Lude Generation

So i ragged my lude like never before today (ON THE MOTORWAY) for about 5-6 miles.

Anyway to stop a long story short i think i have completley f*cked her over. ie Every time i put my foot down now on the gas pedel even just slightly, smoke pours out the exhaust. The performance is no way near the same, and to make it worse it continues to smoke for about 1-2 mins after car is turned off. I am proper pissed off, as there as a guy on my tail so i decided to smoke him (mind the pun ) Anyway so annoyed now, someone please tell me what the hell has happened to my lovely car! Please tell me i havent blown the engine, or if so thats the end of my lude.

The car ticks over, but feels like its cutting out slighty and trips(a bit of a hunting vibration) abit and the smoke doesnt smell like normal combustion. Am wondering if my engine is producing incomplete combustion now and as a result i dont dare drive it even down the shops. Also i dont want to make anything worse. Could the car catch fire, blow up??! Stupid questions i know but i am really concerend about it.

Whts more can it be fixed, if anyone knows what this problem is? I have checked the oil levels and exhaust and manafold and all is good there....

What the f*ck have i done? If only i could go back a few hours. Its a sports car so i should be able to put my footdown on the lude without this happening really? Or cos its old (1996) i have stressed the engine to much as a result?

Have you checked the coolant level?? If the engine overheats it can screw up the clearances, I borrowed Laura's civic the other weekend and did this myself, caused the car to cut out on a main road and was dead for a good 30 minutes or so. I didn't get problems with smoking though

What colour is the smoke your car is producing btw

The smoke is a very dense grey colour.

Grey/black is incomplete combustion, so you're right there.

I'd be inclined to say your piston ring(s) have given in.

How was the coolant temperature during all this? What is the coolant level like?

Have you got a cat fitted? If so, could be cat collapsed or partially blocked? Cat or other exhaust problem is the only thing I can think of that could cause smoking from the exhaust for so long after the engine has been turned off???

I brought this on my self, so i accept that and i was stupid. Guess i have leant the hardway, certainly never again. I need to grow up.

Anyway if the pistons have gone, is that a wave goodbye to the engine Gayno? And if it is the pistons can it be fixed, and at what price?

The coolant temp seemed fine wurly, but i will go check the level now as havent checked. Maybe that is a good place to start for me?

I wouldnt know how to tell if the cat was blocked etc...To inexperienced with ludes still.

Is there any way you could get access to a compression tester? They're easy to use and can give you an idea of the health of an engine.

Yes i can, but it would have to be my mates small garage bussiness. I will contact him. Cheers jjmartin

Also what air filter have you got? Is that still intact? Has it been partially ingested?


To check the cat you'd need to unbolt it and look in it. Same as for the exhaust really.

Start with the coolant and air filter check, then compression test. If they're all ok then move onto the cat/exhaust. That's the easiest/simplest route through the checks we've suggested so far.