9 replies to this topic

[nova]

Hey guys

 

My car has given me a puff of smoke (slightly blue) on start up occasionally. It's only ever on the first time I start the car that day (cold start), but it doesn't seem to be affected by the temperature outside. Some days it will happen, some days it won't. It's happened perhaps 3 times in the past month. By the time I start up the car and hop outside its stopped coming out the tail pipe already.

 

I can't figure out what's causing it. From what I've read, blue smoke = burning oil. And can be caused by internal engine wear like bad rings? The car just ticked over 130,000km and I know it hasn't ever been thrashed. Could it be the use of the wrong oil? On start up once I saw a CEL light up for 5-10 seconds and then it went away. Haven't had it read since it didn't stay on and I haven't seen it since.

 

Any help is appreciated.

[Jimbo]

Do you happen to keep the car parked on an angle at all overnight? It's not unusual for them to get a bit of oil seep through into the bores which will burn up when you start in the morning. I used to get it all the time with my old Legacy, mostly because it had aftermarket forged pistons which had tolerances comparable to the Rimmel London girl's front tooth gap.

Best thing to do is to keep an eye on your oil levels. If your super paranoid, get a compression test done.

[allpaw4]

Could be stem seals too, mine are in need of some attention, and if I leave her sitting for a week or so and then start it, I get a little cloud. But only on start up. My oil levels are still great. How long do you leave it between starts?

[nova]

Do you happen to keep the car parked on an angle at all overnight? It's not unusual for them to get a bit of oil seep through into the bores which will burn up when you start in the morning. I used to get it all the time with my old Legacy, mostly because it had aftermarket forged pistons which had tolerances comparable to the Rimmel London girl's front tooth gap.

Best thing to do is to keep an eye on your oil levels. If your super paranoid, get a compression test done.

 

Hahahah dat tooth gap. But yeah I do leave it parked on an angle quite often actually. The worst time it happened, from memory it was parked on my driveway which is very steep. Oil levels still seem good. 5000km since the last change and judging by the dipstick it hasn't moved much at all. 

 

Could be stem seals too, mine are in need of some attention, and if I leave her sitting for a week or so and then start it, I get a little cloud. But only on start up. My oil levels are still great. How long do you leave it between starts?

 

I hope its not stem seals :/ But I drive it daily.. probably leave it like 12-18 hours between starts if I was to guess. 

 

I find it strange that it only happens occasionally and not every time I start it though

[allpaw4]

Yea, if it was stem seals I reckon it would be worse after a few days, especially if you're getting it after that short a period. More than likely just parking it on the angle. The intermittent side of it means its probably unlikely to be stem seals. But take it to a trusted mechanic and get a diagnosis there. Might need to leave it with him overnight for him to start it in the morning.

[Rallyeee]

Sounds like turbo to me. This is why Garrett recommend 15 degree maximum for the mounting angle or oil sits up against the seals when it's parked. It's easier for oil to leak past cold seals. Combination of very steep parking angle and old, worn turbo seals could do it.

[nova]

i wish it was the turbo haha its only an N/A 

 

hasn't happened again since I made the post so yeah. really weird

[Rallyeee]

Nah I'm pretty sure it's the turbo.

[Jimbo]

lol Chris.

[nova]

was changing my spark plugs the other day and there was lots of oil over the boot. cleaned it off and hasnt happened since, going to change the spark plug seals some time soon. not nearly as bad as stem seals luckily haha