Black smoke out back, engine splutter
 

Last night I get out of work and start the engine. I see a little smoke come out the engine bay. I cut the engine off and pop the hood. First place I take a look is the Rad overflow/refill tank. It was empty. Hum..... I though. That's very rare in any car. So, I go grab some water and fill her up and start her back up. All is well and I drove 25 miles home no problem no nothing. I did not get into much boost if any. I sit in the car for a good 40 sec and then cut the engine with according to the gauge is only 180 deg (raining here). I cut the engine but and got out the car. As I approached the driver side wheel, I heard a humm. I suspect it was the Exa pump for the oil return. Once again I thought, weird and took a peek at the rad overflow again. The tank was full. I thought good. I go back in and press the start button then off again to see if that would turn it off, no luck. I was tired and didn't have the energy or patience to stand in the drizzle to mess with it. So I disconnect the battery and went to bed.

I wake up and my brother tells me he tried to move the car but the car is acting funny. He said it turns over but splutters to life and blows black smoke out the back. so he cut the engine off. I go out and try to start her and she almost don't want to turn over. I have to give her a goodly amount of gas for her to turn over. The engine dies and cut off shortly after. So weird. I did have a MAF code not long ago. I have not have time to plug UpRev in to check for anything but any Ideas?

I'm totally lost as to WTH is going on. So weird! Anyhoo, off to work I go. I'll have to try and figure this out tomorrow or have her towed to get fixed.
I also just unhooked the battery in case the Exact tried to come on.

Thanks in advance
YzGyz

Ur boned

...

Sounds like you might have blown a head gasket. Missing coolant is never good unless you can find the leak.

I filled the coolant at work then check it when I got home. It was at the same level. I'll have to go snoop around everywhere. Like I said, she drove home fine. Just after that. It's so weird. Me thinks the ecu acting funny with a bad maf sensor. No codes though.

YzGyz

Pop the coolant cap on the motor and see if you have any left in the motor

Edit: not ruling out some wierd electrical issue but coolant disappearing and a compltely empty reservoir are never good things. If the hg is really bad it sucks coolant into the motor, but if it is only slightly blown it will push gas into the overflow bottle and the level will look crazy. Have you checked your oil level yet?

I'll see when I get home in the morning. I'll look and post before I go to bed. Just wierd that my Exa pump is also staying on after I shut the car down. It's connected to the fuse box and battery. So weird but this is also why I think it's a afr thing with the ecu. Just stabbing in the dark here. All that is over my car fixing knowledge.

YzGyz

Ok thats definitly weird, confirmed multiple problems exist check your wrining where the pump is hooked up to see if it is rubbing or shorted on something. If not time to take it to a shop.

when you fix this problem, please let me know what it was...it sounds very Weird

Just got out the shower and went out to do a quick oil and coolant check. Both are good. It's still green in the radiator and the oil is smack in the middle of the two dots.

My new theory is that my battery was low from the Exa pump running for hours. I was giving it a good bit of gas when I was cranking her. When she finally turned, she rolled over rich and poff, black smoke.

As for the pump, that can simply be a separate thing but coincidentally happen at the same time. Maybe just a bad wire (hard fit when wiggling the cover over the big fuse box.)

I was thinking a minor head lift could be possible. However, I doubt it as I'm on spring pressure at like 7.5 lbs. I plan to drain the oil and see if it comes out milky to confirm that the coolant and oil are not mixing.

Off to dream land I go. Guys /gals, keep brainstormin for ideas while I'm snoozing.

YzGyz

The empty coolant tank worries me. It may just be a low battery but you will have to let it warm up to see if you are losing coolant (unless you've blown a big hole in the head gasket).

First thing I'd check is the battery. Charge/replace if needed.
Then I'd see if any DTCs have been thrown. If any are present, write 'em down and then clear.
If the car will run at this point (probably going to run rough for a while if the battery was dead), top off the overflow tank, let it warm up to normal operating temp, shut down and wait for engine to cool. Check tank. If you lost much coolant from the tank, it's may be a head gasket. :(

I agree with the low battery issue. The puff of black smoke is from the injectors firing during the starter slowly cranking the engine. When it starts you have all that unburnt fuel pushing through your exhaust. Good luck!

The radiator? Again are you just checking the overflow bottle or the metal pressure cap on the engine? If you run the bottle dry and suck air into the motor it could be airlocked at the motor? If you pull the pressure cap it should be full all the way to the top. And yeah definitley check the scavenge pump wiring if it is on when the motor isnt its running dry which is very not good for a gear pump.

I doubt it as I'm on spring pressure at like 7.5 lbs. ? Turbo? Check the fuel pump. My car was doing the same thing when I had my SC, fuel pump feed line was cracked, I have a youtube vid of it, look upMAC37! channel,"Spuutering"

Sorry for the late reply.

Yes, the Rad itself is full of green juice not the res.

I fiddle with her for about 1hr before I had to go and did not come home till 2am.

2 ,minutes into trouble shooting (had to get all the covets off the fuse,wire) I found a rusted relay in the wire loom to the Exa pump. Next I did an oil change to check if coolant mixed. The oil was dark but visual great.sill smooth, not thick although black. I'm not worried about the black as color is not the best means to measure oil life, plus there will always be 1qt old oil in the cooler itself. No milk so I'm assuming it's good HG. I'm heading out to try to find the relay now.

Will post pic later and report in
YzGyz