Cold start smoking! I've searched the forums, but can't find the answer. Help!

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rstallworth

New Member
Jan 27, 2006
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Virginia
Hey gang. Thanks again for everyone's help here. This forum is saving me a ton in repair costs...

To the point.. 1990 Turbo, just replaced all plugs/wires/valve gaskets seals (it was leaking oil like crazy into the plug chambers etc) and number of rotten hoses and the radiator (all of which I learned to do on this forum FYI!!!)

Question- now when I cold start the car and let it idle, it will start smoking like a chimney out of the exhaust. I searched all over the forum but can't find the answers. The smoke is a very light blue, almost white. Once I drive the car for a few minutes it goes away completely, even once I return to idle. I have tried just driving it for a few days thinking that water or something had gotten into the system after the radiator replacement, but it still smokes after about 100 miles of total driving.

The cars runs great, I have perfect boost every time, no leaks, and there is no rough idle. Like I said, it just smokes like crazy on cold starts, then goes away. There is no coolant missing, and car is not overheating. I do however have oil drops in my garage. Are there any ideas? I am taking this project on as a true backyard mechanic and need inexpensive ideas. I don't have the tool for a leakdown test and would like to avoid it. Minus the smoke, you would think the car ran as new!

Ok, so I need input from supramania's elite and most knowledgeable. Help me solve this problem!

Thanks again!
 
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crf_rider

New Member
Apr 23, 2005
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Portland, OR
Sounds like you need to replace the Valve Stem Seals. Oil leaks down into the combustion chamber when the car is off and it all burns off at startup.
 
isnms

isnms

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R

rstallworth

New Member
Jan 27, 2006
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Virginia
K

KINGPIN33

Member
Apr 3, 2005
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Canada
First off, are you sure it's Oil dripping from below your car? People tend to confuse Oil with the Power Steering Fluid. If the drips are darkish brown colour or red colour, then it is most likely your Power Steering Fluid (usually Automatic Transmission Fluid - ATF). Usually the Power Steering High Pressure Hose leaks. Try and seek the source of the leak. I agree that it could be Valve Stem Seals and if you don't know much about replacing stuff on the car, I would advise you to get it done by a shop. It's not a simple drop and go part for the "Backyard" mechanic.
 
mk3713

mk3713

Up for sale
Nov 29, 2005
97
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Houston
Just ask around see how much a machine shop will rebuild your head, i got mine done for 100bucks while its off its time for a metal head gasket and head studs. If the car is not your daily driver read up on head removal. And send it to a good cheap machine shop, dont sacrifice a good job for dirt cheap.
 
A

arz

Arizona Performance
Nov 14, 2005
955
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0
Mesa, AZ
www.ArizonaPerformance.com
I had the same problem, it never went away completely but it was almost non existent after warm up. But if I had to punish someone before I was fully warmed up a "cartoon like" cloud of white/blue smoke would catch up to me and embarras the hell out of me at the next stop light. The only way it was detectable after warm up was to tell my friend, on the Cell phone in the car behind me, exactly when I was letting off and getting on the gas.

I have my car down right now for other issues and did the Valve stem seals myself (with the head off) (what a bitch) nothing seems to matter Magnets, gravity, skill, nothing!!! I tried every concievable technique to make it go faster, it just seemed to be "luck" wether the retainers went in/out, quickly/consistantly or not. $100 seems very fair for a head job and a once over if your not excited about doing it.

I will let you know if it solves the problem. Check your compression and take a peek at the inside if the turbine housing for signs of the Turbo leaking also, but Im pretty sure the other members hit the nail on the head.
 
M

mkIIIman089

Supramania Contributor
Mar 30, 2005
3,061
0
36
Ohio
arz said:
But if I had to punish someone before I was fully warmed up
Click to expand...
I reccomend everyone who KNOWS their engine is in rough shape do this frequently. Oh, and healthy turbo engines even love being beat on before they are warm too. :3d_frown:
 
R

rstallworth

New Member
Jan 27, 2006
6
0
0
Virginia
arz said:
I had the same problem, it never went away completely but it was almost non existent after warm up. But if I had to punish someone before I was fully warmed up a "cartoon like" cloud of white/blue smoke would catch up to me and embarras the hell out of me at the next stop light. The only way it was detectable after warm up was to tell my friend, on the Cell phone in the car behind me, exactly when I was letting off and getting on the gas.

