Blue smoke
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Sounds like to me that your TH may be burning a bit of oil. Have you noticed any change in the oil consumption?
I have owned several SRT8 vehicles over the years and all of them had the same problem. Started our new TH this morning that has all of 50 miles and sure enough a puff of blue smoke. Some claim a catch can helps with this issue, but I have run them in the past with little to no success, so not really sure if they make a real difference. In short, yes this is completely normal.
I’ve been driving GC SRT8’s since they were introduced in 2006, and never once have I seen any blue smoke. I don’t think there’s anything normal about blue smoke coming out of a brand new Trackhawk. I’ve only got less than 1k miles on mine, but I’ve never seen any smoke whatsoever. I’ve never used a catch can either, mine have all been left totally stock except for the exhaust and CAI. Sounds like it’s a problem to me.
Search the other late model Hemi sites and this is a very common problem without a resolution. All of my cars have done this once in a while especially if they sit in the garage unused for several weeks. Now if the car does it every time that is a whole different situation and would be abnormal.
Count me in for a BIG YES it smokes. Its very irritating and has got me concerned. Mine also consumes oil. Not alot. Maybe 1/2qt every 2000. This time between oil changes it used a full quart, but 2500 miles of that was a cross country hiway road trip with rather hi speeds most of the way. I change oil every 3000.
A Supercharged engine using oil wouldn't surprise me. I'm not sure how Mopar or Ford or Chevy for that matter deals with the blow by that all supercharged engines will make regardless of ring packages. I suppose that could be part of the smoke. All of the Hot rod type Supercharged engines we built in our shop in the past 30 year have used some oil. Its nature with that type of hot rod engine, but a production automobile needs to burn clean , right.
What are you guys talking about with using a catch can to try and stop the smoke on these Trackhawks? Like my race cars have with oil separators plumbed into the valve covers and or the dry sump oil systems?
Keep it on the blacktop
A Supercharged engine using oil wouldn't surprise me. I'm not sure how Mopar or Ford or Chevy for that matter deals with the blow by that all supercharged engines will make regardless of ring packages. I suppose that could be part of the smoke. All of the Hot rod type Supercharged engines we built in our shop in the past 30 year have used some oil. Its nature with that type of hot rod engine, but a production automobile needs to burn clean , right.
What are you guys talking about with using a catch can to try and stop the smoke on these Trackhawks? Like my race cars have with oil separators plumbed into the valve covers and or the dry sump oil systems?
Keep it on the blacktop
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I’ve got a catch can on order from billet technologies. On my 2014 5.7L GC I would occasionally see it puff some smoke on startup but it wasn’t a regular thing. I haven’t seen it happen on the TH yet but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. I was about a quart low on oil at 4K miles but I found my oil filter loose and covered in oil so I attributed the oil loss to that. I’ve put on another 2k miles since then and it looks like I’m 1/4-1/2 qt low again. I’m hoping that the catch can will show if this oil is winding up back into the intake.
Blue smoke is an indication of oil by the rings. YES older model SRT motors would smoke on start up. That is because Hemi engines are know for having the ring lands too high on the piston. Thats also why stock motors cant take a ton of boost. Hellcat motors SHOULD NOT DO THIS as the ring lands were dropped on the piston to address this issue. If its cols out that the smoke your all talking about in (should be) condensation. So its steam. If you still have the cats on your motor and you start it up and get a ton of blue smoke then consider all that crud must first go through the cats. Smoke is when something hits something else hot. If you start your car and see smoke immediately then its a valve seal not a ring. Either way IMO if you get a puff of smoke and then it goes away...nothing to worry about.:smile2:
I, too, have the blue smoke on start up issue. With my TH, it's entirely intermittent - doesn't smoke on every start and the amount of blue smoke that comes out of the pipes varies. It will smoke after sitting for a few days or after running it, letting sit for 20-30 minutes, then restarting it. I have captured it on video and plan to show the service manager at my local dealership today at my 1st oil change appointment.
I don't agree that this is "normal" behavior at all. If it were "normal" or operating as designed, then why don't ALL Trackhawks exhibit this behavior...? I've owned supercharged German makes and none of them blew blue smoke at start up. I also have a 2016 Challenger Hellcat with 5k on it and from day one, that motor has never smoked on start up.
