When I start my 88 GTA up, I sometimes get some white smoke coming out of the tailpipe. It takes longer to start when it does this too. Could I have worn valve guide seals? The car uses a quart of oil about every 1,000 miles or so. No leaks on the outside of the engine, which is a 350 TPI by the way. It doesn't always do it either. Sometimes it starts just fine with no smoke, and other times, it takes a second or two longer to start and then I get a puff of white smoke after it starts. Any ideas? Thanks! Matt

 

White smoke is normally burning water, are you sure the smoke isn't blue-ish?

Of course, you know your car better than anyone else, and if you're losing oil with no visible leaks, and not losing any water, then the chances are it's the valve seals. If the smoke is continuous, it may be a piston ring thing.

 

It may be a little bluish. Next time I start my car, I'll keep the windows down and pay close attention to the color. Matt

 

step out of the car when you crank it, and see the smoke, you will get a better look.

If it's blueish, then it's probably your seals. I had that problem, but it's gone now that i replaced the seals.

 

kind of an oldie post, but all the posts i find don't seem to give a solution.

i'm having the puff of WHITE at startup and it takes a second longer to start it up too exactly as KC10Chief described.

once out of every 5 startups i'd say it does it regardless of time of day and temperature.

i've heard several theories, valve seals, fuel problems, condensation. can i get a definite solution to it?

 

"White smoke" is almost always antifreeze leaking into the combustion process. Usually it is a head gasket but it could be the head is cracked.

In fact, I know of nothing else that looks like white smoke. It is actually steam, not smoke

 

Your best clue to the source may not be your eyes, but your nose. Burning oil has a unique odor, as does antifreeze steam. Water vapor has no odor other than normal exhaust.