I have my car down right now for other issues and did the Valve stem seals myself (with the head off) (what a bitch) nothing seems to matter Magnets, gravity, skill, nothing!!! I tried every concievable technique to make it go faster, it just seemed to be "luck" wether the retainers went in/out, quickly/consistantly or not. $100 seems very fair for a head job and a once over if your not excited about doing it.

I will let you know if it solves the problem. Check your compression and take a peek at the inside if the turbine housing for signs of the Turbo leaking also, but Im pretty sure the other members hit the nail on the head.
Click to expand...

Thank you all for your insight. I'll see what I can do. Anyone have an idea as to what a shop would charge to replace the valve stem seals?
 
WeDgE

WeDgE

Buh-bye 7M...
Jan 2, 2006
495
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Alberta
Mine puffed blue smoke when I started it today (rebuilt with ~9k on it)...but it was -25C outside...and I'm sure it's b/c turbo engines have larger clearances in them (to deal with extra heat of more O2 in the combustion chamber) which leads me to believe when it's really cold out, these clearances are even larger than usual = burning oil for short time.
 
R

rstallworth

New Member
Jan 27, 2006
6
0
0
Virginia
WeDgE said:
Mine puffed blue smoke when I started it today (rebuilt with ~9k on it)...but it was -25C outside...and I'm sure it's b/c turbo engines have larger clearances in them (to deal with extra heat of more O2 in the combustion chamber) which leads me to believe when it's really cold out, these clearances are even larger than usual = burning oil for short time.
Click to expand...

True, but mine smokes like crazy at start-up idle. It then goes away after I drive it for about 5 minutes. It is unreal the amount of smoke, the car runs great though! Any idea how much it is to replace the valve stem seals?
 
SupraDreamPDR

SupraDreamPDR

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Feb 3, 2006
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ok, i have this same exact problem... white smoke on start up and then it pretty much goes away after warm up. i have some oil on the garage floor after the car sits for a night, small spot. i was thinking maybe a BHG, but then i found this thread. i am hoping that its just the valve stem seals, but hell, you have to take the head off to replace them, so i might as well do the HG/ARP bolts at the same time. also, my car was low on coolant for the first time since i bought it today... BHG or valve stem seals?
 
born2drv

born2drv

Banned
Nov 1, 2005
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Burbank, CA
hey supra dream pdr, you and i have the same problems with our cars LOL first the auto tranny acting up now this LOL.

i had my engine rebuilt by a friend of a friend.....MHG, ARPs, etc but everything else was just cleaned up, both head/block resurfaced. unfortunately i'm not so sure anymore they did a good job. basically the first time i got it back from them it was awesome, until about 500 miles later, i heard a very loud knocking. it was a very loud even idle, knocked perfectly at all RPMs.... anyhow it turned out to be a stuck open valve.

second time i got it back, now it smokes a lot. i have a feeling they screwed someting up with the valve stem seals. i experience the same issues as the first poster.. my car when cold will idle until warm with lots of white-blueish smoke. after it is warm, no more problems. i've also let the car sit in my garage idling with the door open to vent the smoke, i part it in almost the exact spot and i see "spitting" marks of oil where the tailpipe would be on the garage floor.

my first action plan after reading a lot of threads on the subject, was to take off the PCV pipe that connects both valve covers on the top of the engine and clean that thing out really good, if it is clogged (which mine was) this could contribute to the smoking issue. anyhow after ditching that pipe completely and getting a new NA Y-pipe with very large lines for good flow and a catch can routed to the accordian hose, it still didn't solve the problem.

now i'm going to have the turbo replaced maybe next week (planned to do this anyways) but i want to rule out the turbo completely leaking oil. then if that doesn't solve my problem i will be taking the car back to the people who did the engine and have them fix the valve stem seals issue, because that has to be it.
 
mkiiSupraMan18

mkiiSupraMan18

Needs a new username...
Apr 1, 2005
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United States
rstallworth said:
Thank you all for your insight. I'll see what I can do. Anyone have an idea as to what a shop would charge to replace the valve stem seals?
Click to expand...

