little smoke at idle
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 89
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From: chambersburg pa
little smoke at idle
Im getting a little smoke at idle. I took the oil cap off and didnt see any smoke. I replaced the pcv valve and installed a catch can but still get a little smoke. If i rev to about 3000rpm i get alot more smoke. How can i tell if its the valve seals or the rings?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,181
Likes: 286
From: Puyallup Washington
Valve seals generally make the car smoke when it is first started. Rings would cause smoke while running. First do a compression test. All readings should be within a few pounds of each other. If one or more cylinders is low you have a problem. You can squirt some oil into a cylinder that shows low compression and then recheck its compression. If it comes up then you have bad rings. If it stays low then it is valves.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,493
Likes: 1,178
From: Dyer, IN
Valve seals generally make the car smoke when it is first started. Rings would cause smoke while running. First do a compression test. All readings should be within a few pounds of each other. If one or more cylinders is low you have a problem. You can squirt some oil into a cylinder that shows low compression and then recheck its compression. If it comes up then you have bad rings. If it stays low then it is valves.
....provided he is burning oil, and not coolant. Rings are not the only thing that will cause oil burning while running.....i.e. an overserviced crankcase.
