exhaust smoke?

[Phils]

From reading past posts, smoke out the exhaust doesn't seem to be unusual on these vehicles. Mine got better after I added the STP-stuff which made the oil thicker.

Is this normally from valve seals? Mines an '88 w/85,000 miles. And if it's valve seals, can they be easily changed without pulling the head? I remember a method years ago involving a fitting to supply compressed air to the cylinder through the spark plug hole that kept the valves "up". Of course, it almost looks like it'd be easier to pull the head as spend very much time trying any other way.

The only other place the smoke should be coming from would be very worn rings.

Anybody have any experiences or suggestions they might share?

Phil

[DiJiTWRX]

What color is the smoke . . . white like steam or blue in color ?

DiJiTWRX

[Phils]

Blue like oil smoke.

After changing the timing belt, and then the distributor, it doesn't look to me like it'd be very hard to r & r the head.

I'm just curious if other members have found the valve seals to actually be the problem or not.

Phil

[Pilsner Pig]

If I'm not mistaken it is easy to tell whether or not it is the valve stem seals or the rings based on when it smokes. I think that if it gives a puff of blue when you first start it then it is the valve seals as the oil will run down and sit in the combustion chamber and once you start it you get that puff and once the seals heat up they seal a little better and the smoke will disappear.

If it smokes all the time it is probably the rings. You can do a compression test and further more if you find a weak cylinder do a leak down test by throwing some light weight oil in the weak cylinder and quickly testing the compression again. If it goes up slightly for a short period then you have a leaky set of rings.

As far as getting down to Cali I've had an invite to visit the San Bernadino wildfire crews but haven't found a way to explain to the wife and piglets why daddy is taking a 'zuki road trip to California without them. I just need an actual wildfire incident request and I'll stop on my way through for a brew! Maybe you are having a Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic I can come down and help you deal with....anything to hit the "Dogtown Hotel and Saloon" if they still are open for beer.

[Phils]

Originally Posted by Pilsner Pig

If I'm not mistaken it is easy to tell whether or not it is the valve stem seals or the rings based on when it smokes. I think that if it gives a puff of blue when you first start it then it is the valve seals as the oil will run down and sit in the combustion chamber and once you start it you get that puff and once the seals heat up they seal a little better and the smoke will disappear.

If it smokes all the time it is probably the rings. You can do a compression test and further more if you find a weak cylinder do a leak down test by throwing some light weight oil in the weak cylinder and quickly testing the compression again. If it goes up slightly for a short period then you have a leaky set of rings.

As far as getting down to Cali I've had an invite to visit the San Bernadino wildfire crews but haven't found a way to explain to the wife and piglets why daddy is taking a 'zuki road trip to California without them. I just need an actual wildfire incident request and I'll stop on my way through for a brew! Maybe you are having a Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic I can come down and help you deal with....anything to hit the "Dogtown Hotel and Saloon" if they still are open for beer.

Since putting in the STP stuff, the smoke is greatly reduced and it's been raining finally so we haven't been driving the Zuki for a couple of weeks now.

I DO have some beetles killing my "digger pines" (dunno what they are actually called) which is NO BIG DEAL since we consider them "weed trees". No good for shade, no good for firewood either. If they start getting into the Ponderosa pines I'll start crawling up the trees and digging them out.

And I NEVER want to have a summer like last for wildfires! Dogtown Hotel and Saloon isn't around anymore as far as I know. But I can make and hang a sign.

Phil