I am looking at a TA and everything looks great, lots of things fixed/new parts...but I read the following sentence in the ad:

Engine runs very strong, smooth and burns no oil - great oil pressure, too. After sitting overnight, on startup, there is the usual puff of smoke which is probably valve guides but does not affect performance.

What do you make of the "puff of smoke"? Thanks

 

just what was said in the ad

 

As ede said, the description in the ad is 100% accurate. A puff of smoke only on startup is usually the valve seals.

The trick is to find out whether the person who wrote the ad is accurate. If you take the car for a test drive, have someone follow you in another car and tell you if there is any smoke during normal driving. A little is acceptable, depending on the price you pay and the amount of work you are prepared to do.

Above all, if it all checks out ok, be sure to use the puff of smoke (and anything else you might find wrong) as a haggling tool. Get a quote from a reasonable shop for valve seal replacement, and offer the asking price minus this quote. You should come to some arrangement after that.

Si

 

Go look at it. Open the hood and check the coolant and oil, comment if they are dirty. Start the car and watch the engine run. Comment on anything you find or hear, you can use it to lower the price. Then go, "hmmm" and pretend it looks worse than it is Make sure no smoke comes from the tailpipes at idle, but make sure you can feel exhaust coming out. Take the car for a ride with the windows up and down so you can hear all of the sounds it makes. If you can't find anything wrong, both of you are lucky.

 

As long as it isn't doing that at wot/under heavy load, its not bad.

I see bargaining tool... good luck with the haggling.

 

Here are 400 replies.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...kes+on+startup