White Smoke, No Coolant Leak, Losing Oil

Post by **rspi** » 19 Oct 2012, 20:57

Usually smoke at start up is bad valve guide seals. If smoke is coming out of the tail pipe, that tells me something internal is leaking oil. Cam seals will cause oil leaks around the motor and maybe burn when it hit exhaust but not smoke out of the tail pipe. Likely valve stem seals or piston rings. Last possibility is the PCV. Since you don't have a turbo it should be one of three of those things.

From what I have learned, the best way to check the PCV system for cloggs is to take the oil cap off, put a rubber glove on the oil filler opening, start the car and see if the glove blows up, it's clogged. Most people let the car warm up, leave it running and pull the dip stick 1/2 way out to see if smoke comes out of the dip stick. That is a 80% accurate chance. Mine did not smoke but was clogged. Glove test is better.

Post by **dborgers** » 19 Oct 2012, 23:30

rspi wrote:Usually smoke at start up is bad valve guide seals. If smoke is coming out of the tail pipe, that tells me something internal is leaking oil. Cam seals will cause oil leaks around the motor and maybe burn when it hit exhaust but not smoke out of the tail pipe. Likely valve stem seals or piston rings. Last possibility is the PCV. Since you don't have a turbo it should be one of three of those things.

From what I have learned, the best way to check the PCV system for cloggs is to take the oil cap off, put a rubber glove on the oil filler opening, start the car and see if the glove blows up, it's clogged. Most people let the car warm up, leave it running and pull the dip stick 1/2 way out to see if smoke comes out of the dip stick. That is a 80% accurate chance. Mine did not smoke but was clogged. Glove test is better.

There is smoke coming out of the dip stick. I'll do the glove test in the light of day and post what what happens. There isn't any sign of smoke coming from around the motor when the car is running, nor oil leaking underneath it. If it isn't turbo there isn't a PCV, or is there? Thanks.

Post by **dborgers** » 20 Oct 2012, 00:02

Going through the receipts here are the most recent repairs of seals I could find

March 2010 (From their notes):

Front Transmission Seal, Front Pump Seal - Rear Crankshaft Seal. "Also Completed Service of PCV System".

I'll know more after the glove test. There is smoke coming out of the dip stick. Also going to check for a flame trap and stomp on it if there is one. Idling, there is just a little smoke coming out, goose the gas and and the white smoke comes out, but not nearly as thick or as much as in this short video of an 850 wagon by someone who did their valve seals and the camshaft seals posted pre-repair:

VIDEO 850 blowing white smoke:

I really appreciate your replies. Thanks

(Any tips on embedding YouTube? I tried the linke and "YouTube" button here, then the new and old embed codes from YouTube. Got a warning screen from MVS when C&Ping new and old YouTube embed code saying there was something in the wording MVS didn't like)

Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it. I'll post the results of the rubber glove test later today.

Colonialgirl · Post by **Colonialgirl** » 20 Oct 2012, 01:30

I Vote for the cam seals as the reason for the oil level drop. I had that problem with my '98 S-70 non-turbo. It cost me about $280 to have them replaced and it hasn't used a drop for the last six months.

Post by **Ben850** » 20 Oct 2012, 08:45

You actually set off your smoke alarm as well. I'm thinking valve stem seals at this point.
It looks like they spent quite a bit of money replacing seals, but if the problem that caused the damage was never addressed, i.e. the PCV system, it is a matter of time before it will have to be done again.

EDIT: I see they did the PCV system. It is a matter of what they actually did. If the oil seperator was not replaced, then they didn't really do anything.

Post by **wheelsup** » 20 Oct 2012, 09:49

No way in hell you're losing a quart of oil out the engine a day (100 miles) without seeing it on the ground. I just can't see that. I was losing a quart every 500-600 miles and it was pissing out the RMS on the bottom of the transmission.

It's quite possible your PCV system is fine. I had the PCV system replaced, then did it again myself a year later, and my crankcase pressure is still high. The likely issue is worn piston rings.

If you're not against hacks, try this. Go buy some heater line hose from Advance Auto Parts or Autozone, the size that will just barely fit over the oil dip stick. Place the heater hose over the dipstick tube (remove the dipstick itself) and route it down below the subframe, maybe 5-6 feet worth. This will give another place for the crankcase pressure to go. I went from a quart every 500 miles to a quart every 3000 miles or so like that (leaking). Drove from NC to NH and back without dropping but maybe 1/2 quart (1600 miles +/-).

FWIW the compression on my car was good, so no idea why it is building up that much crankcase pressure. The PCV passageways were clean as well.

Check your compression and post here as well. I'm not real familiar with valve stem seals and the amount of oil burned that way, but I would think if you're burning a quart every 100 miles you're going to be streaming blue smoke like a 1995 Honda Civic rice burner.

Post by **wheelsup** » 20 Oct 2012, 09:59

Colonialgirl wrote:I Vote for the cam seals as the reason for the oil level drop. I had that problem with my '98 S-70 non-turbo. It cost me about $280 to have them replaced and it hasn't used a drop for the last six months.

You're going to see a quart of oil on the sides of the engine in that case...a quart over 100 miles is a TON of oil.

Jono51 · Post by **Jono51** » 20 Oct 2012, 17:08

I also would vote for a camshaft seal as a likely cause of that much oil loss, but if my experience is anything to go by there should have been a fairly obvious spot (if not puddle) of oil on the ground under the car. If there is no obvious external leak then my next suspect would be the PCV system, especially if there is smoke from the dipstick tube, and if that is not the problem then valve guide seals or general engine wear. Best of luck!

Post by **dborgers** » 20 Oct 2012, 18:19

Did the rubber glove test. Yep, positive pressure blew it up. I ran about a can and a half of Seafoam into an oil intake hose. It REALLY smoked. I went right over to Vavoline had the oil changed with Royal Purple and a Mobil 1 filter I bought . They charged me $16 at Vavoline to drain and fill. Took it down the freeway about 20 miles then back. I was told that that within a week the smoke should disappear if the cause is a clogged PCV.. Was that right? I also put a bottle of Seafom in a full gas tank.

While putting in the Seafoam the check engine light came on - I'm assuming because of the disconnected oil intake hose and Seafoam. Will it turn off by itself in time or will I need to clear the codes by disconnecting the + battery terminal?

PS - Before my first post the oil was checked at different temperatures, so I probably didn't get an accurate comparison in oil level. The new oil level is right at the 2nd mark on the dipstick. I'll check it this week from time to time and report how much it is or isn't losing.

Thanks again for your replies. I really appreciate it.

Post by **dborgers** » 20 Oct 2012, 18:28

Jono51 wrote:I also would vote for a camshaft seal as a likely cause of that much oil loss, but if my experience is anything to go by there should have been a fairly obvious spot (if not puddle) of oil on the ground under the car. If there is no obvious external leak then my next suspect would be the PCV system, especially if there is smoke from the dipstick tube, and if that is not the problem then valve guide seals or general engine wear. Best of luck!

There isn't any noticeable oil on the engine and not a drop under the car.

White Smoke, No Coolant Leak, Losing Oil

Re: White Smoke, No Coolant Leak, Losing Oil