What am I smokin'?
 

Can anyone take a guess at this from their chair?

My 3.2 does not really smoke at start up. But after a few minutes
(less than 5) it starts to smoke. It then smokes at idle but
not under acceleration or upon decceleration (at least not that I can see).
It's blue smoke.

Then, when the oil level gauge starts moving and the temp gauge
starts moving, it stops smoking.

My theory is that it stops smoking when the thermostat opens.
I thought maybe valves, but it does not smoke when it starts.
It only smokes after a few minutes.

Any ideas?

It really only started this around the time I redlined it over and over
again at the SP DE trying to stay ahead of Pari :lol:

Maybe a sticky ring?

Should I start planning a winter tear down?

Could be when the motor heats up the valve guide seals expand a little.

My fingers are crossed that I'm wrong.

Sounds like exhaust valve guides and/or seals.



A lesson to be learned----Don't mess with the brown car. :lol: :lol:

Jeeez, hasn't anyone told you, you have to change from first gear to second to keep ahead of Pari,especially on the 2 mile straight at S.P. :lol: :lol: Sounds like valve guides to me, and as you obviously know when talking to these guys, a complete tear down to bare metal is mandated. Hope not though.
Dirk

MUHAHAHAHAHA........another Carrera down! http://img220.echo.cx/img220/3182/mfight9qg.gif
Time to add another rock chip to mark the victory!
Time for an engine drop..........hmmm G50.......Yeeeeahhh baby!

Emery the only way you will ever stay ahead of me is if you paint your targa brown. It adds 100hp, because brown = faster! http://img220.echo.cx/img220/8727/0033pg.gif

Pari, yours is the brown one with the red pony on the side, right!

Well, if I have to tear it down, beware the return 8)

In the meantime, I have a smokescreen James Bond
would envy, and I'm sure it will keep you from overtaking
me. It will also save me from West Nile mosquitoes.

Since when were you ever in front of me?http://img48.echo.cx/img48/1796/browsmiley6nb.gif

Plenty of smoky cars keep running around the track...

I've been told that an easy check for valve guides is to run it up high in revs (once warm of course) and back off the pedal and check the rear view mirror for any smoke on decel. The vacuum should pull the oil through and come out as puffs if guides are worn...

Is the smoke coming from the tailpipe, or just more generally from the back of the car?

Sounds to me like your valve covers are leaking a little oil on your heat exchangers. As the exhaust heats up during the first few minutes of operation, the oil burns off and you see oil smoke behind you. When you park your car, the valve covers drip a little, and the cycle repeats itself the next time your drive.

Good point, Noah.

Emery, the mileage on your car is spot on for top-end rebuild. Well actually it is a little over, but maybe it had an easy life before you became its caretaker. :wink: If the smoke is out of the tail pipe, then you may as well schedule the top-end refresh for the end of DE season.

Your bottom-end including P's, C's, rings, and bearings should be fine for another 100k miles or more. But just in case, is your oil pressure good?