Smoking on start up

[Clarkster22]

Hello all, I've got a lovely pain in the arse rx300 that's been smoking on start up when cold only for a while and it's beginning to do my nut in, I've had a new pcv valve changed to illiminate this but it's still doing it, sometimes it can go a few days without smoking then it's back to the start of stars in your eyes and a big cloud of smoke 🙄 anyone had the same ? Valve seals seems obvious, how many hours labour, costs to fix? Is it worth it ? Any advice greatly appreciated 👍

[Malc]

are you certain it's not just condensation heating up and blowing out as a little steam ?

Malc

[Jaystar77]

Sounds like valve stem oil seals but everything will be a guess online.

A cylinder compression test would be a good shout followed by a cylinder leakdown test to see where any air is going.  These only give good indications on what is happening though, still worth doing IMO.

[unclepoo]

You could simply have too much oil in the engine...so check that first.

if it`s the valve stem oil seals, and it sounds like it is, you could try adding a oil leak stop additive after an oil change using a fully synthetic oil...not a very thin viscosity, and be very sure you don`t over fill.  

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wynns-Engine-Stop-Leak-Oil-Treatment-Additive-325ml/164230458648?epid=8008815976&hash=item263ce5ed18:g:WlAAAOSwmv1ezo68

[Salty dog]

Any sources for valve stem seals at sensible prices?

[ColinBarber]

10 hours ago, Salty dog said:

Any sources for valve stem seals at sensible prices?

Rockauto have some on clearance for 23p for all 12 exhaust seals and inlet set at normal price for £9.89.

The same part is used on nearly every Toyota engine but the OEM ones seem quite expensive.

 

[Malc]

a few days on and I really don't understand why the original " post er " hasn't seemingly been back to acknowledge the input 

Malc

[Herbie]

1 hour ago, Malc said:

a few days on and I really don't understand why the original " post er " hasn't seemingly been back to acknowledge the input 

Malc

Of course, in times like these, it could be that they have much more to worry about so we must be careful of making assumptions but in general, yes, it annoys the hell out of me when people leave us all wondering how the story ended

[royoftherovers]

3 minutes ago, Herbie said:

Of course, in times like these, it could be that they have much more to worry about so we must be careful of making assumptions but in general, yes, it annoys the hell out of me when people leave us all wondering how the story ended

He only posted on Thursday Herbie and Malc ie. 2 days ago. Don`t have him hung, drawn and quartered, just yet !

[Lager shandy]

We need to establish smoke colour on start up if white or white/blue does it smoke when hot idling and pull away .I recommend getting a sniffer kit and testing coolant for exhaust gasses. Before recommending  valve stem seals  but I imagine if he's getting to this  stage any way of a top end repair etc ,It's more than likely going to write the car off .

[Malc]

......  unless it's just condensation  !

Malc

[Salty dog]

Thank you for the information.  Didnt realise there was a time limit for replies!

After my mechanic checking it was a leaky rocker cover gasket leaking oil down the spark plug tube  plug loose allowing oil into cylinder.  Couldnt make this up!!

[Barry14UK]

I had similar situation on my BMW but it was a smell of burnt oil that precipitated investigation.

[PCM]

On 6/4/2020 at 9:24 AM, Clarkster22 said:

Hello all, I've got a lovely pain in the arse rx300 that's been smoking on start up when cold only for a while and it's beginning to do my nut in, I've had a new pcv valve changed to illiminate this but it's still doing it, sometimes it can go a few days without smoking then it's back to the start of stars in your eyes and a big cloud of smoke 🙄 anyone had the same ? Valve seals seems obvious, how many hours labour, costs to fix? Is it worth it ? Any advice greatly appreciated 👍

Did you manage to make any progress?

I wondered what colour smoke also...

[Salty dog]

After several days cleaning the rocker covers as they were completely blocked solid. No oil smoke on start up..great repair on an engine thats has not been serviced properly if at all.

Cheaper than stem seals 

[Clarkster22]

Sorry for lack of any feedback, life's gone a bit crackers and the car doesn't seem that important anymore, and thanks for responses 👍

Had MOT recently it sailed through, also had oil and filter change done as well, after this was done for a few days no smoking at all, then it came back again it has a slight blue tinge to it, only happens from a cold engine start up this happened for a couple of weeks and now touch wood it's not smoked at all for several days now.... baffling !!

I'm thinking with the age of the car it might be wise to just live with it, it drives fantastic engine is so smooth, could treatments do more harm than good ?

Might give the rocker cover gasket a go how much was this to do if you don't mind me asking ?

 

[Clarkster22]

2 minutes ago, Clarkster22 said:

Sorry for lack of any feedback, life's gone a bit crackers and the car doesn't seem that important anymore, and thanks for responses 👍

Had MOT recently it sailed through, also had oil and filter change done as well, after this was done for a few days no smoking at all, then it came back again it has a slight blue tinge to it, only happens from a cold engine start up this happened for a couple of weeks and now touch wood it's not smoked at all for several days now.... baffling !!

I'm thinking with the age of the car it might be wise to just live with it, it drives fantastic engine is so smooth, could treatments do more harm than good ?

Might give the rocker cover gasket a go how much was this to do if you don't mind me asking salty dog ?

 

 

[Barry14UK]

Maybe some gumming up of one or more piston rings.  I don't know the set up in your car but mainly the oil control ring can be responsible although I have seen cases where compression rings have become stuck.  Was a compresssion test done?