I recently installed my new 2.3L motor with a new FP Red. As instructed by Slowboy Racing I have been using Brad Penn 20-50 semi synthetic to break in the motor. The car has been throwing a cloud of smoke almost every time I turn it on, specially in the mornings. Many have told me that it is normal until the rings seat. My tuner asked me to switch to regular oil and stop using semi synthetic until the rings are seated.
So yesterday a new problem developed, out of nowhere, the temp needle went all the way up and as fast as it creeped up it came back down. It has been doing this all day and I have no idea what to think about it. I changed the radiator cap thinking this might be the problem but it did not work. My tuner says it might be air trapped in the motor but I am worried it could be something else and I do not want to ruin my new motor.
What do you think?

 

Could very well be air trapped in the cooling system. The first thing I would do is get the car up to operating temperature so the coolant will be circulated. Then check the coolant level. It may just need to be topped off.

 

Thermostat, coolant, damaged radiator/hose?

 

if air is trapped. u can slowly unscrew the bleeder screw.

 

did you make sure that your hose in the overflow tank is always submerged in coolant? If not, when it tries to suck coolant in it will suck air.

As far as the rings sealing.....that doesn't sound good. They should seated by now. If it is woofing blue smoke that doesn't usually get better. Black smoke is just a super rich tune....which can be bad for a new motor also.

 

The smoke is not so blue. Probably white but it does smell a bit like oil. On the muffler, there is no oil, only black from the rich tune. I will have the tuner work on my car next week. I also changed to non synthetic oil to see if that will help seat the rings. thanks for the help.

 

Low coolant level (or air trapped) would be a likely cause if you turn the heater on full blast when engine is hot and the temp guage drops. It's really kind of tedious refilling the coolant system, the proper method requires a closed filling method with direct thermostatic control, but you can get it done with a funnel sealed to radiator fill with reservoir line blocked. Just fill it up as well as in the funnel serveral inches, start cold engine, quickly replenish if needed, squish the radiator hose promptly to burp several times, remove funnel letting coolant spill on your feet, turn engine off before it warms up, install cap, fill reservoir between marks, drive a day, then repeat several times.

Alot of work but you cannot just fill the thing after emptying and call it a day