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Repair Topics / Blue Smoke
Car Blue Smoke Questions and Answers
This category contains featured questions as examples. They relate to most vehicles.
Question: 1999 Oldsmobile
Cutlass mileage: 120,000. I re-gasketed a
previously owned engine and put it in my
car. I was traveling roughly at 65-70 mph
when the car lacked all power and gave the
car behind me a blue smoke bath. I pulled
over at that time and checked the #4 spark
plug and it was coated with oil. At that
moment I thought my valve seals were shot. I
towed the car home, opened the subject up,
and found that along with valve seals the #1
exhaust valve had a pie slice hole in it. In
addition, the #4 piston had a hole in the
top of it. I am not a certified mechanic but
I think though I may be wrong that the spark
plugs that I was using were at the wrong
heat range. I was using AC Delco's
rapid-fire. If you would tell me why there
was a hole in the piston and why there was a
hole in the valve, I would be very grateful
to your service.
Answer: The problems
with the exhaust valve and the failed piston
are probably due to that cylinder running
lean. Check the fuel injector for that
cylinder and also look for vacuum leaks that
would affect that cylinder. We do not think
the wrong heat range of spark plugs would
cause the problem you describe.
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Question: 1999 Probe GT
V6-24V mileage: 188,000. Here's a weird one
for you guys, I've been noticing this for a
long time and even asked local automotive
repair shops with no success. When I reach a
stop sign (downhill) everything is fine but
when I start accelerating away the car
smokes out the back...yet if I am at a level
stop sign and accelerate...it is fine.... I
also noticed this when I take certain turns
too fast and accelerate...SMOKE.... I have
no idea what this is.... HELP!
Answer: We have found
similar problems with other cars
approximately 140,000 or more miles.
Replacing the valve stem seals reduces the
oil use and smoke. They are made out of
rubber and over time become hard and brittle
and no longer seal. If that doesn't help you
may have broken piston ring.
Question: 1999
Dodge Grand Caravan 125,586 miles. My Dodge
Grand Caravan is blowing blue smoke out of
the tail pipe. I put new sparkplugs in it
then I ran it for a minute and checked one
sparkplug for oil on it. There was oil on
it. Please tell me what is going on with it.Answer: Blue smoke
is from oil burning. Your engine has
internal problems such as piston blow by,
valve stem seal problems, broken/worn piston
rings, etc. It may be time for an engine
overhaul.
Repair Topics / Blue Smoke
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