I don't agree that this is "normal" behavior at all. If it were "normal" or operating as designed, then why don't ALL Trackhawks exhibit this behavior...? I've owned supercharged German makes and none of them blew blue smoke at start up. I also have a 2016 Challenger Hellcat with 5k on it and from day one, that motor has never smoked on start up.
I took it to the dealer. They found and showed me that the plumbing leading into the oil cooler was leaking (small amount of oil visible) so they ordered me a new oil cooler. Also checked the PCV valve - didn't see anything wrong with it - ordered me a new one anyway. Goes back in next week for the repairs once the parts arrive.
I now have 2 vids of my TH blowing puffs of blue smoke on start up so this not a condition they can try to refute. The odd thing is, when I smell the cloud of smoke, it doesn't smell like oil despite it appearing blue in color.
I now have 2 vids of my TH blowing puffs of blue smoke on start up so this not a condition they can try to refute. The odd thing is, when I smell the cloud of smoke, it doesn't smell like oil despite it appearing blue in color.
Blue Smoke
Good luck finding a solution. Owned these cars since 2006 and everyone has had this problem from time to time and catch cans have never made a difference for me. Both my Hellcat Challenger and Trackhawk have also done this, so it does not seem to make a difference being a supercharged version of the Hemi motor. In my opinion it is nothing to worry about and comparing this motor to anything German is not comparing apples to apples. Hemi motors leak oil internally and all German motors leak externally.
Good luck finding a solution. Owned these cars since 2006 and everyone has had this problem from time to time and catch cans have never made a difference for me. Both my Hellcat Challenger and Trackhawk have also done this, so it does not seem to make a difference being a supercharged version of the Hemi motor. In my opinion it is nothing to worry about and comparing this motor to anything German is not comparing apples to apples. Hemi motors leak oil internally and all German motors leak externally.
I’ve had GC SRT 8’s since 2006, and I’ve never seen any smoke of any kind from either the Trackhawk or any of the SRT 8’s that I’ve owned. It can’t be that common of a problem.Good luck finding a solution. Owned these cars since 2006 and everyone has had this problem from time to time and catch cans have never made a difference for me. Both my Hellcat Challenger and Trackhawk have also done this, so it does not seem to make a difference being a supercharged version of the Hemi motor. In my opinion it is nothing to worry about and comparing this motor to anything German is not comparing apples to apples. Hemi motors leak oil internally and all German motors leak externally.
You may have just been lucky because it is a common problem. I have owned the following and every one has had the problem especially if they sat for a week or two:
2006 300 SRT8 (sold), 2009 300SRT8 (still have), 2008 Challenger SRT8 (sold), 2012 GCSRT8 (sold), 2008 Challenger SRT8 (still have), 2015 Hellcat Challenger (still have), 2018 Trackhawk (still have) and 2009 Dodge Ram (still have).
All the above were purchased brand new and obsessively maintained. The 2009 300 SRT8 and 2009 Ram both have over 70K miles and have been driven hard. They still exhibit this problem a couple times a year and run flawless. I have noticed driving the car for longer periods of time before letting it sit overnight appears to lessen frequency. Some have also claimed this condition lessens after the motors are fully broken-in and the rings are fully seated. Again, if the OP is seeing this every-time they start their car that is not normal and should be looked at by the dealer. However, if this is a once a month thing I would not worry at all.
2006 300 SRT8 (sold), 2009 300SRT8 (still have), 2008 Challenger SRT8 (sold), 2012 GCSRT8 (sold), 2008 Challenger SRT8 (still have), 2015 Hellcat Challenger (still have), 2018 Trackhawk (still have) and 2009 Dodge Ram (still have).
All the above were purchased brand new and obsessively maintained. The 2009 300 SRT8 and 2009 Ram both have over 70K miles and have been driven hard. They still exhibit this problem a couple times a year and run flawless. I have noticed driving the car for longer periods of time before letting it sit overnight appears to lessen frequency. Some have also claimed this condition lessens after the motors are fully broken-in and the rings are fully seated. Again, if the OP is seeing this every-time they start their car that is not normal and should be looked at by the dealer. However, if this is a once a month thing I would not worry at all.
To be clear, i don't think the replacement partsgoing on next week will solve the blue-smoke-at-start-up issue...but weshall see.
