valve seals

[esahuque]

My car was smoking on start ups real bad. did a compression test and all looked good (160 all 4) with low compression pistons. so it had to be valve seals. changed all of them with the head on the car. It went smoothly . It smoke when i started it up the first time after i replaced the seals, which was expected. But i have driven the car about 4 times over a course of 2 days now and its still smoking (not as bad) on start up only, once it warms up it goes away. How long does it take for all the oil to burn up after i replace the seals? I'm going to run some seafoam through the gas and intake to see if it helps clean it out. has anyone changed their leaking seals before and how long did it take to clear up? what did you do to get all the oil out the manny and exhaust system?

[C-Kwik]

It was unlikely the valve seals to begin with. They are pretty robust. Your turbo is a more likely culprit and have very similar symptoms to valve stem seals going bad.

[esahuque]

Yeah. I thought the same thing at first but, my plugs where getting oil on them. Hopfuly there is just oil left behind.

[silverkaturbo]

When I replaced mine the smoke was pretty much instantly gone. Maybe smoked a tad the very first time i drove it after, but not even enough to notice.

[esahuque]

It was unlikely the valve seals to begin with. They are pretty robust. Your turbo is a more likely culprit and have very similar symptoms to valve stem seals going bad.

When I replaced mine the smoke was pretty much instantly gone. Maybe smoked a tad the very first time i drove it after, but not even enough to notice.

well, that's exactly what i didn't want to hear. i guess it time to rebuild me Garrett turbo that only has 1500 miles on it.

[silverkaturbo]

That sucks, 1500 miles! Maybe check what kind of oil pressure your turbo is seein. Somethin is off and if you dont resolve whatever that problem is, your likely to be doin this over again in another 1500. Unless the very off chance that your turbo came with bad seals.

[esahuque]

That sucks, 1500 miles! Maybe check what kind of oil pressure your turbo is seein. Somethin is off and if you dont resolve whatever that problem is, your likely to be doin this over again in another 1500. Unless the very off chance that your turbo came with bad seals.

ill be pulling the turbo off tomorrow and inspect it to see. I know I must of had bad valve seals to because my plugs where oil filed and I had to change them. I know its not a blown HG because it only smokes on first start of the day, after its been sitting all night. I thought that when oil seals go bad that it smokes at idle after it warms up? I'm going to pull the plugs and inspect them along with looking inside the chambers to look for oil. Ill post back tomorrow with what I find.

[esahuque]

Ok, I just pulled the intake, hot and down pipe off the turbo and I am not seeing oil anywheres in the turbo. I see some carbon build up the exhaust side but that's it no oil. I must have a lot of oil in my exhaust system or something.

[C-Kwik]

If oil is leaking out of the exhaust side, the heat will vaporize it rather quickly. You're not likey to see oil puddled. As for your plugs having oil, chances are it was the seals around the spark plug holes in the valve cover that were leaking. But that shouldn't be making it into your engine anyways. Also bear in mind that too much oil pressure or a clogged oil drain for the turbo can force oil passed the seals.

[esahuque]

Ok. I pulled the turbo off and inspected it and it looks fine. I started the car with the turbo off the manny (blow through, I can do that) and smoke was coming out of the manny till it was some what warm then it stopped smoking. I must of slightly lifted the head and once its warm it seals. I'm going to do a leak down test Saturday and see what else I can come up with. Hope its not my rings but I have good compression so I'm leaning more tawords head lift.