My engine guy does it for $160, resurface,hot tank,change the valve stems, and a 3 angle grind on the valves. It's almost worth that to have the head back nice and shiney.

Is there ever a bad time to install a new head gasket? :icon_bigg
 
SupraDreamPDR

SupraDreamPDR

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Feb 3, 2006
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born2drv said:
hey supra dream pdr, you and i have the same problems with our cars LOL first the auto tranny acting up now this LOL.

i had my engine rebuilt by a friend of a friend.....MHG, ARPs, etc but everything else was just cleaned up, both head/block resurfaced. unfortunately i'm not so sure anymore they did a good job. basically the first time i got it back from them it was awesome, until about 500 miles later, i heard a very loud knocking. it was a very loud even idle, knocked perfectly at all RPMs.... anyhow it turned out to be a stuck open valve.

second time i got it back, now it smokes a lot. i have a feeling they screwed someting up with the valve stem seals. i experience the same issues as the first poster.. my car when cold will idle until warm with lots of white-blueish smoke. after it is warm, no more problems. i've also let the car sit in my garage idling with the door open to vent the smoke, i part it in almost the exact spot and i see "spitting" marks of oil where the tailpipe would be on the garage floor.

my first action plan after reading a lot of threads on the subject, was to take off the PCV pipe that connects both valve covers on the top of the engine and clean that thing out really good, if it is clogged (which mine was) this could contribute to the smoking issue. anyhow after ditching that pipe completely and getting a new NA Y-pipe with very large lines for good flow and a catch can routed to the accordian hose, it still didn't solve the problem.

now i'm going to have the turbo replaced maybe next week (planned to do this anyways) but i want to rule out the turbo completely leaking oil. then if that doesn't solve my problem i will be taking the car back to the people who did the engine and have them fix the valve stem seals issue, because that has to be it.
Click to expand...
come to think of it, when i first replaced my leaky valve cover gaskets, there was "spitting" of oil out of my DDP (running no cat back). i wonder if the bad valve stem seals would allow oil to "spit" out the DP/tailpipe and cause the smoking at cold starts?
 
loki2043

loki2043

New Member
Jan 23, 2006
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Portland, OR
SupraDreamPDR said:
come to think of it, when i first replaced my leaky valve cover gaskets, there was "spitting" of oil out of my DDP (running no cat back). i wonder if the bad valve stem seals would allow oil to "spit" out the DP/tailpipe and cause the smoking at cold starts?
Click to expand...


sounds to me like your turbo seal is leaking oil into your exhaust and when you start it up its burning it out till its all gone....
 
SupraDreamPDR

SupraDreamPDR

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Feb 3, 2006
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loki2043 said:
sounds to me like your turbo seal is leaking oil into your exhaust and when you start it up its burning it out till its all gone....
Click to expand...
i do have what looks like oil stains on the inlet side of the turbo (where the accordian piece connects). could that be causing this? what will i need to do, a rebuild or a new turbo?
 
K

KINGPIN33

Member
Apr 3, 2005
183
2
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Canada
Man I got white smoke on startup... I changed my valve stem steals.. I'm beginning to think that whoever installed them didn't do a proper job OR the seals I got were no good... I heard Toyota Valve Stem Seals SHOULD BE ONLY used!!!
 
K

KINGPIN33

Member
Apr 3, 2005
183
2
18
Canada
Man I got white smoke on startup... I changed my valve stem steals.. I'm beginning to think that whoever installed them didn't do a proper job OR the seals I got were no good... I heard Toyota Valve Stem Seals SHOULD BE ONLY used!!!
 
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