I have read perhaps a couple dozen new thread posts about the white smoke that billows from the exhaust during idle, and to help me to decide whether to fix or sell and move on; I am trying to draw the best conclusion as to the source of the problem.

Again, the problem: 95 850 Turbo sedan, for at least 18 months the car has had issues with white smoke billowing from the exhaust after it is warm and only "noticable" during idle -- the car otherwise runs great. There is no issue with antifreeze disappearing, but it burns oil (obviously). WHen the problem first started occurring, I would drive approximately 25 miles (all highway) stop at my destination and turn off my car -- up until this point of the journey there is no smoke. After only a couple minutes of being off, I start the car back up, reverse out of the drive and the white smoke starts. I drive away and it stops and may come back at a stop sign or red traffic light, or it may not. I might continue on to another destination -- leave the car off for longer, and start the car back up and it may have the smoke and it may not. Then I could drive for another 10, 15, 20 miles and the problem might happen, or it might not. This was the behavior for the 18 months -- by the way, the 25 mile trip and turn off the car for 5 minutes was pretty much a ritual as I am divorced and this was the weekend routine to get my kids. I'd get them, and then next stop was/is usually a local fast food place to get something to eat, then we'd go on to somewhere else.

As of last week, the problem has worsened. It starts to happen every morning before I get to work . . . about a five mile commute and going no more than 40 mph, with a couple traffic lights thrown in -- it has never done this. The car is still running great otherwise.

From what I have read here (btw, tech and jpn, you guys have the patience of Saints to keep answering the same old questions (my blatant buttering up)) Anyway, from what I read here it appears the cause is either valve stem guides (expensive) or the PCV system (less expensive).

My questions is, which one is more often the cause of the problem? If it is the valve stem guides, then I would move on (sell the car). If the cause is the PCV system, I might try to do something about it. However, if the consensus is still try the PCV thing first, and if that doesn't work it is the valve stem guides, well . . . then I am back to moving on. (money is tight and I can't afford to spend the $ to test the PCV thing -- although, someone posted some out standing pics and instructions of a DIY project to fix the PCV system.

Thanks in advance -- this site is one of the reasons the Internet is the greatest invention of our time. Thank you, Al Gore!

 

I'm not going to act like an expert...I will just relay what Tech told me.

Apparently if there is a lot of oil build up around the dipstick and you get white smoke (almost like steam) coming out from the dipstick after the engine is hot then it is your PCV system.

 

Thanks, Saleen, I think I have a PCV issue as I have seen what you mention, but still, what is the likelihood a bad PCV system is causing the exhaust smoke v. bad valve stem guides being the prob?

 

If your Valve stem seals are going (as I have an eclipse with the same problem), you are going to get that puff of smoke from oil seeping thru and burning.It sounds like a hard job, but honestly it's not that hard. You just have to get the seals and have the patience to do each one. Now, if you have a perfectly running car, but is burning a little oil (if that is the issue), why not fix it and keep it?

 

Well, I didn't mean to imply that the smoke is the only issue -- it has a few others that would cause me to strongly consider whether fixing is right for me. Especially if it is the valve stems -- I couldn't do that myself, I don't think, so i'd be paying for labor.

Thanks.

 

OK, I gotcha! Well, at some point we all do move from our vehicles to another. Good Luck with whatever you decide.

 

I bet it is fairly expensive to have somebody else do the PCV system also. Most people do it themselves becuase it is the type of job that is very labor intensive. It takes a good while to do it, but the parts are fairly inexpensive (about $120) at fcpgroton. Most garages will not let you buy the parts and have them do the work either. They want their markup on the parts.

 

Yeah, I might try the PCV system myself, but not the valve stem guides. This is figuring that I could get some help, if needed, on the PCV. I think it would be a tougher task go get help on the valve stem guides.

OK, I have wasted enough of everyone's time . . . everyone who can, please, just throw something out here. Based on my description, if you had to guess, PCV or guides, which would you say?

Thank you all very much.

 

How many miles are on it?

 

Please lay down a link for that. I am getting ready to do mine and would appreciate more professional knowledge.

 

Go to the helpful information thread at the top. Pretty sure I put it in there.

 

http://www.lakesidedp.com/uploadpics/pcv/

Link above.

I have about 170k miles on it.

 

Oh, and it has been doing it since about 156k

 

I dont know how long the valve seals usually last in these engines, but if the PCV system has not been changed before it definitely needs done. Even if the valve seals are bad, it wont do any damage, it will just be a hassle because you will need to keep an eye on the oil more often. If the PCV system clogs up, it can cause more problems like seals blowing out. I would just change the PCV system and hope that solves the problem. If it does not, atleast do a compression test on the engine to make sure it is still in sound condition. You should be able to tell from the compression test if its either the rings or valve seals.