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Help: white smoke after new spark plugs

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by icyrius, Jun 28, 2018.

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  1. icyrius

    icyrius Active Member

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    Hello fellow Prius owners,

    Today I completed switching the spark plus in my Prius gen 3. I rubbed anti-sieze greese and dielectric grease just as suggested in Nutz and Boltz video. However, when I started by car, white smoke started coming out all the spark plug holes. I immediately shut off the car to prevent any further (if any) damage.

    Can someone help me undestand what is happenning?

    I even was careful to label the spark plug cables as 1,2,3,4 to avoid crossing the spark sequence.

    Thank you for your help.
     
    #1 icyrius, Jun 28, 2018
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    did you thread the plugs in by hand, then torque them down?
     
    #2 bisco, Jun 28, 2018
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  3. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    All the spark plug holes? Possibly all are a bit loose. White smoke, that’s a puzzler.
    There is a firing order, which can be traced, generally 1-4-3-2 I haven’t done that since 2006.
    Since the fuel injection must match the firing order, double check that too.
     
    #3 Andyprius1, Jun 28, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2018
  4. icyrius

    icyrius Active Member

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    Yes. I did all of them by hand first until I could not tighten them any longer.
     
    #4 icyrius, Jun 28, 2018
  5. milkman44

    milkman44 Active Member

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    Firing order is 1-3-4-2, but doubt that is the problem.
     
    #5 milkman44, Jun 28, 2018
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  6. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    Some one, like Ed will solve your problem, soon.
     
    #6 Andyprius1, Jun 28, 2018
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    how many ft/lbs did you torque them to?
     
    #7 bisco, Jun 28, 2018
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  8. icyrius

    icyrius Active Member

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    That is my theory too. SInce all of them were smoking. I have a torque wrench, but do not remember how much I set it at. I think it was 15 Ft/lbf?
     
    #8 icyrius, Jun 28, 2018
  9. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    People on PC make a big things about this, I have never torqued Plugs. Just a 1/4 turn beyond hand tight~ always subject variances.
     
    #9 Andyprius1, Jun 28, 2018
  10. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    someone give me a rundown on correct firing order, 4 injectors, 4 plugs right?
     
    #10 Andyprius1, Jun 28, 2018
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    see post #5.
     
    #11 bisco, Jun 28, 2018
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  12. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    It’s one thing to know the firing order, it’s another to prove that it’s actually wired correctly. It’s sometimes easy to switch two wires.
     
    #12 Andyprius1, Jun 28, 2018
  13. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Due to wiring lengths, it's pretty hard to mis-wire COP sparkplugs.

    Besides that wouldn't affect smoking in the engine bay, the car would just run rough or not at all and/or smoke at the tailpipe. Just start it up and let it run awhile to let it burn off any excess applied chemicals.
     
    #13 fotomoto, Jun 28, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2018
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  14. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    You always make so much sense.
     
    #14 Andyprius1, Jun 28, 2018
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  15. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    How much greas and anti seize did you use?

    Could it be that “burning off”?

    What did the white smoke smell like?
     
    #15 Raytheeagle, Jun 28, 2018
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  16. icyrius

    icyrius Active Member

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    I was "generous" with the grease. I made sure I covered the entire threaded portion of the spark plugs. With the dielectric grease, I rubbed just the tips of them.
     
    #16 icyrius, Jun 28, 2018
  17. icyrius

    icyrius Active Member

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    I did not get to smell the smoke. I just went back to smell the car and it does not smell like burned rubber or anything strange.
     
    #17 icyrius, Jun 28, 2018
  18. Andyprius1

    Andyprius1 Senior Member

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    I’m sure fotomoto is right. Just run it for a while.
     
    #18 Andyprius1, Jun 28, 2018
  19. icyrius

    icyrius Active Member

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    I will give it a shot again tomorrow morning and share the findings. It is kind of late to deal with it now. Thank you all for your help!!!!
     
    #19 icyrius, Jun 28, 2018
  20. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    Too kind, thanks.

    Cleaned my daughters recently purchased and very dirty 10 yr old, 125k mile Suzuki engine bay and it smoked too at first start up; just got to let it burn off. Next apply liberal doses of protectorant and elbow grease and these are the results (and might smoke/smell some more for a bit):

    IMG_3640.JPG IMG_3641.JPG
     
    #20 fotomoto, Jun 28, 2018
    Last edited: Jun 28, 2018
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