I'm very confused . My valve seals are new and the PCV valve too. But my damn engine still throw a little somoke cloud when I start. My car only have 52000 Km. I'm using mobil 1 10w30 synthetic since my last oil change. Can synthetic oil can cause this smoke??? I need some help of you guys.

Thanks

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89 L98 GTA
- Custom made air induction
- Ported plennum
- MAF screen removed
- Headman Hedders
- Dynomax 3" catback
- Ultra Flow weld muffler
- TH700-R4 with vette servo and Superior shift kit
- Mobil 1 Synthetic Oil
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What color smoke is it?? White = coolant, Blue = oil (most likely valve seals again), and Black = fuel (too rich).

When you installed your valve seals did you make sure you pushed them ALL the way down until they sort of clicked into place? I used a deepwell socket just smaller than the seal and tapped them down lightly to the bottom. If you didn't do that, they might be riding on the stem which would be the same as having no seal at all.

Synthetic is infamous for those of use who started using it before we replaced bad valve seals. It just made a bad problem worse. Instead of a small blue cloud I got one that looked like it would start to rain.

I did my seals a few weeks ago, and started up the car last Saturday, and NOT A PUFF of smoke.

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Kevin Irving
85 Trans Am WS-6, 305 TPI, custom burned '86 PROM with '87 "165"ECM, Accel Supercoil & 8.8 Wires, Rapidfire #2 @ .055", MSD 6AL, 1.6:1 Roller tipped rockers, Homemade AFPR, K&N cone, no airbox, Aluminum Driveshaft, Wonderbar, TB Coolant Bypass, Ported Plenum, Descreened MAF, Syclone Fuel Pump, JET Airfoil, Mobil 1 synth in all but transmission.

15.556 @ 86.65mph, Nov 10, 2000.... I know it sucks.. but it will get better!

http://www.geocities.com/transam85tpi/

Member - The Tidewater Trans Am Club, Norfolk VA http://www.geocities.com/ttacva/

 

How hard is it to change the valve seals and how long does it take a mechanic to do it?

 

I don't know how long it would take a mechanic to do it but it's pretty simple to do yourself! You have to take the head off the engine though or you'll drop a valve.... unless you're good! Just buy a $15 valve spring compressor.. compress the spring... take the valve lock off... remove the spring... replace the valve seal... reinstall the "compressed spring"... install the valve lock... decompress the spring!

 

You don't HAVE to take the heads off to do the valve seals. There are two methods to doing it with the heads on, either fill the cylinder with nylon rope through the spark plug hole (wouldn't do that) or by using compressed air and a compression tester air hose to hold the valves up. That's how I did mine, and I did it in my garage. A neighbor came over and we did the driver's side in about 4 hours and I did the passenger side by myself in about 6 hours. It'll take a mechanic about 6 hours to do everything including pulling all the emissions crapola off the pass. side to get the valve cover off. They usually charge around $200-$250 for the job. There's an EXCELLENT article on how to do it here: http://www.racer-x.f2s.com/proc/vseals.htm

Don't forget to set proper valve lash when you're done and you should be fine.

[This message has been edited by Kevin Irving (edited May 07, 2001).]

 

I replaced the stem seals and valve springs on my dad's GN. I turn the engine so the piston is at TDC on the cylinder that I am workin on and compress the cylinder with air. Putting the cylinder at TDC is just a safety incase you accidently push the valve open anyway. Saves you the risk of taking off the cylinder head over a stupid dropped valve.

 

did mine and did the top dead center approach and used the flex hose from my compression tester. Worked like a charm. Paid about $15.00 for on the head spring compressor. Hardest was crawling under to move air compressor hose from cyl to cyl.
Buy the best seals. Not a job to do every other weekend.