First of all, this is a sweet site and i am glad that I found it. Anyways, I just bought a 1991 Pontic Firebird 305 TBI with 51k miles on her. She was stored every winter since 91'. After getting the engine steam cleaned (it was DIRTY in there!) my ar started smoking on start up and it happens only on start up. I have changed the oil, plugs, and fuel filter as soon as I got her. Do you think that there was any way that the steam cleaning did anything to her? I mean come on, she only has 51k on the clock. The smoke is whiteish-greyish, almost blue in the early morning. Any help will be GREATLY apreciated.



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1991 Pontiac Firebird
51k Miles
T-Tops
Fire Engine Red

 

3 words.....Valve stem seals.

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ASE Mechanic/Machinist/Smog Tech

1999 NBM Trans Am
1986 Chevy 3/4 ton pick up
1981 corvette
1995 Kawi ZX6R
and 2 POS commuters...

R.I.P. #3
"He can see air"

 

Alright, that's what I was thinking it was, either that or the head gasket. How much would this cost to repair? How long can I go before I damage something? Someone told me that it is just an annoyance right now, but I better change it so nothing bad happens to it. Also, can anyone describe the process that these seals are doing right now?



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1991 Pontiac Firebird
51k Miles
T-Tops
Fire Engine Red

 

It is just an annoyance right now, it shouldn't harm anything really. Really depends on the shop for the price, its expensive and thats why people don't fix it. They are sealing the combustion chamber so oil doesn't leak in, but it is leaking in and being burned, so you get the smoke.

 

Hey man, don't worry about a little bluish gray puff of smoke on start up. All my cars have done this, and i have put 50000 miles on cars after they started smoking on startup, and had no problems. My GTA does this and every 3000 miles if I burn a quarter of a quart of oil, that would be a lot. Welcome to the group man, and congrats on your new ride
Later
Mike

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Check out My Car Pics http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/Albu...667&a=13599419

Gran Turismo Americano "The Ultimate Firebird"
Smokin 1989 GTA- Bone stock except for exhaust. (no catalytic-stainless pipe into Flowmaster 2 chamber) & AC Delco Rapid Fire Plugs

 

Thanks for the info guys, it is appreciated. I had someone start it up, and I got behind it, and it just puffs GREYISH smoke for a little while, but that's it. I guess I'll just live with that annoyance if it won't hurt anything. I thought that was a little weird with only 51k on the clock



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1991 Pontiac Firebird
51k Miles
T-Tops
Fire Engine Red
305 TBI

 

It is a good time for a 3 angle valve job and some porting and polishing....

 

There is some good advice, now that you just bought your car that you don't know a whole lot about cuase its your first one, go take apart teh engine and mess it up and end up spending more money. This is a good idea, later on after you have had the car for a year or so and have become fimliar with its basic systems

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un4givin89



1989 Camaro Ralley Sport, 305 TBI 5 Liter v8

Project List:
Crate 383 Engine
Flowmaster Exhaust
New Tires
Windows tinted
Interior swapped for two tone colors
Lowering Springs
Sound System

www.mikekey.net

 

PS: how did you get it steam cleaned?? Rent a steam cleaner, what kind?? More info on this I am very curious? I steam clean my interior but the engine, I wanna knwo more. And welcome to the site bro!

 

I believe certain shops will steam clean the engine bay, perhaps a detailing place or something. I'm not exactly sure where, but i have heard of it. Cool to hear you got a nice ride w/ low miles, congrats and have fun!

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85 Z28- 350, Comp 262, Edelbrock Performer intake, Edelbrock 600 cfm carb and Edelbrock cat back, Summit headers and vette servo
-JVC, Eclipse, Pioneer, MTX, Phoenix Gold, Planet Audio

 

Yeah, I got it steam cleaned at a local performance shop, you just have to call around to see who can do this. It only cost me $20 for a professional one. They degressed it, and steam cleaned it. Now I can eat off it

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1991 Pontiac Firebird
51k Miles
T-Tops
Fire Engine Red
305 TBI

 

Why? You don't have to take the heads off just to do the seals. Just plugs, valve covers and springs. The whole job can be done in an afternoon in your driveway.

