blue exhaust smoke

[llcor]

I have a 1995 240SX with 187k miles on it. About 4 months ago, i noticed blue smoke coming out of the exhaust. A co-worker who is a mechanic suggested that I start using oil for high mileage cars and put in an additive in the gas for that and the problem seemed to go away, but now the problem is back. I noticed it first a few days ago while idling at a stop signal, veh was fully warmed up. I noticed it again today when I went to lunch. Do I need a rebuild, valve job or what? I am female who does not know much about cars, but I LOVE my car and want to keep it going. Any recommendations of a good shop in Portland or Salem, Oregon area. I'd be willing to travel a little to get someone I could trust.

[hotshot240sx]

burning oil...

definatlet burning oil...try a heavier wieght... if that dont work i recommend getting it remanned...it ,may just be a valve job, but you may as well get everything replaced as in the whole engine...i recently started burning oil and i found a good conditioned low mileage motor for sale and it happened to be a very good choice...id say luck tho...but yah...try heavier weight, otherwise for the price of a head job just go the full distance and replace the motor... most old blocks with new heads tend to burn oil...so...id go wit the whole deal!

[navysnail]

you could always try replacing the valve guides, that would be cheaper then a remanufactured engine, and those do leak after a while

[s13sr20chris]

you can replace valve stem seals and piston rings if you want to do as little as possible. you will prob find it easier to just replace the engine as it is the least likely that you will get the "girl at the mechanic" treatment. i am a tech and personally i would just drive it as is. old car and burning oil is not the end of the world. i would use plain old oil and fuel with no additives(most additives are bad anyway) and just keep going. if it makes you feel better i have owned a number of cars that burned oil and the engines still outlasted the rest of the cars.

[JT_MONEY_2004]

With 187k the engine is probably heading toward kaputs. But burning oil is no reason to panic in my opinion, it's more aggravating than anything else especially if it's not something you're used to. I would say try the heaviest oil you can find, usually 20w50. I've never had overwhelming success w/ any of the additives, but i have used STP No smoke & Bardhal no smoke at and between oil changes. However, if your engine recently started smoking and is smoking lightly, then a heavier weight oil may help. I personally won't do any major work (like a head job), to an enginge w/ 187k, the odds that something else is soon to follow is likely. Either replace the motor w/ a lower mileage motor or use the heavy oil (try the additives, nothing to loose) and watch out for people behind you trying to BBQ using your tailpipe.

[psychic_mechanic]

Second the 20W-50 idea. A high mileage engine oil will have extra seal swelling additives to help with the small oil leaks you probably have.