I recently bought my car and it is a 1988 305 LO3....when i start the car i get a whiteisg smoke and when i rev it it some smoke comes out....if i leave the car running and i walk around the car it smells gassy...its a sharp odor that hurts your eyes(i dont know if that helps ya).....well after reading several post people say it can be solved by replacing the valve stem seals....my question is how can i determine what is wrong and what are some possible solutions......

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1988 Trans am.......best 600 bucks ive ever spent...305 5.0 but will save my lunch money and every penny to swap for a 350 tpi in the coming two years

 

hey man I got the same problem, I am also lookin for some answers.

 

I think a good place to start would be to take off your valve covers off and look for builds ups of gunk. The smeel I think is because you are running rich. The whitish color sometimes means your are burning oil. Hope this helps.

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Mike Kenny
1991 Chevrolet Camaro RS 305 TBI
My Website
Administrator at Auto-Clubs.net
My Baby

 

 

The white smoke at start-up is from your valve seals going bad. They start to leak after so long and when you shut off your car the oil above the head can drain down the valve stems into the cylinders. So after you let it sit for a while it'll build up oil in the cylinders. When you start it it instantly burns off the oil in a huge cloud of white smoke. My car used to do it too but rather than just replacing the valve seals, I relaced the heads .

-Mark W.
'88 SC Camaro w/ 305 TBI

 

Yah what he said. Get a book about your car and take a night to read it. This will help you a lot. Then either get a friend or relative, if you know anyone, to help you take your valve covers off. Because it sounds like you are a newbie. Hey I was one just a year ago and I am learning a lot from this site. I am 17 now, 16 when I got my first Camaro. I would not recommend changes these gaskets as the first major thing you do yourself to your car, so I say either get help or have someone else do it. But you should be able to take off your valve covers yourself. An more question just ask. If you need it explained in more simpler terms just ask.

 

thanxs for the help guys......ive just been learning about my car for the past month with the help of this site....we are the future third geners and im sure going to make it my duty to beat some mustangs

 

IT IS PROBALY YOUR VALVE GIUDES. THEY USUALLY GO ON A 305. DONT REALLY WORRY ABOUT IT ALL OF OUR CARS DO IT. BUT IF IT REALLY BOTHERS YOU, YOU HAVE TO DISASSEMBLE THE WHOLE TOP END OF YOUR ENGINE TO FIX IT.

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Steve
88 Firebird TBI - Open Element, Cat Delete K&N filter 14*4 element
1/4: 16.1@85.7

 

88FirebirdTBI,

Please refrain from typing in all capitals it makes post unfriendly to my eyes. Thank You!

 

You don't have to disassemble the whole top end to fix valve guide seals. I watched bullfrawgs do it to his 305 HO last weekend. He has the motor out of the car while makes it easier though.

I wouldn't worry about it. Everybody's small block chevy does it. I won't hurt anything. Only fix it when it becomes so bad and annoying that you can't stand it any longer.

 

wait there is a color coding right? white smoke = oil? no water... no wait, oil would be blue right? white smoke would be water, since water builds up overnight right? i always thought it was water, since my car only does it in the morning and after it rains all night or is really humid. i live in florida if that helps...

 

Mine does the same thing.Does not use any oil and sounds great.I would not worry about it.

 

I live in MS so ours does the same thing.Living in the south,isn't great?!!

 

oh its great down here. never even seen snow, nor has my car. i love it.

 

My car has seen a little snow,but nothing to worry about.

 

an experienced car guy can distinguish whats what by using the white=water blue=oil guide but only because they have seen them before. Asking someone to distinguish between two exhaust smoke colors that are not polar opposites as their names would imply causes alot of confusion when they dont know what they are supposed to be looking for

to most people it all looks the same, the symptoms are a far better way of diagnosing the problem. It happens at start up = valve seals

not really anything major to worry about

 

mine does it and i do burn about a quart or quart and a half between oil changes.

 

The seals' deterioration is far advanced, it won't make you use any oil beteen changes, just a few drops a day.

[This message has been edited by Keith5 (edited March 19, 2001).]

 

Change your oil, too. Sounds like you MAY have gas in your oil... Don't cost much. Also, make sure that your EFI or carb isn't dripping raw fuel into your engine at shutdown. It will just seep by the rings and end up in your oil, causing your condition of smell. Not to mention it'll ruin your ring seal from the lack of oil upoon startup.