Suddenly puffing a little blue smoke

[Triple_Se7en]

Always ran synthetic oils and changed every 6K. Good mix of highway and city driving. Anyways, it sat 4-5 days and when my wife started it and I was at the rear of the vehicle, I observed a medium cloud of smoke on startup, that seemed to dissipate in another minute. Vehicle is a 2004 Chevy Colorado 3.5 five cylinder engine and only has 85K on the odometer.

Is there something short of taking off the top of the engine to fix? Maybe some kind of additive or oil supplement that would help the rings?

 

[old1]

Well, personally I wouldn't jump to any conclusions till I kept on driving it and determine how much (if any) oil it uses. Also, kinda sounds like it may have been a little oil that seeped past the valve guides. Maybe?

 

[skyactiv]

Seriously, I'd look into the valve seat problem these are known to have. You may be covered under GM's extended coverage on the issue.

 

[old1]

Now I know I am not up on modern engines, but what does valve SEATS have to do with blue oil smoke? Or did you mean SEALS?

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Is there something short of taking off the top of the engine to fix? Maybe some kind of additive or oil supplement that would help the rings?


How have you determined that it's the rings, and not a clogged drain hole on the valve cover baffle?

 

[AdRock]

Probably meant valve SEAL. The seal allows a little oil past it when you shut the car off. And then that small amount is burned on next startup, hence the smoke that dissipates after a few seconds.

The once the seals are like that they will still seeps some oil while it's running but it's not enough to make any noticeable smoke.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: AdRock
Probably meant valve SEAL.


Nope these actually had a valve SEAT problem.


I think it caused rough idle/loss of compression more than oil burning however

 

[JTK]

Could be as simple as oil pooled in upper intake from the PCV system, or could be valve stem seals as mentioned. Do you have to add oil between changes?

 

[Greasymechtech]

RoyalPurple, Valvoline, and Mobil1 have full synthetic high mileage motor oil. At your next oil change, try them.

Keep and eye on oil level and top off as needed.

 

[Oil Changer]

Sounds like it's time for an Italian tune-up.

 

[Merkava_4]

It could be worn valve guides. I know 6000 miles on synthetic is supposed to be safe, but that number always seemed like a long ways to go on a few quarts of oil.

 

[Mackelroy]

I have a 2007 Colorado with 135,000 miles. its never seen synthetic and doesn't want it.

Burns no oil, maybe you should try

 

[Warstud]

Try Maxlife.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Thanks everyone. It only uses a little over a half-quart in 6K. It has six quarts capacity. I'll try some high mileage Maxlife next time.

 

[bbhero]

It uses a little over a half a quart in 6k miles would lead me to believe that your filter is absorbing that amount itself. Especially if your filter has some size too it. My Ford Fusion filter absorbed about a 3\4 a quart in 5k miles. It had the XG-2 filter which was a pretty big filter. So it easily absorbed that 3\4 quart. My Altima has a very small 6607 on it that barely absorbs a 1\3 of a quart in 5k miles.

 

[demarpaint]

A little over a half qt of oil in 6K miles? That's great in my book. I don't think I'd bother with a HM oil.

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Anyways, it sat 4-5 days and when my wife started it and I was at the rear of the vehicle, I observed a medium cloud of smoke on startup, that seemed to dissipate in another minute.


My question is: Were you recently behind the car when she started it when it sat overnight, or other short periods of time? ...and if so, did it puff out smoke those times too, or not?

 

[sasha]

pull a plug out and see if its soaked in oil. replace valve cover and plug tube seals.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Could be as simple as oil pooled in upper intake from the PCV system, or could be valve stem seals as mentioned. Do you have to add oil between changes?


Changed the oil and upon purchase of it, Advanced Auto store clerk said my 3.5 engine model has no PCV Valve to change.

No blue smoke on startup this morning. So it's not doing it continuously and maybe I'm overreacting.

 

[philipp10]

you big time over-reacting. Who cares is it uses 1/2 quart in 6000 miles......its not a issue.