Smokescreen on startup
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
Smokescreen on startup
I've noticed the past few times I start my Vette after it has sat a few days a large cloud of blue smoke from the exhaust. Just on the initial start-up, then it goes away, and does not smoke otherwise. My first thought was valve seals, but my 383 has less than 1K miles on it!
I'm using the Brodix IK200 heads, are there any issues with the seals on these heads, or could it be something else I'm overlooking?
Thanks in advance
I'm using the Brodix IK200 heads, are there any issues with the seals on these heads, or could it be something else I'm overlooking?
Thanks in advance
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,838
Likes: 10
From: Austin TX
Valve seals would be my first thought,..but they shouldn't be hogged out at 1000 miles unless your valve-train geometry is bad (incorrect length pushrods).
Is the carb flooding?,..or leaking into the intake after shut-down (q-jets sometimes have this problem).
Is the carb flooding?,..or leaking into the intake after shut-down (q-jets sometimes have this problem).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Maybe a valve seal or guide problem- I'm not slamming them, but I've seen the blue oval bunch have guide trouble in way less than 1000 miles. Guides were loose enough the seals didn't have a chance. I know Brodix is high quality stuff, but someone may have had a bad day too.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
Mine does that as well, but she's got 103K on her, soooooooooo.....
Valve guide seals for me....
Hope you find the answer.....
Valve guide seals for me....
Hope you find the answer.....
Last edited by kb2fzq; Jan 6, 2007 at 07:55 AM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
I'm running a Holley, so leakage shouldn't be a problem. Had a problem with boil-over with my last motor, but not with this one probably due to the RPM air-gap.
The springs on the Brodix heads are good for .575 lift, and my cam is .560 with a 1.5 ratio. Is this cutting it too close that I could be munching up the seals?
Last edited by 682XLR8; Jan 6, 2007 at 11:23 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,708
Likes: 266
From: indy indiana
There are only 3 kinds of smoke. The color identifies the source/problem. White is water/coolant. Black is fuel. Blue is oil. Blue smoke at start-up only,means oil has leaked down into the combustion chambers during a non-running period. Thus, I would say ,valve seals are the syptom/problem. The big question is..why did they wear so quickly. Find the answer,problem will go away for another 100k miles.
Last edited by ghoastrider1; Jan 6, 2007 at 12:20 PM.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,270
Likes: 20
From: Central Michigan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 0
From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
What i'm suggesting is, fire it up cold, let it run just a second or two and shut down and pull the plugs....the bad cylinder(s) should have oil soaked plug(s)....does that make sense??
Racer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 366
Likes: 1
From: Houston Texas
This was the cause of my blue smoke - the choke pulloff was non-operational, so the choke would cause the car to run too rich at start-up. Replaced the pulloff and no more smoke or gas smell when starting on a cold morning.