my vehicle has only 190 thou miles tons of power super clean BUT after idling about 5 min it begins to smoke oil lightly then about 10 min smoking pretty good so I take it out bout a quarter mile down the road and no smoke I turn around punch it and im at about 90 in a hundred yards i pull in the drive about 5 min later smokes back 8 min later lots of white smoke now i press the gas tons of white smoke for 1 min then decreases to none then i take it down the road again no smoke turn around come back very fast no problem back in the drive 5 min later light blue smoke again. NOW the thing is the car was bought yesterday it has sat in a heated garage for 4 years and a divorce later and 1 year outside. basically the vehicle has not been driven (but started and moved around slightly) for 5 years. underneath the oil pan gasket seems to leak slightly on rear corner. I changed oil to 10w40 and new filter and STP oil treatment. Trans fluid was about a quart low seems fine. I just want to figure out some diagnostic ideas other than my own.
1987 560 sel smoking problem
Jul 26, 2005
30 Replies
news: snipped-for-privacy@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...
PARK the car >>NOW
Sounds like a head gasket failing and dumping oil and coolant into combustion chamber.Also to consider is a crack in the head itself near an exhaust valve.Oxygen sensor is probably screwed up at this point also.
Contrary to other (pessimistic) opinions I suggest you drive it (don't hot rod it) a while and keep a log of fluid additions. Qt of oil at xxx miles and date , added coolant miles & date, so you have a track of what's going on with this engine. It could be (optimistic) that the rings have gotten "lazy"; some longer drives will cure that.
I believe the motor's valve guide seals - the plastic seals around the valve stems - may be worn out and need to be replaced. This can be done without removing the cylinder heads - but wait until you log confirms (i) excess oil use and (ii) no coolant loss.
it) a while and keep a log of fluid additions. Qt
track of what's going on with this engine. It could be
stems - may be worn out and need to be replaced. This
confirms (i) excess oil use and (ii) no coolant loss.
What he SHOULD do is check the coolant and oil; if the coolant cloudy and the oil muddy (or cloudy) then it's time to stop. Best to pay $50 and tow it and get it checked out before potentially causing 10 times as much damage.
cp
Or just use a vacuum gauge if you have one. Connect and if the needle fluctuates between 10 and 25 in./Hg. as the engine speed increases will tell you that the head gasket is leaking.
If it vibrates excessively between 8 and 20 in./Hg at idle,this indicates worn valve guides.
Park it!!!
Too complicated!
Not at all,and less time consuming than a fluid log! 5 minutes and your done,so would that be pessimistic or optimistic? hah
yeh, 5 minutes if you knows what you is doing!
I learned my lesson; had I not been too cheap to call a tow truck I would have saved myself $1500
cp
Ouch! Live and learn is the best we can hope for sometimes...
White smoke... that could be tranny fluid burning... put a paper towel by the exhaust for a few minutes... then remove it... smell the paper towel... what does it smell like? Coolant? Oil? Tranny oil?
*Sometimes not being driven is as hard on a car as rough driving.*
white smoke == gas not burning. If the exhaust smells like anything BUT unburned fuel, then consider something more serious. There might be another cause. Per the earlier posting, the coolant/oil check is practical and simple. If the results are positive (that is, if the engine is ill ), then maybe a compression test is in order. It would let you know something as well. And not too expensive to get done.
But the Safest thing to do is hire a professional. Some things are not meant for amateur sleuthing. Especially if you don't have the tools Take care of your car and it will take care of you.
have saved myself $1500
Luckily it was only Canadian dollars.
cp
No! unburned fuel is black.
White is usually water or antifreeze.
its only blue smoke now
its only blue smoke now, i filled r up with 93 octane, changed the oil 10w
40 added some stp and it still dosent smoke aat first only about 5 min later then i rev it up to round 2 grand and a minute later hardly no smokeyouve made the most sense to me so far, so when i go to replace the seals what else should i replace while im there in your opinion? (on a limited budget
coolant good and green and oil was very black now its nice after the change a little bit of leakage behind passenger side valve cover and i see theres oil underneath but no big spots on the ground
Im going to do this thanks for the info sir captain
how can trans fluid get in the exhaust?
Join the Discussion
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Didn't find your answer?
Ask the community — no account required