redline Rooster Posted January 6, 2003 Share Posted January 6, 2003 Hi Guys, I've noticed recently when i start my Sup you get a small puff of light blue smoke for about 5 seconds out the tail pipe, its not thick, but very slight! Sometimes its thicker but it seems after a good run when its been idling for a while for the turbos to spin/cool down thats when it happens, or if the car hasn't been used for a while. I've sniffed the smoke dont laugh!!! - and it doesn't smell like the usual smell of burning oil, as my mates Ford does!! My car has done 91000 miles now, and has a full service history etc. At first i though it might be the turbo oil seals as i hear these start to give up after this emount of time! - the other thing could be the valve stem oil seals!! Any one have any ideas/experiance of this - also cost to put it right, i'd really appreicate any info or ideas!! cheers worried rooster :flame Dev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted January 6, 2003 Share Posted January 6, 2003 Probably the turbo oil seals are on the way out...its just getting burnt off before it gets warm/into the turbo's. Could it have been caused by not long enough cool down periods? Get it checked by an expert cause it could easily be any no. of things. Leon is in Milton Keynes, Chris is in Shropshire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redline Rooster Posted January 6, 2003 Author Share Posted January 6, 2003 Alright Alex, yeah i thought i may have been that, infact i was hoping it was that rather than Valve seals, as i'm sure it would be more costly to do that Do you know how much it is roughly to get them fixed?!?! - and how would they diagnose if it were the turbo bearings!?! - hmmm yup i'll look into this then nice one! Like you say it's probably caused my turbo neglect or just age possibly??! - I always make sure i give more then ample time for spin/cool down of the turbos Well cheers for the help mate! L8R roost :flame Dev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyefi Posted January 6, 2003 Share Posted January 6, 2003 sounds like valve seals to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terminator Posted January 6, 2003 Share Posted January 6, 2003 With a cold engine blue smoke is more likely to be VSOS. Turbo seals tend to leakwhen hot AFAIK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted January 6, 2003 Share Posted January 6, 2003 Doh, my bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redline Rooster Posted January 7, 2003 Author Share Posted January 7, 2003 So you reckon it could be Valve stems then!!! ARSE!! hmmm that aint gonna be cheap! - it doesn't do it much *at the moment* and you have to be looking to notice it! - but i know it does it and blue smoke just looks sh*t!!! bugger! better prepare the wallet for a dent then!!! I think a trip to the garage is required! cheers guys rooster :flame Dev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Sandham Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Originally posted by redline Rooster So you reckon it could be Valve stems then!!! ARSE!! ..... rooster :flame Dev Rooster...Chill ! It is very most likely the valve stem seals NOT the turbo seals. When the engine cools over night the contraction of the valve stems allows "small" amounts of oil to seap past the seals. When you start up in the morning this quickly gets "sucked" through and burnt off (hence the smoke). But similary the heat quickly builds up for the stem to expand and take up that gap. You will find all high milers do this and is perfectly normal and nothing IMHO to worry about. If you have the money spare to pay a garage to replace the stem seals then go ahead. But if I was you I would save your money and have them replaced when something more major needs work on the cylinder head. Cheers Neil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyefi Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 i agree with neil, its no big deal at the moment but it will get worse (it'll take quite a while). just get it sorted when u cant stand it anymore. have u got the cats in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redline Rooster Posted January 7, 2003 Author Share Posted January 7, 2003 Eyefi, Yeah i've still got my cats in, but thats one of the mods i wanted to do eventually is have them removed when i have a new system made up for the car! Yeah as for the smoke like you and Neil say its not worth doing right now, coz its very slight and not too noticable! - but if it does get worse then its gonna ahave to be done! - mainly coz i know it does it and it bugs me!! haha probably being to fussy but hey! Still I might get a few quotes to just see what the wallet damage is likely to be when the time comes!! Cheers guys! L8R roost :flame Dev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyefi Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 if yr feeling adventurous, mkiv.com have instructions on how to do it yrself. whatch out for them little things going flying across the garage tho dont quote me on this, but i think its about £700-£1000 to get someone to do it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceMan Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 I got this the other day when it was freezing cold. Shortly after the regular white puffy exhaust came out (air con?). Didn't pay too much attention to it... should I be? My car's only done about 36,000 miles... Ice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorin Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 (air con?) Steam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adi Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 It was a bit hard to tell from your post, but does it *only* do it on startup, or when youre sitting idling letting the turbos cool down? First one is valve seals as others have said, second one is turbo seals. I've had both symptoms, one is now fixed, the other isnt Vlave seals yet to be done. PS valve seals are cheaper than turbos. Chris W can do the head on repair jobbie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redline Rooster Posted January 7, 2003 Author Share Posted January 7, 2003 Adi, yeah i only get light smoke on start up, it lasts about 5 seconds max then stops! I reckon it must be the valve seals then - geeeeez I'm gonna look in to prices for getting them done, but i will wait until it gets worse before i do it as its not too bad at the mo!! rooster :flame Dev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceMan Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 for the absolute beginner on technical things can anyone explain: 1. what's a valve seal? 2. when they fail what happens? 3. how difficult are they to replace? 4. what would be the cost of replacing them? cheers, Ice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terminator Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 Originally posted by IceMan for the absolute beginner on technical things can anyone explain: 1. what's a valve seal? 2. when they fail what happens? 3. how difficult are they to replace? 4. what would be the cost of replacing them? cheers, Ice 1 A rubber seal held tight round the valve stem by a circular spring. 2 Oil seeps down the stems and past the seals into the cylinder, when they are mildly damaged, this only happens when the engine has been standing. Hence the blue smoke on start up. If they have disintegrated you will get some oil through the stem guides all the time. 3 Depends on you level of skill, but both head off and head on are fairly difficult. With head on you have to be very careful you don’t drop bits down the oil ways into the engine 4 Don't know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redline Rooster Posted January 9, 2003 Author Share Posted January 9, 2003 yep thats right! and the answer to #4 is anything from £400 to £1200 - depending on the engine! unfortunatly the Supra engine is a big one with 24 Valves so its gonna be pricey! my bro had is car done for £500 and that was a 4 cylinder 2.0 16v - only his valve seals on the exhaust valves had gone, but they did them all anyway as the had it apart! rooster :flame Dev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyefi Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 always replace all sets of seals. theres a couple of other things to check while yr in there as well, but i cant remember what they r at the moment. valve guides and something else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redline Rooster Posted January 9, 2003 Author Share Posted January 9, 2003 yeah Eyefi thats right! you may as well give the head a good over haul while your working on it, i think the other things to check are oil jets for the Cams and clearances etc. I mean i'm suprised my engine is showing signs of worn seals as OK its done 90K miles, but most of the time under normal driving conditions it only revs at 1500 - 3000, obviously when you floor it or go for a right hoon, then it goes right the way to the top of the range, but in general its a fairly low revving engine?!?! oh well sh*t happens i guess rooster :flame Dev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceMan Posted January 9, 2003 Share Posted January 9, 2003 as I said mine's only done 36k miles but is a 93 car so I guess it could be worn...? or something else entirely perhaps Ice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redline Rooster Posted January 9, 2003 Author Share Posted January 9, 2003 WOW 36000 miles since 93 ! thats amazing!! i wish my car only had 36K on the clock!! haha Mind you it still drives like its only done 36K no rattles or anything feeling loose, the only niggle is the little puff at start up!! - luckily its still only very very faint, but still annoying!! I'm not sure why your car should be doing, as 36K is not very far, especially for a 3.0 engine hmmmm might be worth getting it looked at. roost :flame Dev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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