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2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara - ticking noise and white smoke from exhaust on hard acceleration
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leo17piano
New User
Mar 26, 2015, 10:42 PM
Post #1 of 6
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2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara - ticking noise and white smoke from exhaust on hard acceleration
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Hi
I'm having an issue with my 2011 Auto Suzuki Grand Vitara (Engine 2.4L J24B, about 30,000kms). It went without a service for quite awhile (entirely my fault) and the oil was dark, thick and sludgy when it finally went in for a service. The mechanic flushed the oil multiple times to clear out the gunk and this was done again just recently and the oil seems good now.
The main issue that started happening before it went in for service was that I all of a sudden found that when I accelerate moderately hard (I'd say about 2500+ RPM), at the transition mainly from 2nd to 3rd gear (though not only these gears) I'd hear a loud ticking/clicking, kind of like the sound of a stick in the spokes of a wheel and I'd get a massive plume of white smoke billowing from the exhaust. The smoke is so thick that you can't see anything behind you. The ticking continues if I hold down the accelerator, if I let it go it stops, but if I press it on again the ticking still continues. I basically have to come to a stop before it settles down and stops ticking when I accelerate. When this is happening, more and more white smoke billows out when the accelerator is pressed. Once I come to a stop small amounts of smoke continue to come out of the exhaust and this only really seems to stop if I switch the engine off for 10 mins or more. I might be wrong, but it doesn't seem like the ticking is coming from the engine in front of me, but more like it's below or slightly behind where I'm sitting in the driver's seat.
I've found that I can drive my car without this problem ever occurring if I accelerate in a way that I don't go much over 2000 RPM.
The smoke doesn't smell sweet (so I'd say not burning coolant), it smells more like burning oil, but it doesn't appear to have a blue tinge to it which I've read burning oil usually does.
The initial few flushes of the oil seemed to improve the problem for a few days, but it reverted back after that and subsequent flushes have made no difference. The mechanic thinks that because of how bad the oil got, the scraper rings are not clearing all the oil off the pistons and so oil is getting in the combustion chamber and burning off. Myself and a slightly more "expert" friend are not convinced this is what's happening because I don't think it really explains why the smoke continuously comes out the exhaust (although in much smaller amounts) until the engine has been off for awhile and I don't think it at all addresses the ticking sound.
I want to take the car to another mechanic for a second opinion and fresh perspective, but I'd like to go with a bit more info/ideas on what the possible problem is. Given the ticking sound, when the problem occurs and that the smoke is white, we wondered if it might actually be burning transmission fluid and not oil, but not sure if this is just a red herring (not sure if it's even possible).
Can anyone give possible suggestions? Your help will be highly appreciated. Fingers crossed I won't just need a whole new engine.
Tim
(This post was edited by leo17piano on Mar 26, 2015, 11:18 PM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 27, 2015, 2:13 AM
Post #2 of 6
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Re: 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara - ticking noise and white smoke from exhaust on hard acceleration
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I hope you have now seen the great importance of oil changes. You can totally destroy a motor beyond repair very easily and you may have just done that. Once an engine is sludged up, there really is no cure for the problem. Flushing as you tried can sometimes make the problem far worse because it softens the sludge without dissolving it and now it breaks off in chunks and can get caught in places where it can do serious damage by restricting oil flow at critical points.
What could be happening here is the oil return holes in the head may be plugged up causing oil to be pumped up by pressure but not returning to the sump by gravity and causing the valve cover to fill up totally. This could causae the PCV to suck in pure oil and trigger the smoke while starving the rest of the engine of oil.
This is just a theory and the engine needs to be inspected thoroughly. Truthfully .................... you may be looking at replacing the engine to resolve this.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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leo17piano
New User
Mar 27, 2015, 2:21 AM
Post #3 of 6
(3250 views)
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Re: 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara - ticking noise and white smoke from exhaust on hard acceleration
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Thanks for your comments Hammer Time.
Any idea what this ticking/clicking noise would be? This is the one thing that consistently happens everytime, but so far can't find an explanation for.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 27, 2015, 2:25 AM
Post #4 of 6
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Re: 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara - ticking noise and white smoke from exhaust on hard acceleration
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Timing chain and tensioner starving for oil would be my first guess although it could be far more serious.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 27, 2015, 3:49 AM
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Re: 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara - ticking noise and white smoke from exhaust on hard acceleration
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Arggh. Hammer spelled it out the first time and agree that flushing a sludged engine now is probably its demise not a cure for neglect.
Said in there, oil CAN'T return clogging passages to be pumped again. Even if cleared out now the damage doesn't heal. Probably all over for this engine,
T
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 27, 2015, 4:39 AM
Post #6 of 6
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Re: 2011 Suzuki Grand Vitara - ticking noise and white smoke from exhaust on hard acceleration
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If the smoke is that bad and excessive oil is getting into the cylinders, you should pull some spark plugs and look for oil fouling or plugs that have a build up of burnt oil on them.
If the transmission where leaking fluid, it would have to be leaking onto a hot exhaust system to produce smoke. Transmission fluid isn't going to find its way into the engine. Transmission fluid could find its way into the engine from a transmission that uses a vacuum modulator, but that isn't the case with yours.
Ticking noise could be anything, but maybe you should get a second opinion. One thing that could possibly cause a noise like that is when you get too much oil in the cylinders it raises the cylinder's compression. This will raise the pressures and cause higher combustion temps. That in turn can cause detonation or spark knock under heavy loads.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Mar 27, 2015, 4:43 AM)
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