blue smoke after 6 wks storage

**w261w261** · 01-21-2006, 10:05 AM

I recently started up my 89 f.i. after letting it sit for 6 weeks. It started right up, and ran a little rough for about 5 seconds, then settled right down. However, it was chuffing out some pretty good smoke, tinged blue, along with the normal cold-motor steam (it was mid 40's out). I let it warm up well as I was doing other things for at least 10 minutes, then went for a 5 mile ride, running it pretty hard towards the end. By the end of the ride, things were back to normal. My question is: what had happened in those 6 weeks?
The engine has 175k on it, and has been scrupulously maintained. When I first pulled out of the drive, it was a little embarrassing to be in front of someone - it was like my old 3.0CS Bimmer when the valve guides were wearing. When cold, it would smoke, then stop as the engine warmed. Finally, it smoked all the time. But I can't imagine a guide going all at once.
I did go down a longer hill, took my foot off the gas and gave it the opportunity to suck up come oil past (maybe?) a sticking oil ring, but when I floored it at the bottom of the hill there was no particular blast of smoke. The smoking gradually went away by about the 3 mile mark.

Assuming it is now gone for good, anyone have ideas on what happened to me? I've had cars sit for much longer than a month and a half, and never experienced this particular occurence. Thx.

**gfrg88** · 01-21-2006, 10:20 AM

BLUE smoke?? thats weird ive never seen a car that throws out anything else than white or black smoke, i think it could be that it might need an oil change from sitting there for a while?

**lostforawhile** · 01-21-2006, 10:49 AM

ya your valve stem seals are a little worn,easy fix,and when it sat all that time oil seeped down past them into the cyls. theres usually some oil puddled in the top of the cyl head and over time it seeps down past worn seals. these stem seals harden over time even in a well maintained engine,especially the exaust seals,from the heat. the way the engine is tilted forward oil tends to puddle near the exaust valves anyway.

**w261w261** · 01-21-2006, 12:15 PM

I can appreciate that worn seals would have let oil drip into the cylinders over several weeks, but wouldn't you think that oil would have burned off in the first 10 minutes that I had it idling? Guess I should pull a plug and take a look too.

**voiceinurhead05** · 01-21-2006, 12:36 PM

You may also want to check out the piston rings.

Definately change the oil.

Use premiun gas for a while.

**lostforawhile** · 01-21-2006, 07:55 PM

i wonder if that oil could have somehow have gotten into the exaust manifold? it takes a while to get rid of oil thats goten into the cyl especially if the engine is just warming up after sitting