Blue Smoke only on driver side
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Lewisberry PA
Blue Smoke only on driver side
I started the vette up for the first time in a year. I did a lot of maintenance and cosmetics while it was on the jack stands.
When I started it up, as it warmed up and when fully warmed up, I was getting a constant stream of light blue smoke from the drive side exhaust. The passenger side was clean.
I did put new valve covers on when the motor was running I pulled the plug on the driver side valve cover where one pours the oil into the motor. As the plug was coming out there was a woosh. It sounded like there was a suction going on there. I do have a PCV valve on the other side valve cover. Do I need one on both sides?
I went from dual exhaust with cross-over to side pipes, so I always had a hard time with blue smoke coming from both pipes, but now the new side pipes have shown a different story. The engine is a 385 fast burn with about 7500 miles on it.
Since the passenger side was clean I figured the overall fuel mixture was OK. What else should I look at that would cause the one side to be blowing blue smoke.
thanks!!
When I started it up, as it warmed up and when fully warmed up, I was getting a constant stream of light blue smoke from the drive side exhaust. The passenger side was clean.
I did put new valve covers on when the motor was running I pulled the plug on the driver side valve cover where one pours the oil into the motor. As the plug was coming out there was a woosh. It sounded like there was a suction going on there. I do have a PCV valve on the other side valve cover. Do I need one on both sides?
I went from dual exhaust with cross-over to side pipes, so I always had a hard time with blue smoke coming from both pipes, but now the new side pipes have shown a different story. The engine is a 385 fast burn with about 7500 miles on it.
Since the passenger side was clean I figured the overall fuel mixture was OK. What else should I look at that would cause the one side to be blowing blue smoke.
thanks!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Lewisberry PA
I was hoping it would be a simple PCV valve on the driver side. 
I do not see any white smoke nor any oil in the radiator. Not sure how to check the color of the gas? Oil level and color look normal.
Oil Consumption has never been more than a quart per 3000 miles. That's not great, but seems to be within normal amounts.
I'm not confident enough and don't have the time to tinker with valve seals, so I'll check out some local mechanics and let them do it for me.
1ARACE, I always apprciate those forum members with a nack for the obvious!
if you have any idea how to fix a driver side richness problem other than heads, let me know.
Thanks Guys!!
I do not see any white smoke nor any oil in the radiator. Not sure how to check the color of the gas? Oil level and color look normal.
Oil Consumption has never been more than a quart per 3000 miles. That's not great, but seems to be within normal amounts.
I'm not confident enough and don't have the time to tinker with valve seals, so I'll check out some local mechanics and let them do it for me.
1ARACE, I always apprciate those forum members with a nack for the obvious!
if you have any idea how to fix a driver side richness problem other than heads, let me know. Thanks Guys!!
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
One side should be your PCV valve, and the other side should have a breather, which is a filtered element that you can pull out to fill oil level.
As mentioned, if that oil fill plug does not let air in or out this can cause problems.
Race Director
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,674
Likes: 122
From: Millington Illinois
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
PCV valve needs to be in the drivers side valve cover. Breather on pass side. The other way can cause problems. Something about the rotation of the engine. Didn't make sense to me but that is the way GM always did it too. Shouldn't have bad valve seals at 7500 miles on a new engine. Do a search on this. There was a post on this about 2 or 3 months ago.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
PCV valve needs to be in the drivers side valve cover. Breather on pass side. The other way can cause problems. Something about the rotation of the engine. Didn't make sense to me but that is the way GM always did it too. Shouldn't have bad valve seals at 7500 miles on a new engine. Do a search on this. There was a post on this about 2 or 3 months ago.
That motor isn't even broke in yet. Do the simple things first.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,669
Likes: 3
From: Kingston Ontario
I would do this as a quick check, before going any further.
Remove plug from drivers rocker valve side cover, to allow drivers side to breathe to atmosphere and run car long enough to burn off oil inside combustion chambers. Shouldn't take longer than 5-10 minutes. See if smoking stops.
It sounds to me that the drivers side rocker valve cover is overpressurizing. It should have a filtered breather to atmosphere.
Valve stem seal leakage is normally indicated by noticeable smoking immediately after start-up, then tapering off as engine warms.
-If smoking stops you have a problem with venting on the drivers side cover.
-If smoking continues with cover vented to atmosphere; you will have to check engine head with further testing for ring leakage, gasket problems, etc..
Remove plug from drivers rocker valve side cover, to allow drivers side to breathe to atmosphere and run car long enough to burn off oil inside combustion chambers. Shouldn't take longer than 5-10 minutes. See if smoking stops.
It sounds to me that the drivers side rocker valve cover is overpressurizing. It should have a filtered breather to atmosphere.
Valve stem seal leakage is normally indicated by noticeable smoking immediately after start-up, then tapering off as engine warms.
-If smoking stops you have a problem with venting on the drivers side cover.
-If smoking continues with cover vented to atmosphere; you will have to check engine head with further testing for ring leakage, gasket problems, etc..
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,669
Likes: 3
From: Kingston Ontario
Just re-read your original post and noticed you had this smoke issue before?
Has this engine always smoked? Engine performs OK?
You should check your ignition leads(firing order:1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2), in particular 5 and 7. Also check each individual cylinder to make sure they are firing (ie: bad connection, bad wire, bad plug, etc..). Checking condition of spark plugs is good indicator. Just wondering if one more cylinders is not firing properly?
Has this engine always smoked? Engine performs OK?
You should check your ignition leads(firing order:1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2), in particular 5 and 7. Also check each individual cylinder to make sure they are firing (ie: bad connection, bad wire, bad plug, etc..). Checking condition of spark plugs is good indicator. Just wondering if one more cylinders is not firing properly?
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: Staten Island NY
7500miles + smoking? eh...
yeah 7500 miles shouldnt be a problem unless you have been beating the engine and didnt give it a proper break in. in that case you might have killed some rings on that side or they didnt sit right and are letting oil seep through. Unless your 383 was a local shop job and not a crate gm one... 
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 163
Likes: 1
From: Lewisberry PA
Now that you mention the breather element, i had one of those on the old valve covers and did not use it again on the new valve covers. The one i have now is a rubber plug on the passenger side. I'll try replacing that then maybe swithing sides on the PCV and the breather element and see what happens.
Thanks for the suggestions. I like simple fixes!
Thanks for the suggestions. I like simple fixes!
