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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

Valve Stem seals- Advice


ripped_fear

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Afternoon guys.

 

I bought my car knowing the the valve stem seals will need doing at some point, its planned for this winter along with a few more potential bits. I ran a thread a couple of months back Regarding parts and had some very useful advice. When I bought the car It would only show symptoms on cold start up.

 

Now I noticed while taking the car to a meet last weekend, she was puffing a little blue smoke on start up and occasionally on blipping the throttle. Just been out in it again today and when cruising and even giving it some at WOT it doesnt seem to puff, but again when sat at trafic lights it will if I blip the accelerator.

 

Now this is a job Im 100% going to get done, but my question is do I run the risk of causing damage if I use the car for this years shows, and get this done late this year or potentially mid year If I can find a gap? Obviously I will keep a close eye on oil levels.

 

Im currently waiting to hear back from SRD and another forum member regarding pricing.

 

Thanks In Advance

 

Jake

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From what I saw the other day bud it could well be piston rings !! Have you checked t

Your oil level lately as she was give a good puff every couple of seconds when I was behind you the other day

 

Maybe mate, will keep an eye for sure to be safe. Oil is fine its also fresh from the service. Lets hope it isnt that other wise that could be me out of the supra world for a while.

Isnt piston rings white smoke?

 

It wont cause any damage in my experience, ive ran mine for nearly 5yrs knowing they need doing, ive put it off every winter as its not gotten much worse at all over that 5yr period, if/when i go single then il build the engine but til then il rock abit of blue on start up :D

 

If it was just the start up I wouldnt be so worried for now, but as it seems to be doing it when blipping the loud pedal this is why im worrying a tad.

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Maybe mate, will keep an eye for sure to be safe. Oil is fine its also fresh from the service. Lets hope it isnt that other wise that could be me out of the supra world for a while.

Isnt piston rings white smoke?

 

 

 

If it was just the start up I wouldnt be so worried for now, but as it seems to be doing it when blipping the loud pedal this is why im worrying a tad.

 

Piston rings would be blue smoke. Head gasket / coolant is white. Are you sure it isn't the turbos?

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Piston rings would be blue smoke. Head gasket / coolant is white. Are you sure it isn't the turbos?

 

Well it certainly had the typical smoke indicating valve stem seals and no other smoke when I bought it a few months back. Its only recently I have noticed it puffing when I rev lightly.

 

I haven't seen the smoke that lee mentioned while driving on the motorway, I will get a mate to follow me and film but no one has mentioned this before and you cant see it in the mirrors.

 

The car still pulls lovely and drives perfectly other than this.

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Well it certainly had the typical smoke indicating valve stem seals and no other smoke when I bought it a few months back. Its only recently I have noticed it puffing when I rev lightly.

 

I haven't seen the smoke that lee mentioned while driving on the motorway, I will get a mate to follow me and film but no one has mentioned this before and you cant see it in the mirrors.

 

The car still pulls lovely and drives perfectly other than this.

 

It did it when you was pulling away slowly when you was taking your mate for a spin at the meet on Sunday

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Could it not perhaps be a slight (exhaust side) turbo seal weep?

 

Maybe is there an easy way to check?

 

Check the compression and then you can stop guessing/worrying about piston rings.

 

Cheers david Will get that done will get one sorted but I wasnt really suspecting these anyway. But for the sake of ruling it out I will get it done

 

It did it when you was pulling away slowly when you was taking your mate for a spin at the meet on Sunday

 

Yeah I did see it when I fired it up.

Edited by ripped_fear (see edit history)
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If the turbo oil seal was leaking on the exhaust side, it would most definitely be blue. You'll normally know if it's those, as it'll smoke on pull away, after idling at lights, roundabouts etc.

 

White smoke can also be piston rings, if they're really bad, otherwise it'll be a constant tint of blue smoke in your rear view mirror

 

White/grey is coolant

 

Black is over fuelling

 

A compression test will rule out piston rings, very doubtful to be honest.

 

It's almost certainly the valve guide oil seals. Mine used to smoke like a trooper on cold starts!

I replaced mine at home, and with the correct tools, will take most of the day. You also should consider changing the cam belt, water pump, and possibly crank pulley whilst you're at it :thumbs:

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Do you have a vent to atmosphere BOV? if so any signs of it spitting oil out? Also worth taking of the IC pipe work to see if there are any signs of oil. Also worth checking to see if the PCV valve is sticking? Think its called that...

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If the turbo oil seal was leaking on the exhaust side, it would most definitely be blue. You'll normally know if it's those, as it'll smoke on pull away, after idling at lights, roundabouts etc.

 

White smoke can also be piston rings, if they're really bad, otherwise it'll be a constant tint of blue smoke in your rear view mirror

 

White/grey is coolant

 

Black is over fuelling

 

A compression test will rule out piston rings, very doubtful to be honest.

 

It's almost certainly the valve guide oil seals. Mine used to smoke like a trooper on cold starts!

I replaced mine at home, and with the correct tools, will take most of the day. You also should consider changing the cam belt, water pump, and possibly crank pulley whilst you're at it :thumbs:

 

Cheers gaz Ive litterally just had all that work done at SRD apart from the crank pulley (going to order an OEM). Fancy doing my stem seals ;) bit of private work :D

 

Do you have a vent to atmosphere BOV? if so any signs of it spitting oil out? Also worth taking of the IC pipe work to see if there are any signs of oil. Also worth checking to see if the PCV valve is sticking? Think its called that...

 

I do indeed I have a HKS one and there is a light misting of oil infront of it, but very minimal.

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Maybe is there an easy way to check?

 

 

I'm not sure, you could pop a second cat on and see if you can see any up in the 1st decat (but suspect it's all burnt off) and then the extra back pressure might stop/lessen the seepage.......I just recall people in the past decating and immediately getting these blue smoke symptoms and the reduction in back pressure being given as the reason for there now being oil getting past worn seals.

 

I only say this as if the valve stem seal puff on start up is minor after a few days of being unused, it won't then be visible in normal driving and you won't see the effect on the dipstick, so I'd be checking thoroughly elsewhere.

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I'm not sure, you could pop a second cat on and see if you can see any up in the 1st decat (but suspect it's all burnt off) and then the extra back pressure might stop/lessen the seepage.......I just recall people in the past decating and immediately getting these blue smoke symptoms and the reduction in back pressure being given as the reason for there now being oil getting past worn seals.

 

I only say this as if the valve stem seal puff on start up is minor after a few days of being unused, it won't then be visible in normal driving and you won't see the effect on the dipstick, so I'd be checking thoroughly elsewhere.

 

I have just had the first cat removed could this link to the above? It now has no cats in it but am only running 1.0 bar.

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You will do no harm at all. It's a lottery whether new stem seals will cure it, or make it better, or whether you will also / instead need new turbos. Last 2 I did one was 100% fixed with ZERO smoke, the other no cold start smoke (was chronic before doing the stem seals), but still smoke after idling for a while. That would be turbos or rings.

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If it was turbo wear though would it not show up just as bad when driving it, especially when driving it on full boost?

 

Not necessarily in my experience. Toss a coin, stem seals are a lot cheaper than turbos, and probably need doing anyway based on age. If the guides are knackered even new stem seals may not be a 100% fix.

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