 

91,

My '86 has 47,000 miles and has done the "Chevy Salute" since it had 22,000 miles. The valve stem seal design is not adequate to prevent some seepage into the chambers after the engine shuts down. This is not a real problem, since the extra upper cylinder lube usually isn't enough to foul spark plugs or carbon the chambers. The amount of oil consumed through this process is minimal, and if you're changing your oil at the proper intervals you shouldn't even really see a change in level between changes. But of course you're changing oil at proper intervals - that was silly of me to even think of.

Since you're checking your oil level every week like a conscientious driver would, you would notice any serious consumption anyway. If it really bothers you, you can remove the valve covers, rockers, and valve springs, then install new Teflon stem seals that will eliminate the problem.

BTW - Welcome aboard!

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Later,
Vader
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"Get UP - Drop the bombshell!"
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

My car has done it for a year and a half. I've never had any problems with the plug's fouling. I switched to 20W-50 oil and the car barely smokes.




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88 GTA Notchback
A4 / 350
Stock
** New User Name**

Kill List:
95 Mustang GT |88 Mustang GT
94? Impala (real close)|97 Dodge Neon
86 Corvette |2000 Prowler
88 ASC GTA | And a few more Accords and Neon's.

And more Civic's then I can count. Why do they even bother?

 

Yeah, I've heard about switching to 20W50. Would that be a good choice if I have just used 10W30 for the life of the car? I always use Valvoline Durablend.



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1991 Pontiac Firebird
51k Miles
T-Tops
Fire Engine Red
305 TBI

 

91,

Switching to a thicker oil is really only a band-aid fix. You'll maybe reduce the oil puff at startup, but can introduce some other things that you might not want to deal with, like longer warmups, less engine cleaning, and excessive oil pressure.

Unless it is really bad (to the point of driving off mosquitoes and prompting letters from the EPA) I'd live with it or replace the seals with Teflon. If it's that bad, the heavier oil might not even eliminate the problem, and you'll end up replacing the seals anyway.

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Later,
Vader
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"Click - Click - BOOM!"
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

Okay I guess I will just stick with the regular stuff. I just had a quick question though. I got Valvoline Durablend in my car 10W30 about a month and a half ago and I have a little less than 3/4 left. I was just wondering if this oil is Synthetic, or non synthetic. I have some Pennzoil 10W40 laying around that I was going to top it off with, but I heard it is not good to mix oils. Is this safe?



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1991 Pontiac Firebird
51k Miles
T-Tops
Fire Engine Red
305 TBI

 

Vader, think ya could give me a link or recomend a book to help me with replacing the valve seals? Thanks a bunch,
Mike

edit: spelling error.

[This message has been edited by NewGuyw/89RS (edited September 03, 2001).]

 

Redfire, the answer to your question is right in the name of the oil... "duraBLEND", it's a synthetic mix... take dino juice and add synthetic, and you get "durablend"... essentially over-priced dino-juice to me, the whole point of using synthetic oil is to overcome the downfalls of dino-juice, once you introduce the particles of the anchient lubricant, it defeats the properties of the synthetic... There is an arguement that adding synthetic to non-synth will prolong the life of the oil, but I'm the sceptical type...

:hint: There is a reason why Mobil 1 Synthetic is so expensive, they've been doing it right all along...

If you wanna use dino juice (and unless you're super hard-core, there is nothing wrong with it, provided you change every 3000 miles...) try to find some studies on them... I myself use the cheapest name brand stuff I can find in 10W30 form... At least make sure the oil is certified and all that good nonsense (that white circle on the bottles of oil...Z)

As far as mixing oils... :shrug: I see no problem in it... better to top it off with something rather than nothing...

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1985 Camaro SC - 2.8L, auto.

http://www.xenodrgn.f2s.com/Frontright.jpg

 

Xenodrgn,
Thanks, I guess I will just top it off with that NONSYNTHETIC Pennzoil 10W40. And myabe just swith to nonsynthetic Penn. 10W40 permanetly.

 

Xenodrgn,
Thanks, I guess I will just top it off with that NONSYNTHETIC Pennzoil 10W40. And myabe just swith to nonsynthetic Penn. 10W40 permanetly.



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1991 Pontiac Firebird
51k Miles
T-Tops
Fire Engine Red
305 TBI