So I got a good twister for you guys. Lately the Camaro has felt like it's been lacking some power and fuel mileage. Well, the other night coming home from Wal-mart, I had a V6 Mustang and Dodge Neon SXT behind me revving their engines. Not to be out done, I decided to join in one time but got a little pedal happy and ran her right up to about 6k and noticed a puff of white smoke come out the back.

A bit scared, I babied the car back to my parking spot. Next day, I go to leave for work and she fired right up (normally cranks for about 2 seconds). She sounded louder and didn't stumble like she used to. Got her out on the road and she runs unbelievably better. Lots more torque down low and she'll squeal tires without hesitation now.

Any ideas on what the hell happened?

 

Either a carbon build up in the intake or in the combustion chamber blew out or you blew a restriction out of the exhaust. It could ba as simple as the increased air flow cleaned off the MAF wire.

If I had to bet my money would be on you had a partial plug in the Cat, now your cat is in pieces and the white you saw was dust from the cat falling a part. I am assumig your car still has a cat

 

No MAF, and only a look a like cat so nothing to blow out. I suppose it could have been carbon build up, but would it really effect it that much? I mean it was just a little puff of smoke, nothing too big. And I Seafoam through the vacuum lines when I do oil changes so I wouldn't think there'd be too much carbon in there.

I mean, I'm not really complaining now cause I get a lot more looks when I'm driving around.

 

Your engine is an air pump. I doubt that reving the motor up repaired something mechaincal or electric so all that is left is flow. Is it possible that some of the old Cat was pluging the muffler? While smoke is NOT a good sign if it was coming from something other then part of the CAT.

If it is something mechaincal I would guess it will show up soon either by switching back or breaking.

 

I don't think so. I cut open the old cat when I installed the headers out of curiosity, and it looked as it should have. Possibly something from the muffler blew out?

I double checked all fluids the day after it happened and the oil was clean and right on the line. The coolant was a little low, but when I replaced the knock sensor, I didn't fill the coolant up all the way, so that would explain that. Trans fluid checked out good as well. Like I said though, the car hasn't run this good since I first got her running. No lights are coming on either.

I sure hope it doesn't go back to normal! It's got me smiling from ear to ear when I'm driving it. Haha. And if anything breaks I hope it's when I'm back home. I have only the basic socket set here at school but no jack or stands. I will check out the spark plugs when I get a chance to see if they show anything abnormal.

 

Maybe you cleared out some particles in one or two injectors when you sent them into full duty cycle for a sec or two...

 

And I thought that that's what that $6 fuel injector cleaner was for.