idle? It’s only one puff of white smoke, then it goes away. 




Re: A puff of white smoke when gas is applied on a warm engine!

Posted: 8/6/25 11:04am Message 6 of 9
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Franksville, WI - USA
Joined: 8/3/2025
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Vette(s): 1979 Chevy corvette

Check both and we’re good, no blow by either. All this seem to start after I which to synthetic oil this spring, I just changed it again to high mileage regular oil and it’s not as bad but still blows white smoke only when equalizing gas / clutch after idling or a hard tap on the gas pedal after idling…




Re: A puff of white smoke when gas is applied on a warm engine!

Posted: 8/6/25 12:35pm Message 7 of 9
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Franksville, WI - USA
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Vette(s): 1979 Chevy corvette

Thank you Kent, any information is helpful.




Re: A puff of white smoke when gas is applied on a warm engine!

Posted: 8/6/25 9:24pm Message 8 of 9
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Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20224
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas

Did you install the new valve seals on both intake AND exhaust valves? Your description of the one time puff after idling sounds like a high vacuum situation pulling oil into one(or more) cylinders while idling. Could be excessive valve guide wear on one(or more) guides. Could also be a leaking intake gasket sucking oil into the intake port of a head, but that usually creates a more consistent smoking issue. 




Joel Adams
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Re: A puff of white smoke when gas is applied on a warm engine!

Posted: 8/7/25 8:52am Message 9 of 9
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Franksville, WI - USA
Joined: 8/3/2025
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Vette(s): 1979 Chevy corvette

Good morning Adam, I did both intake and exhaust valves put 500-1000 miles on it and no blue smoke on start up or driving or white smoke also last year, the car sat all winter. Drove it in the early spring, all was good, changed to synthetic oil from regular and that’s when it started??. Changed to high mileage regular oil and the white smoke is a little better. I’ll check the vacuum, that was on my list! Here’s a pic of the valve seals I used in 2024.




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