Cold Start Thursday!

Kinja'd!!! "G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3" (gbodyman)
02/18/2016 at 14:26 • Filed to: Cold Start Thursday

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Here’s my new C1500 starting up from sitting for a few days. Sadly, I notice it emits a puff of smoke upon startup, but it isn’t constant, so it probably isn’t that serious. Oh well, just another thing to chase.


DISCUSSION (5)


Kinja'd!!! Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
02/18/2016 at 14:36

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Blue smoke on startup from a 305 is normal. We had one that did exactly the same thing. My dad took it to a mechanic and was told that was a trait of the 305. They could fix it, but it wasn’t doing any harm and in fact was probably lengthening the life of the engine.

Apparently When it sits overnight oil gets past the seals and builds up in the cylinders, and when it burns off you get the blue. Whether this was designed in by GM or not (probably not), it’s actually good because you always have good top end lubrication on startup. The engine would be fine without it, but it’s better with it even if it looks bad.


Kinja'd!!! Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
02/18/2016 at 15:03

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Wouldn’t worry about that little puff of smoke. Probably a tiny bit of oil making it past the valve stem seals. The cloud my old Fiat farted out was about 20 times worse than that. Given that car died on me but still.


Kinja'd!!! Sweet Trav > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
02/18/2016 at 15:25

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Yep, Just valve seals leaking a little bit of oil into the top end. nothing to worry about most small blocks of this vintage do this. Just keep an eye on your oil level and you'll be fine.


Kinja'd!!! G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > Sweet Trav
02/18/2016 at 15:43

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Good to know! I’ll go check it right now.


Kinja'd!!! Snuze: Needs another Swede > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3
02/18/2016 at 16:47

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A little puff on startup isn’t bad. As others have said, it’s just a bit of leakby in the valve seals.

If it’s doing that while you’re accelerating or decelerating, you’ve got problems.

If it really bothers you, try switching to “High Mileage” oil. I had a buddy who had an old 70's Caprice that had like a zillion miles on it when he bought it, and it smoked on startup, accelerating, decelerating, shutdown. Basically for any reason, or no reason at all. He switched to “High Mileage” oil and it cleared 90% of it up.