valve stem seals or rings?

[Unstock240]

I have smoke coming out of my exhaust from bad valve seals or rings. I rebuilt the motor so the rings are new, and it only needed a hone. I have valve seals from the rebuild if needed to put them in. My car usually smokes blue until warmed up then its gone, but sometimes it changes.

Sometimes it will blow smoke until I run it hard, then it is good for the rest of the day. Other times the smoke is kinda black. Maybe the oil burning is making my car rich also or something? The oil is burning somewhere because I am adding about 1/2qt a week. I do notice steam from the oil fill hole in the valve cover. I do not see any steam from the dipstick though. My compression numbers were fairly good I think the lowest was like 165. My plugs also look pretty normal, maybe minimal fouling if any. Also adding oil during a compression test wouldnt help if my stems were leaking, so I can't do that.

[thrasherx89]

smoke of any kind is usually not a great sign

if you have to keep adding that much oil to the car then their is probably a leak somewhere

probably the head gasket...

[OutToWinPAHC]

Smoke only at start up... 9 out of 10 times its the stem seals. Once they warm up and expand they seal. Very cheap parts to buy, you just need a springs tool. It's a good time to do a cam upgrade, and upgrade the springs/retainers too.

I doubt its a head gasket if there is no intermix, steamy exhaust, or overheating.

AS far as compression test, adding oil will still work, but you dry numbers sounds good.

[Unstock240]

It was overheating, but after clutch fan fix it has been fine. it has always smoked though. It got hot about 3 times and probably worsened the stem seals im thinking. Since after getting hot thats when the smoke has been worse really. I guess I'll try to rent the compressor and the chamber pressurizer/rope trick. If no help, then its time for a new shortblock, or rebore and all that which I really don't want to do all that.

The oil and coolant has always looked fine, so I think the headgasket is probably good. When I bought the motor the kid rebuilt it, but didnt finish so I have a set of seals in the bag.

[OutToWinPAHC]

ohhhhh did you resurface the head when you rebuilt?

[Wc240]

im guessing your talking about a leakdown tester? doesnt need to be done unless you have really low compressoin, fix the seals then see what happens.

[Unstock240]

No, but I measured flatness according to the manual and The head was near perfect.

I'll try to find time to put the seals in, and at least eliminate that so I can go from there.

Never thought about but it could be a bad pcv valve? I know my buddies accord smoked badly all from the pcv. Maybe ill look into that first haha.

Modified by Unstock240 at 8:40 PM 9/30/2009
Modified by Unstock240 at 8:41 PM 9/30/2009