'87 smokes heavily at startup

[movin]

My '87 has developed an embarassing habit of smoking quite a bit at startup for about 3 to 4 minutes after sitting for a day or so, but not always. The oil level is always kept near mid point of the marked range on the dip stick. I just checked the oil level after sitting for a day and found the level dropped below the dip stick by about 3 inches. The way I confirmed this is by using a longer dip stick from another car and compairing the two. It seems to me this would indicate an excess of oil is seeping into the crankcase causing oil to be thrown onto the cylinder walls at startup. Once the oil pump decreases the oil level in the crankcase everthing is ok.
So, my question is : How do I correct the excess oil seeping into the crankcase? This has been getting more frequent, apparently something has weakened or worn out, but as I mentioned it happens fequently, not all the time. Are there any check valves in the oil circuit?

[Superman]

Relax. Is the smoke white or blue? This time of year most of our cars are running pretty rich for the first few minutes, making white smoke. Black smoke also suggests a rich mixture. Oil smoke is BLUE. Also, our cars make an oil smoke puff at startup, normally. so, it is easy to be fooled.

Oil dripping from engines lands on heat exchangers. I guess that's the way those clever Germans designed them...dripped oil is burned instead of getting on highways and streams. At any rate, I'm not even convinced your engine is burning too much oil.

Checking oil level is done with the engine at operating temperature (after 20+ minutes of driving), and with the engine on. Checking oil when the engine is not this warm will make you think it needs oil, you'll add 3 quarts and then the engine will suck the excess oil out of your tank and into your engine, making lots of oil smoke.

[rstoll]

I agree with Super. Make sure your engine is at operating temp before you check or add oil. A little too much goes a long way. I keep my 83 halfway on the guage and stick. But it does not register on the guage at all until fully hot.

[Eric Coffey]

I believe the oil seepage is simply a function of time and gravity. Nothing to worry about. (if you have ever done a valve job without draining the oil first, you will know what I mean!). The smoke however is something to keep you eye on. Take the advise above regarding checking the oil. You want to be halfway (or so) between the marks at operating temp, on level ground, after letting it idle for a few seconds. I wouldn't start to worry at this point unless you also see smoke under acceleration/deceleration, and/or an increase in actual oil consumption.

[movin]

Well, I'll try again... The smoke is blue and I'm aware of how to properly check the oil level. The engine is burning oil in the combustion chambers because it is emitted from the exhaust during warmup and does so for several minutes, sometimes producing a cloud about 25' in diameter. I don't see other P Cars doing this, at least to the degree mine does. Now how about the theory of excess oil accumulation in the crankcase after sitting for an extended period?

[dickster]

just a thought, i usually park mine on a flat surface in a garage, but recently when i parked on the slope of the driveway for a few weeks i noticed blue smoke on start up. the angle the car was parked at seemed to promote the oil sippage into the cylinders.

i do not believe there are any check valves, the oil works its way past the piston rings, so i guess if the rings are worn the situation will be worse.

if you are worried about that you can either drive the car at high rpm which will cause oil to be burnt if rings are worn, or get a leakdown test done.

i would get the leakdown done just to put my mind at ease.

good luck