coriard

LG,

I noticed something today that worries me, and this ties in to what you were saying. I'll be truly grateful for any insight.

Today was the hottest day of the year here, about 80 degrees. I traveled about 90 miles today, and my engine was running at one notch above average (average being that first thick line), and I was noticing smoke. Especially when I drove off of a red light, I saw a haze of white smoke where I had been in my rear view. It seemed fine during highway driving though. And I think the smoke was related to me either giving it moderate gas at low RPMs, or when I was using the pressure of the engine to slow the car in gear.

I'm nervous. I freaking love this car. If I don't hear back, I'll be heading to the shop. Even if I had a lot of direction, I don't have the time to work on my car with my schedule.

Thanks a ton.
Cam

maineman

White smoke usually indicates burning coolant(steam).If coolant is low and not leaking then a compression check is in order to see if you have a blown head gasket.
Good Luck

Loudgoldwing

Also, a coolant issue will smell VERY similar to McDonald's syrup that you get with your order of hot-cakes.

Yes, seriously... it does.

Admittedly, I hadn't even thought of coolant as a possibility, since I was thinking of an entirely different kind of smoke.

coriard

Thanks to you both for posting.

Although, if it were a coolant problem, I should expect my coolant level to drop as time goes on. It hasn't lowered a bit since I bought the car 8 months ago.

LG, I'm afraid to ask, but what kind of oil related smoke do you have in mind? Because oil is one thing I do have to top off from time to time.

Loudgoldwing

First things first...

When was the last time (how many miles ago) you had an oil change? What brand (Valvoline), weight (5W-30) and type (synthetic blend) of oil did you have put in?

When was the last time the spark plugs were replaced, if ever?

Are there any spots on the tarmac under the car when it sits for a few days?

Has the vehicle always done the smoke-away from stop lights? Or has it become more of an issue now that the weather is getting warmer?

I owned a gorgeous purple K75RT "Flying Brick" BMW motorcycle a few years back. That bike had almost 90,000 miles on it, and would ALWAYS blow a few seconds' worth of mild white smoke when you first pulled away from stoplights. It's (typically) a sign that your piston rings are becoming worn. I think you're having some oil "blow-by," oil that seeps from the lower parts of the engine up around your pistons into the area where your spark plugs ignite your fuel and air mixture. This is basically the suction of "stroke #1" pulling oil up at low RPMs (like, when you're sitting at a stop light), allowing a bit to collect in your combustion chamber.

That would account for the smoke, the missing oil, and the nasty black coating on one or more of your spark plugs, leading you to believe you're running rich.

If it were me, I would do three things in rapid succession. I would (in this order):

1) seafoam the engine through the y-junction of the intake vacuum line in order to get the carbonized oil deposits burnt out of your top end.

2) change the spark plugs over to new, OEM spec NGK three-electrode plugs.

3) Drain out the old oil and replace the oil filter. When you put new oil in, refill with 4 quarts of Valvoline Max-Life Synthetic Blend at 5W-30, and 1 quart of LucasOil Brand Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer to thicken it up a bit. Any additional oil put in to "topp off" at the end (maybe 4 oz.) should be the Max-Life.

Now, before the oil weight flame-war begins, the Lucas does a great job of sticking to important components. If Coriard's rings aren't completely blown, this is the stuff he needs to slow the deterioration to a point at which his smoke issues might actually go away. As for the 5W-30, I wouldn't usually use it in a 12V, but with the Lucas (room temperature weight close to 75W-90) mixed in, you're looking at (VERY roughly, I know) about a 15W-50 result, depending on the running temperature of the vehicle. 15W-50 is acceptable for everything but the coolest of climates. For the next 6 months or so, Coriard should be OK...

But, for the long term, I would really feel better about having a professional look at the vehicle.

coriard

I can't thank you enough! That makes PERFECT sense, given the symptoms that I did and did not mention.

I'll be able to get to this on Friday, and I will keep you informed of the outcome. I've been chasing around multiple forums for months trying to get solid advice. If this is the solution (or at least, it helps a bit), then I will be SO relieved. (Luckily, I don't drive very far given my current schedule. And I couldn't pay for someone at $75/hour to figure out all the puzzle pieces that these cars can be, like you've said before.)

Here's a thought. I replaced the thermostat a while back, and I think it was bad since before I bought it. If the previous owner was driving it around for too long without replacing the thermostat, could that have contributed to the warn rings? (Engine always running cold, harsher friction?)

Thanks again!

Loudgoldwing

Possible, but dirty oil and excessive heat leading to scoring (scatching) of your piston walls are the usual suspects.

CRAZY_RUSSIAN

this sounds like a head gasket to me... are you getting any moisture from your exhaust?