Smoking SC

[RSWiser]

My 1980 SC has been parked for about 4-5 months while I have been working on some items and to be honest, just not getting things done as quickly as I would like.

This morning I decided to take it for a short warm up drive.

My car has a pretty good oil leak that I haven't been able to get to yet.

When I started up it smoked up a storm. I mean a cloud of white smoke. Once I stared driving, by the time I had gone about 2 blocks, no more smoke.

It has always smoked a little on startup after sitting a couple weeks. Always stops after a block or two.

Does this give you clues as to where my oil leak is so that I can get after it.

Over the course of the 5 months sitting I was down about 1/2 quart of oil so I topped it off and went for a longer drive.

Thanks,

Rob

[Bob Kontak]

Oil seeps past valve guides. Don't sweat it.

I am almost certain that it depends on where the engine crankshaft stops (differing arm pressure on exhaust valves) mine is totally intermittent (81 SC with 30k on new head rebuild) and volume of the puff cloud can change from one time to the next and mostly no puff cloud.

Edit - Joe Bob knows more than me but whatever the reason is, I would not sweat it.

[woywitka]

Many enthusiasts and experts on here say that cold start smoke is a fairly common and benign quirk of many flat 6 Porsche engines.

If you wish to reassure yourself, you can have a compression and leak-down test performed to see how capable your engine is in terms of keeping oil out of the cylinders.

My SC smokes on cold start, worse in summer, almost non existent in winter. Sometimes it puffs a big one. As long as the engine is not smoking when warm, when pulling away from a stop, or smoking at high revs off throttle (leaking valve stem seals) then I'm told not to worry.

In terms of adding oil, this can be difficult to identify what is leaking (and possibly burning off on exhaust) and what is actually being combusted. Adding a liter every 1,000 miles or 1.600 km is within normal range

Check your spark-plugs for excessive oil/carbon deposits too.

Even a tired 3.0SC engine with a broken head stud, oil leaks, and smoking on cold start have been known to go forever. So it depends who you talk to for advice.

[911Freak]

BTDT ^^^^^^^^ what Joe Bob and Bob said...

Don't worry about it, give her the Italian tuneup and she'll be good to go!

Upside is you probably killed a few hundred nasty mosquitoes in the neighborhood!

[Aurel]

White smoke is water vapor. You must have had lots of condensation water accumulated in your exhaust and catalyst. I bet you it was just water coming out.

[Plecostomus]

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

If it bothers you....drive it at night....%^b

Normal if it sits awhile....12 quarts of oil tends to seek it's own home. Sometimes past the rings, valve seats and other lubricated area with acess to the combustion chamber.

Ever read up on the SR-71 Blackbird? They had to park them in a catch basin due to the leaks....

They rain kerosene until the metal expands after warming up.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by woywitka

Many ..... experts......say that cold start smoke is a fairly common and benign quirk of many flat 6 Porsche engines.

The Bruce says it. That's all I need to hear.

[RSWiser]

Thanks for the info. I'll drive again this week and it shouldn't smoke since it wont have been sitting idle.

[gregwils]

I wouldn't worry about smoke at start-up provided the motor isn't using much oil. If you can go 1,000 miles or more without adding a quart, then nothing to worry about.

[RSWiser]

Normally I can go about 1000 miles and only add 1/3 to 1/2 quart as long as it does not sit for a couple weeks.