1985 Chevy Caprice.3054bbl.Runs GREAT.At idle more than a few minutes a white cloud of smoke starts rolling out of tailpipe.Smells and appreas to be oil.Just did it all of a sudden.Some advise on cause.

 

Are you sure its oil? Oil smokes blue, not white. And if it came on all of a sudden I'd toward a head gasket. Any signs of coolant in the oil or vice versa?
-Dave

 

Correct. White smoke means water in the combustion chamber which usually means 1) bad head gasket, 2) cracked head, 3) cracked block, or bad intake gasket. Check your oil to see if there is any water in it. If so, don't start the motor again because you will wipe out the bearings.....

 

No water in oil.Dosen't have a antifreeze look or smell.Smells like oil.Engine runs great.Smooth idle and good power.I just have never seen one at idle smoke like this,Can rev engine and it clears.No smoke on hot or cold restarts.Just after a somewhat extended idle.Pvc system is working correct and no blow by with oil cap removed etc.Have had car 7 years and its all hiway miles.(100 a day back and forth to work) The smoke is not steam.

 

I saw a nascar driver put some tranny oil in the vaccum system of a car and it blew out white smoke.

 

The 4 speed auto trans(700r4)does not have a modulator valve.Its a cable/detent shift.Called JASPER engines to price a reman but also talked to their TECH help line.He said he would think a valve stem seal problem because its really visable at idle.Will pull plugs Monday and see if a reading of them can show what cyl.or cyls its doing it on.Plugs are fairly fresh.

 

if it turns out to be valve seals ,tranny modulator would have been my 1st guess, but you killed that one, you can use the umbrella type valve seals from a ford 302 for a quick and cheap fix if your valve guides are too worn for the o-ring seals to work


bad valve seals usually cause a big puff of blueish smoke at startup ...........

 

Well its been doing that.

 

You might check your brake fluid level , could be sucking it in thru the booster , and would get that white smoke

 

Didn't think of that one,Thanks

 

This is an interesting thought ... would it actually suck the fluid thru the vacuum line, intake manifold and burn it ??

I have been trying to diagnose a loss of brake fluid in a friends Dodge gasser and this may be what is happening. No leaks anywhere but it is sure going somewhere.

Sorry for the sidebar.
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