When I start my car after sitting all night, I get a puff of white smoke from the exhaust...well really a small cloud...

Seems like it is getting worse over time. Anyone have an idea what it might be?

 

my guess is leaking valve stem seals

 

It is time to change the valve stem seals. It is a pain but the only way to correct your start up consumption problem.

 

and where are the valve stem seals? what has to come off to replace them?

 

buddy i used to have same prob when i bought mine its probly the headgaskets cause white smoke eguals water, black means your running rich, and a greyish blue smoke means oil.

 

Understand....BUT had too many people (outside this board tell me same thing....valve stem guides)

only happens on startup.....no smoke of any color/kind after that

 

only way it's the head gaskets is if it's seeping coolant in while the car sits and it's a slow leak. my jimmy would fog the neighborhood. Valve seals are a pain. I never did it with the heads on the motor I can imagine it's a nightmare. The valve covers have to come off and you have to compress the valve springs. You'll need compressed air to hold the valves up to prevent them from falling into the cylinder

 

Actually, valve stem seals are not that bad. Just time-consuming. I went slow, and it took about 3 hours for the job. No more smoke at start-up, and as an added bonus, my 190K mile motor, does not use any oil between changes.

 

Have someone start it for you, smell the smoke. That will tell you... (and if's it's oil burning, you may want to get your eyes examined.. if you aren't young anyway).

 

Don't need anyone to tell me it DOES smells like oil......

And thanks for the suggestion for an eye exam....

BUT I get one every year and can see better than a lot of "younger folks"

 

As others have said, white=water and gray=oil. However, a small wisp of oil smoke can apear to be white-ish. Oil smoke tends to linger a bit while white smoke from water (steam) will dissipate quickly.

If you are absolutely sure it is oil smoke and any external sources of oil (stuck open pcv, etc..) have been eliminated, stem seals are the most likely culprit

-B