And to add some color to *my* experience with"hemi's":
>currently own
'18 Trackhawk... been intermittently puffing bluesmoke at start up since I brought it home; 1300mi on OD now (changedoil at 1k)
'16 Challenger Hellcat... neverany smoke at start up; 5300mi of spirited driving on OD
'16 GC High Altitude 5.7l motor...neverany smoke at start up; 42000 on OD
>sold
'14 RAM 5.7... never a hint ablue smoke, sold @ 30k miles
Even if you wish to mix differentdisplacements into the equation, my experience squarely points to a"condition" with the Trackhawk motor. I use theterm "condition" as I am not an FCA engineer, therefore I can't saydefinitively whether or not this is an "issue" (unlike some on this forum). Eitherway, I don't like it and I think it is ABNORMAL.
Not a brand loyalist and would not blow smoke upmy own a** by trying to convince myself it's all good. Love theTH - fact is - something is amiss.
We should start a poll on this forum - who getsthe blue smoke on start up vs not.... Anyone know how to get that going?
And to add some color to *my* experience with"hemi's":
>currently own
'18 Trackhawk... been intermittently puffing bluesmoke at start up since I brought it home; 1300mi on OD now (changedoil at 1k)
'16 Challenger Hellcat... neverany smoke at start up; 5300mi of spirited driving on OD
'16 GC High Altitude 5.7l motor...neverany smoke at start up; 42000 on OD
>sold
'14 RAM 5.7... never a hint ablue smoke, sold @ 30k miles
Even if you wish to mix differentdisplacements into the equation, my experience squarely points to a"condition" with the Trackhawk motor. I use theterm "condition" as I am not an FCA engineer, therefore I can't saydefinitively whether or not this is an "issue" (unlike some on this forum). Eitherway, I don't like it and I think it is ABNORMAL.
Not a brand loyalist and would not blow smoke upmy own a** by trying to convince myself it's all good. Love theTH - fact is - something is amiss.
We should start a poll on this forum - who getsthe blue smoke on start up vs not.... Anyone know how to get that going?
2018 TrackHawk Blue smoke on start at 300 miles.
I own an auto repair shop. Usually when there is car that has blue smoke momentarily at startup after sitting for over an hour. It means the valve seals are leaking oil back into the pistons as the vehicle sits. But that happens on old cars with high mileage. So I decided to do an oil change @ 600 miles. As i drained the oil, the oil had burnt smell after 600 miles. If the oil is getting too hot from the massive horse power. The valve seals will get too hot causing them not to seal as the vehicle is sitting. I called the dealer, they said its normal to puff blue smoke once a while. I don't think they have an answer. I know the engine has an oil cooler. However it should've put a fan on that oil cooler. Especially when people are racing from 0 -60 back to 0. The oil doesn't have a chance to cool down through the oil cooler. Chrysler recommend using Pennzoil 0W40(Its a business thing). I've always have more faith in Mobil 1 0w-40. I did use mobil 1. The smoke started to disappear. I'm still driving it hard. I'll be doing an oil change at 1200 miles just to check if the oil is burnt like before. I love the track hawk regardless. You can sit and say my 05 camry doesn't smoke on start. Well it doesn't have 707HP. Even thought the charger and the challenger have the same engine. The trackhawk engine heats way more, cuz of the all wheel drive and its heavier at launch. I'll Keep you updated it. For now, everyone go change the oil.
I own an auto repair shop. Usually when there is car that has blue smoke momentarily at startup after sitting for over an hour. It means the valve seals are leaking oil back into the pistons as the vehicle sits. But that happens on old cars with high mileage. So I decided to do an oil change @ 600 miles. As i drained the oil, the oil had burnt smell after 600 miles. If the oil is getting too hot from the massive horse power. The valve seals will get too hot causing them not to seal as the vehicle is sitting. I called the dealer, they said its normal to puff blue smoke once a while. I don't think they have an answer. I know the engine has an oil cooler. However it should've put a fan on that oil cooler. Especially when people are racing from 0 -60 back to 0. The oil doesn't have a chance to cool down through the oil cooler. Chrysler recommend using Pennzoil 0W40(Its a business thing). I've always have more faith in Mobil 1 0w-40. I did use mobil 1. The smoke started to disappear. I'm still driving it hard. I'll be doing an oil change at 1200 miles just to check if the oil is burnt like before. I love the track hawk regardless. You can sit and say my 05 camry doesn't smoke on start. Well it doesn't have 707HP. Even thought the charger and the challenger have the same engine. The trackhawk engine heats way more, cuz of the all wheel drive and its heavier at launch. I'll Keep you updated it. For now, everyone go change the oil.
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