blue smoke

[gaoo]

i've noticed several times when i start the engine there's a large puff of blue smoke from the exhaust. it would clear after a few seconds. happened maybe 4 or 5 times in the last 12 months. is there something i need to be worried about? thanks

gaoo

[jcorallo]

i've noticed several times when i start the engine there's a large puff of blue smoke from the exhaust. it would clear after a few seconds. happened maybe 4 or 5 times in the last 12 months. is there something i need to be worried about? thanks

gaoo

What year and engine is the car?

How many miles? Could be a worn engine / valve guides.... but:

1) Check you havent overfilled the engine oil.

2) Next thing to suspect is the AOS - air oil separator.

Have a look inside the throttle housing and see how much oil is coming through...

Cheers,

Jules

[teeerex]

i've noticed several times when i start the engine there's a large puff of blue smoke from the exhaust. it would clear after a few seconds. happened maybe 4 or 5 times in the last 12 months. is there something i need to be worried about? thanks

gaoo

Perfectly normal IMO.

Due to the nature of the flat 6, oil will seep into the combustion chambers depending on how long the engine has been sitting unused. When you start her up - the oil will be burnt, hence the smoke. That said, some cars smoke more than others, the same way some use oil, whilist others use none ...

If it only smokes a little and once after a cold startup, then I wouldn't worry about it - but if it happens on warm starts then it could be worn components / piston rings etc.

[Loren]

I agree - that sounds normal to me especially if the car sat for some time.

[Glyn]

i've noticed several times when i start the engine there's a large puff of blue smoke from the exhaust. it would clear after a few seconds. happened maybe 4 or 5 times in the last 12 months. is there something i need to be worried about? thanks

gaoo

Some smoke is normal and it is a characteristic of the engine design, however if you park on an incline to either the left or right oil will seep easier into the cylinder bores.

When cold a piston is not round it is oval, the aluminium piston expands with heat and as there is more metal aroung the little end (the part where the con rod joins the piston) there is more metal - so more expansion.

To allow for this expansion the piston is slightly oval.

When switching off a hot engine oil will drip back towards the sump, if you are on an incline (side to side) oil will drip on the lower part of the cylinder bore and make its way up towards the piston under gravity- when the engine cools and the ovalness reappears the oil will seep past the piston rings and the oil control ring - perfectly normal - but as millage goes up then the slight wear will allow a little more oil past.

Only a tiny bit of oil will create a lot of smoke.

resulting in the cold start when the oil is now in the chamber, as the engine fires it will burn the oil.

believe me if you had a real problem with oil seepage you would know about it, loads of smoke.

I know you will read quite a bit on these forums about white smoke and blue - actually there is no real difference, oil will burn a slight tinge of blue, but as the catalyst heats up any moisture in the exhaust will vaporise as steam, we all have it to varying degrees dependant on whether or not it is kept in a garage, or near a waterway (increased humidity) - Its all normal

now go drive and have fun, stop worrying and dont be bothered about a little wear - at least it wont sieze up :D

Edited August 8, 2007 by Glyn

[gaoo]

THANKS GUYS!!

it was a cold engine start when that happened.

gaoo

[Tom C]

THANKS GUYS!!

it was a cold engine start when that happened.

gaoo

The only time my boxster does this is when it was started, driven a short period, stoped and then restarted. I read on one of the links that this is a characteristic of the flat six.

[986Jim]

I havn't started my car in two weeks and I lit her up yesterday and it shot a big puff of smoke out right when it fired, pretty funny... It's gone right away tho so no big deal. It's when you see that smoke after the car has been running for a while that you have problems.

[pizblu]

I'm concerned by this problem and I founded that "Blue Smoke from the Engine" is dealed in TSB n°1716 1/02 of May 10th, 2002.

Unluckily, this is one of the few TSBs missing in our forum. Do anyone knows where can I find it?

Thanks a lot!

[Chris_in_NH]

I'm concerned by this problem and I founded that "Blue Smoke from the Engine" is dealed in TSB n°1716 1/02 of May 10th, 2002.

Unluckily, this is one of the few TSBs missing in our forum. Do anyone knows where can I find it?

Thanks a lot!

except it's not a problem. it's normal.

i doubt the TSB is about a puff of smoke on start-up. and if it is, it will say exactly what Glyn said. ;)

[Loren]

I have found that TSB and added it here.

The TSB talks about reduced factory fill and a new dipstick.

[pizblu]

I have found that TSB and added it here.

The TSB talks about reduced factory fill and a new dipstick.

Thanks a lot Loren

[itzbob46]

I have found that TSB and added it here.

The TSB talks about reduced factory fill and a new dipstick.

Where is that TSB???

My car did some big puffs of blue oil smoke when starting over this weekend fo rthe FIRST time in 5000 mi that I've owned it. Was parked ona a monor incline, mostly front higher than rear.

Bob

[Loren]

I have found that TSB and added it here.

The TSB talks about reduced factory fill and a new dipstick.

Where is that TSB???

My car did some big puffs of blue oil smoke when starting over this weekend fo rthe FIRST time in 5000 mi that I've owned it. Was parked ona a monor incline, mostly front higher than rear.

Bob

The TSB was for Carrera's.

TSB 1/02 1716 Blue Smoke from the Engine During High Transverse Acceleration -- dated May 10, 2002

[fasterjames]

I'm getting a lot of blue smoke while driving after 15 minutes of driving through the mountians. Lots of hard corners and steep inclines at highway speeds-very fun if you watch out for the tractors. Anyway, I can drive for hours on the highway or around town with no problem but as soon as I hit the mountains I get steady amounts of smoke. Symptoms:

No noticable oil consumption

blue smoke on startup

oil smell after every time I drive regardless of terrain

Smokes only after hard cornering

new AOS

cleaned TB

Cleaned MAF

no CEL

I do have the dreaded RMS or IMS leak but it is very minor

02 Boxster with 73K

Any ideas?