CT6speedAR

So I just had my major service: TB + WP + VCG + Cam Tensioner Seals

I picked the car up yesterday, drove around the block, popped the hood to inspect and sniff around and I noticed some light smoke (oil smell) coming from the sides of the engine.

I drove right back to the shop and inquired (with a frown and stiff lips)
The tech told me it is normal and due to oil run off / spillage from the job.
He said to allow a few days to a week before the smoke stops completely.
Beyond that he said to come back.

I am just curious if this sounds correct to the kind folks in here.

MrKid

Yup. Oil spillage, oil that got into the cylinders, and new rtv sealant will throw smoke and smell for a little while.

CT6speedAR

thanks

CarPartsDiscount.com

It should stop within a day or two if it is just oil spillage. Totally normal though.

Prospeeder

hopefully the guy did the rear cam plugs also or you will continue to smell and smoke under the hood....

CT6speedAR

I think you are referring to the "hockey puck" plugs
If you are then the answer sadly is NOPE, he did not replace those and the new tech I visited pointed that out to me. My car is in the shop now getting those replaced.
My new tech also pointed out a misfire either due to a shotty / jurry rigged connector (held together with zip ties for gawd sake) which the previous tech (who performed the VCG job) seemed to miss (not sure how that is possible.. at least not to see the connector with zip ties and let me know about it)

Voomon

Same thing happened to mine, had the VCG etc done and then found out the rear cam plugs weren't done so most of the smoking problem was sorted but not fully. The workshop said "they were really hard to do and expensive and needed special tools which we don't have"
Question is - are they actually hard to do, do you need special tools for this operation and approximately how long should it take a competent mechanic?

Prospeeder

Really....special tools. You just pull the valve cover, passenger side remove the 2 bolts holding the cam bearing cap and just pull it out, clean up, install a new one and bolt the cap back on. The driver side you must remove the came sensor bolts just to tilt the sensor away and then remove the whole cap covering the cam seal and cam plug. Then you can just remove, if you want to the do cam seal, just remove the 13mm head bolt and take off the sensor ring. Add like a whole ten minutes to a valve cover job.