Valve cover steam? - Honda Prelude Forum

Jaminze · 03-12-2010, 06:34 AM

I have smoke coming from my valve cover on my 1992 lude si, but there's none coming from the tailpipe only the valve cover. its not excessive but noticeable if you open the hood and look on the back side by the fuel injecters. it smells like oils burning but my oil level has not decreased drastically. What could be the cause of this bad valve cover?

skyyskyy · 03-12-2010, 07:34 AM

Valve cover gasket or the oil filter housing ring is crapping out and is leaking onto the flex pipe then burning and the smoke is coming up the backside of the engine, that has happened to me twice.

Jaminze · 03-12-2010, 07:46 AM

There's no oil leaks just white exhaust coming from the valve cover. and the car runs like it should no over heating or rough idleing. and it only happens after i drive about 20 minutes or so once the engine gets hot.

jkoni426 · 03-12-2010, 08:35 AM

sounds like a coolant leak somewhere, that's what white smoke usually means

skyyskyy · 03-12-2010, 08:45 AM

If the smoke has a sweet smell its coolant if not its one of two things exhaust leak or you do have a verry small oil leak, i would get the car up to temp and start looking around, if its not coming from the valve cover leaking or the head then its on the bottom, get the car off the ground and look. If it has a sweet smell then start checking coolant lines.

Jaminze · 03-12-2010, 09:19 AM

Its not a coolant leak i dont smell any or see my antifreeze level dropping. i might change the valve cover gasket to see if that makes a difference. it could be an exhaust leak because when i get on it i can hear my exhaust rattle a little, sounds like its coming from the exhaust manifold