My car is puffing some smoke when I start it up. Sometimes it smokes a lot longer than others. A friend told me that my valve seals were shot...I dont know much about the head assembly...but can this be fixed without removing them?? Or is this even the problem?? The car just rolled over 159,000 miles this week. Help me out here!!!

------------------
1991 WS6 Trans Am
Medium Green Metallic
Beechwood interior
305 TPI
TH 700-R4, Auto
T-Tops, PW, PL, PM
Keyless entry, alarm
Flowmaster Muffler
Monza Dual Tips
K&N Filter
Macewen white faced overlays with Xenon bulbs
Firehawk SZ50's

 

More than likely it's valve stem seals, unless it's doing it all the time and then it could be more serious. I replaced mine with the umbrella style with the heads still on the car and it doesn't use any oil now. It's not really a problem unless your plugs are getting fouled by the oil. Does it run fine otherwise? If so, unless it really bothers you I'd just leave it alone.

------------------
1990 IROC 350
Mods: Too busy trying to make it run right to mod it.
Airfoil, Dynomax cat-back, MSD coil, 180 t-stat, Bald Eagle tires,
Hypertech fan switch, Accel 23# injectors, Holley AFPR, ported plenum,
Ported Daytona Yellow stock base, Moroso valve covers, other stuff,
Ruger P95DC, hot wife, new oil filter, thick rubber floormats, no cats.
18.0 @ 85MPH since I'm one big-a$$ MF
"It's better to have and not need than to need and not have."

 

Some people say that when they switched to Mobil 1 oil that their smoke on startup dissappeared. Might be something to try.

------------------
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
FLOWMASTER, NO CAT
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
2:73 GEARS
Rebuilt 700R4, with manual valve body
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite
Soon to be installed
3:73 Richmond Gears and 3" Hooker Aero Chamber
Corvette Servo & .500 boost valve
15.61@ 95.2mph G-Teched, 1-2 shift slippage, and just replaced a burnt plug wire
"There is nothing more addicting than speed"

 

My car smoked on startup from 125,000 miles until 230,000 miles when upon I replaced the engine. It alsways passed the california smog tests. I bet it could have run and smoked for as long as I lived. Just have the valve seal replaced if it bugs you.


James

------------------
1985 Z-28, 350 TPI, T-Tops, edelbrock 6085 heads, ZZ4 cam, accel base/runners & 24 lb/hr inj., ported plenum, everything gasket matched, crane AFPR, SLP 1 5/8 headers, single 3" flowmaster catback, 3" Catco cat, modified tranny, 165 ECM & ARAP code, MSD 6AL/wires, edelbrock STB, Spohn SFC, GW "wonderbar"

 

"Oil is Oil, As long as its clean"!!!

 

It does bother me...but how hard is replacing the seals??? Where can I get them and how much do they cost, etc.?? The car doesnt smoke all the time when it is running. But I have been seen a little when I floor it...If the smoke at WOT and the smoke at startup are both valve problems, then I want to get it fixed. I have never used Mobil 1. I guess I can try it the next time I change. But how can it be different than any other oil...

------------------
1991 WS6 Trans Am
Medium Green Metallic
Beechwood interior
305 TPI
TH 700-R4, Auto
T-Tops, PW, PL, PM
Keyless entry, alarm
Flowmaster Muffler
Monza Dual Tips
K&N Filter
Macewen white faced overlays with Xenon bulbs
Firehawk SZ50's

 

I have to say from personal experience that it will smoke more with Mobil 1, which was the primary reason I changed my valve seals. I wanted to run Mobil 1 . Synthetic does not form sludge deposits around internal leaks as does conventional oil, so once it cleans out these deposits that "seal up" the leaks, most vehicles will smoke even more.
Changing valve stem seals is not for the novice, but if you are experienced all you need are some Viton/Teflon umbrella seals (Fel-Pro makes a good set you can buy cheaply at Advance, Auto Zone, etc.), common hand tools, a 3'-5' piece of 1/8"-1/16" thick rope, and a valve spring compressor. Doing it the "shade-tree" way, like I do everything else, is not for the faint of heart . I have no idea what a shop would charge for this job, but I'm sure someone else does.

 

My car used to smoke bad at 58,000 miles. I changed over to Mobil 1 and my smoking problem has almost diminished to nothing. I am very pleased.

 

Replacing the seals is cheap, a set is like 20 bucks (I have a brand new set of comp seals I'll sell ya too..)

You have to find a way to keep the valves from dropping in, either using an air-hose adapter or filling the bore with some rope and running the cylinder up to TDC. Then you have to remove the rockers, and valve springs/locks/retainers, not too tough, but time consuming.

Also before you go to remove the valve springs, give each one a wack with a hammer by placing a socket on the retainer (so as not to hit the valve itself) to help loosen the retainers from the locks.

 

My mechanic is charging me about $400.00 including seals and changing gaskets on the valve covers. I assume this is a fair price since his other prices have been fair.

------------------
86 Camaro Black SS Coupe, T Tops, Flowmaster, Custom Paint, Dunlop Road Kings S/R tires, Wheel Country Directional Chrome Wheels,new charcoal & gray interior including seats and door panels, new carpet and headliner, complete front end suspension rebuild, new Valve seals, and more mods to come
http://www.angelfire.com/sports/niterider/86camaro.html
Morgan_Andre@hotmail.com

 

I dunno. He should be able to do it easily within a day...wish I got paid that much per day! Always knew I was in the wrong line of work. Seriously, it is kinda a pain in the a$$ to do it the way I do, but for him with all the "easy" tools it should be about a $250-$300 job. But like I said, I haven't ever taken one to a shop so I'm not the one to give out fair prices .

 

i just replaced my valve seals and the valve cover gaskets were 48$ and the seals were like 20 for theo rings and the umbrella seals together and i did it in like 2 hours with no special tools i thaught it was prety easy. just my 2 cents