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Burning oil at cold start?

6K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  6Sixathome 
#1 ·
I parked my Outlook (2008) for a week. When I started it in the morning, I saw a plume of blue smoke from the tail pipe. In the mean time, I smelled the unmistakable smell of burnt oil (I have driven my share of old oil burners). The next morning, it was the same.

The weather is cold here in Michigan, about 10F. But burning oil at cold start is something a very old car tends to do. I would never expect a car with less than 3000 miles on the meter do that. I have an Honda Accord and an Acura TL, both has more than 145,000 miles. None of them does this.

The engine horsepower seems good, so I don't think the oil leaked passed the piston rings. I think the most likely reason is one or more of the valve stem guide on the cyclinder head is out of tolerance. Cold weather opens up the gap between the valve stem and the valve guide inner wall. If that valve happens to be open when the engine is stopped, oil can seep through the gap and find its way to a cyclinder.

Very disappointing.
 
#4 ·
I have noticed this before but not really blue smoke, it more of a smell of excess fuel. I dont think that it anything to worry about. You can always take it to the dealer and have them run diagnostics on fuel delivery and engines things like that. JMO.
 
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