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2011 5.7 smoking engine

13K views 40 replies 26 participants last post by  AKHLK 
#1 ·
Is anyone having a smoking 5.7 in the 2011 Grand Cherokee? We are on our 2nd one and I was just wondering if anyone else has one that smokes. Factory is "working on a cure", Hurry up and wait. It is most noticeable on slight incline (our driveway). Please let me know. Thanks
 
#3 ·
I have the same problem. It has done it twice on an inclined driveway and I have 700 miles on it. Dealer told me it was burning off the new coatings but I'm not buying it. It doesn't do it when I'm driving...just when I start it. I've owned two hemi's previously without this problem. Not sure what it is. What did the they say about the fix they are working on?
 
#5 ·
My Hemi did/is doing that, especially when started on our inclined driveway (I checked the oil right away when I first saw the smoke - level was full). Talked to dealer service department, they said this is normal, especially with the 5.7 Hemi. Have 1300 miles on it now, and the smoke has almost stopped.
 
#7 ·
The fact that these engines are put out and are smoking is my concern. The amount of smoke is a lot more than I would like to see from a 40K+ Jeep. The factory said ours was the only one in the county smoking! That was our first 2011, our second one also smokes and not just at start up. Thanks for the replies.
 
#10 ·
Is it cold outside or any high humidity? Do you park it outside at night? It might be burning off condensation from sitting outside.

I have had cars before do this all the time. My 5.9 Limited always did this and it was just chalked up to being a hot running engine and if it was cool outside it would smoke.
 
#12 · (Edited)
for me it was like a decent puff of gray smoke. didn't really concern me, but it was a good amount. the kind that lingers around for a minute or two

*edit: it was NOT blue/gray... just so nobody freaks out about oil leaks etc. didn't smell like that either.
 
#15 ·
This is quite normal for many engines. The smoke is oil. I see it all the time with several makes and models at my valet job. Happens every once in a while, especially when new.
 
#16 ·
Out of the tailpipe cars will do it if you just start the car move it a little ways....then when you start it again it will smoke oil from the tailpipes. IE like backing the car out to wash it and then pulling it back into the garage.

A lot of cars will smoke from the front grille as it warms up and burns condensation off.
 
#17 · (Edited)
According to this link , the 5.7 Hemi feeds a small amount of oil back into the engine (we're talking droplets), along with unburned fuel and condensation.

A "catch can" prevents oil and water from being sent into your intake.

You have to empty it at every oil change. There is a lot of info online regarding these 'catch cans' in relation to the Hemi.

Here are some, but I don't know if they fit the WK2. http://shophemi.com/c-835-jeep-catch-can.aspx

Looks like it might be a good idea just to keep the motor clean, and takes 5 minutes to install.
 
#18 ·
IMHO not needed. My 5.7 has 2300 miles on it (1300 since first oil change where it was changed from factory fill to Mobil 1) and as I mentioned the smoking only happens when first started. I do park outside often, but I also know what condensation looks like burning off. Smoke appears to be grayish in color from tail pipes only and disappears within a minute or so and then just the usual exhaust "vapor" until the pipes and surroundings have heated up to running temp and then no exhaust of any sort visible. I religiously check the oil and maintain my vehicles and I have seen ZERO change in oil levels visible on the dipstick. So if it is burning oil it is a microscopic amount and the catch can is not needed. I believe it is residuals from manufacturing, it has steadily lessoned since I go the jeep a couple months ago. If it is still smoking after maybe 10K then there may be an issues, but at this point I believe it is normal and to wait to see. Monitor the oil levels closely and see what happens (besides you got 3 years or 36,000 miles before you have to worry about blowing up the engine!) :thumbsup:


I will try to get a video during daylight if I am able sometime this week and will post.
 
#19 ·
I have seen similar smoke on mine as well, which quickly goes away.

That said, people say they find about a 1/2 cup of liquid (milky, oily) between 5k oil changes. It's probably 90% water and a teeny bit of oil...too little to make a difference in the dipstick. It's probobly not such a bad idea to keep that gunk out of the intake. Lots of performance guys of all brands seem to be using these cans.
 
#20 ·
Mine hasn't shown any signs of smoke, but my HEMI has burned a quart of oil already (in 1800 miles). Starting to get worried since I have never had a car burn oil before.

Had the oil changed and checked it 3 days later, it was a quart low. Hopefully they dealer didn't fill it all the way. I filled it up and I am going to monitor it closely.
 
#21 ·
Did you do it yourself or have it changed at dealer or a place like jiffy lube? If you do a search on google about the 5.7 it seems common that people claim it takes .5-1 quart over what it states in the manual. No idea why mine was right on when I changed it. Possibly the shop slightly underfilled it? Or maybe yours really does take the mysterious extra oil.
 
#22 ·
I am hoping it was under filled from the factory and at the dealer when they changed it last week. I am going on a trip this week and will check it this weekend to see if it dropped. I made sure this time to get it right at the full mark.
 
#33 ·
Careful not to overfill...that is worse than being 1/2 quart low. There may be some variance on the dipstick level markings so that even though you have 7 qts in the pan, the stick shows it on the low side. I would recommend you NOT add any for now but continue to watch the level...like twice per day. If it was overfilled, the extra oil is usually extricated by normal engine operation until the proper oil level is reached and then you'll see no further drop in oil level. If there is substantial level change and no cumulus clouds of blue smoke, then you have a leak somewhere.

I change my own oil and when it is filled with 7qts, it reads about 1/3 onto the hatch area of the dipstick, FWIW.
 
#23 ·
In the "old days" smoking at startup would indicate 'loose' or worn valve guides... as the engine warmed up the valves and guides would seat better and the oil would no longer leak into the combustion chamber... IIRC what usually happened was that oil in the rocker covers would pool over night and seep through....
 
#28 ·
From the many threads I've seen about this problem on several WK2 forums it seems to be at least an occasional feature for many of us. Mine has done it once in 3300 miles (after sitting nose up on a steep slope for several hours) but hasn't done it since. I haven't yet seen anyone post a cause from a Jeep service department. It is interesting that from what I've read it happens on both the V8 and the V6, and it seems odd that both engines would have the same problem.
 
#29 · (Edited)
This is the first time I've heard it mentioned as a possible V6 problem. AFAIK, only some V8s have been reported with smoke on JG so far. I have not seen any smoke from my Pentastar.
 
#30 ·
The concern is what does the oil do to the cats?! It certainly isn't good for them, and is obviously a design fauly somewhere along the line, because it sure wouldn't pass emissions tests anywhere!

I'm asking, can this be replicated? Do they only do it when parked steeoply with front up a hill?
If so, I'm interested to see if my WK will do it also, and find out if it's a long-term design fault.
 
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