Again--if it's not one thing it's another!!!

[vee93]

Well, had a tune-up done 2 days ago. Took the Vette home and parked it. Took the Vette on a tour of the countryside today. Mostly cruising, but make a few annoyances specks in the rearview. Got home, parked and noticed smoke billowing out around the car. WTF?! Popped the hood and saw smoke coming from the right rear engine area .
So. WHAT GASKET IS LEAKING?! Main seal?

[B17Crew]

Your problem could be just about any gasket, although I had an experience similar to yours once with my ’94 six-speed coupe.

I had the same symptoms as you described. Servicing dealer informed me that a speed sensor gasket failed. Thought the car was on fire at first. I think I had around 50,000 miles on the car when it happened. Turned out to be nothing major.

On the same car, the rear main seal needed to be replaced, only symptoms that the car had was a slow oil drip (noticed the oil on the garage floor). I had not experienced any type of smoke with this leak.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

B17Crew

[vee93]

Just took the Vette for a quick test spin up on the interstate. No smoke this time, but I didn't dare drive it as long as I did earlier. Plus, it's about 25 degrees cooler out now. The car did hesitate/stumble when I took off from a stoplight. I don't know if that was me driving tentatively or a vacuum leak somewhere. There are now about 3, quarter-size drops of oil on my driveway tonight. Juuuust great.

[B17Crew]

Three quarter size drops of oil... there’s definitely an oil leak. On the brightside, it’s one of those problems that’s easy to diagnose.

With the rear main seal leak I had, I didn’t experience any driveability problems. I had the dealer handle that one as it was too involved for my skill level.

Please let us know what you uncover.

B17Crew

[John Robinson]

Just a guess but with what you said about smoke and drivability I would think perhaps the rocker cover gasket is leaking over plugs and onto the exhaust manifold. Let us know what you find

[urleycay]

could be valve cover gasket leaking on exhaust manifold (smoke) or a common problem is rear of intake manifold. that was my problem leaving small drops of oil on floor. changed intake and while i had it off i did valve cover gaskets. no more leaks

[G Winter]

When they tuned it did they replace the PVC ? Not sure where the PVC plugs into but if it goes in the valve cover maybe it wasn't put in properly and came out.

Glenn

[urleycay]

the pvc is located in the intake plenum, i want to say drivrs side but i am not looking at my engine right now. it has a U shaped hose attached to it. now this is for a LT-1 application

[Vettelt193]

Tune up + hesitation + Oil leak. Wonder if that = a loose spark plug?

If whoever you took it too did a rush job, or just didn't give a crap they may have not tightened down the rear most plug (which is a real PITA to get to).

This simple problem would cause all the symptoms you have described... especially considering you have smoke coming out of the engine compartment, the oil would almost have to leak directly on the header for it to be hot enough to burn synthetic off like that.

[Vinces87]

After I had a head gasket job I noticed a few days later smoke coming from under my hood and actully blowing into the car. I took it in and was told it looked like some oil sensor...it wasn't. Then another shop said it looked like it was coming from a catalytic. Now I'm wondering if someone actually knows. I decided to take it to the shop that installed the cat's for me. He raised it up and went straight to the rear exhaust manifold gasket. Turns out the oil was dripping on the catalytic as well as the oil filter, etc. He qouted me 4 hours of labor and invited me to bring the gasket set to him. Ordered one from a dealer and now I finally enjoy the car without worrying about fumes.

I realize this is Month's old, but I think this might be an issue with others as well.