89 VN - Oil Leak Smoke/CLOUD!!!

[CMI83]

Hey All,

Got an interesting one here. I have an 89' VN S, used to be owned by a guy who jus used it for weekend fun basically, was an absolute POS when i got it and i've basically replaced everythin, slapped on some 19' rims, kit and resprayed.

I have been drivin it a bit over the last 6 months in between gettin stuff done, (all the while with engine covered in grease a few mm thick and with oil that was pretty bad) and over the last few weeks i have focused on engine doin CAI/K&N filter/All gaskets i can get to easily, water pump, fuel pump, thermostat and housing the list goes on. Now.. last weekend i sprayed about two cans of degreaser in/around the rocker covers n gave ema good clean with a brush, but ran out of time to do the bottom half and underneath. Since then every time the car heats up it reeks, and only when im doin 80-100+ i get a helluva lot of smoke pourin out the back of the car and then after that when stopped it just comes out everywhere. I have checked oil levels daily with no drop, and cant see any fresh stuff comin out.

What are some theories on this? Is there a tiny leak on a rear seal that i cant see droppin onto the exhaust? Surely that cant make that much smoke. Or is it because i've sprayed degreaser and loosened up the old sh!t covering the bottom half which when goin fast is dropping on the exhaust??? Lost!! Help me out! I've sprayed what i can reach to with degreaser and gone to underbody car washs, i've gone to carlovers and sprayed the hell out of it with their engine cleaner and then pressure rinsed but i just cant seem to get to everything i guess.

Thanks - Chris.

[ScottB_33]

You probably have done just that Chris and now that you have started to clean and repair everything. You may just find that upon cleaning along the rocker covers that old oil can sit on the exhaust and burn off, or you may find the rocker covers leaking down onto the exhaust and that oil is burning off until you can get them suckers changed as well!! They are very common to leak! Keep cleaning and fixing. Good to see someone returning a good car back from the dead!

[CMI83]

Thanks for the response - i got a brand new set of gaskets and put em in for the rocker covers but still seem to be getting that burn off... anyone got some good tips for how to reach the back of the engine without a hoist (as its pretty low) and down onto the casing?

Cheers,
Chris.