About time for some smoke...

[Breadfan]

Well today I drove my Mustang to work, and when I got home I was going out later to pick up something for dinner. Decided before the rain hit to take a cruise in the Marauder.

Started her up after sitting about 24hrs and she belched out a small but fair amount of blueish smoke. :(

I don't have a tick, and never noticed this before, but looks like at about 29,000 miles I'm developing the blue smoke on start up.

Drove just fine, no smoke while idling, none while decelerating, but a puff at initial startup.

I'm driving it to work tommorrow, we'll see if she hacks up a lunger in the morning.

I knew instantly what it was due to the large number of posts here. I did review some of them - sounds like a few had luck with the dealer, most didn't.

Anyone modified have luck with the daeler? I think I'm still under warranty, if not I'm very close. I'd considering hitting the dealer, of course, I do have a S/C. I very highly doubt the supercharger cuased this, though I suppose it is possible the addition of boost has brought out the defectively engineered valve guides. (Thank you Ford!)

I may try servicing my PCV system - maybe that'll help out some.

Anyway, hoping it was a fluke, we'll see.

Just curious, is this terminal or just annoying? If I really gotta by heads in the future so be it, that's fine, I'll get the cobra heads everyone talks about, but I'd rather not do that this year. :)

Oh well, add me to the long list of smokers...hopefully she doesn't get addicted after just one smoke!

All I can say is I share in everyone's pain over this - it's 2006 and this car is a 2003 model, it shouldn't do this at 29,000 miles. Heck, my '90 Mustang has nearly 200k on the clock, original engine and trans, and burns virtually NO oil. Who ever thought they'd say "they don't build 'em like they used to" when comparing a Marauder to a 16 year old Fox-chassis.

[rayjay]

Sorry to say Breadfan, but with a blower your SOL on the warranty. But, you can not be told no unless you ask. Seems I remember something written here about blower cars pulling up oil into the PVC. Maybe it down loaded some of this into the intake? That would explain the puff of blue smoke.

[Marauderjack]

Hey Breadfan,

Mine smokes every now and then but never had a tick?? I thought the smoking was related to cold weather but one 35* day it made a liar out of me...so I don't see any rhyme or reason to it....it just does it every once in awhile??!!:mad:

Mine has never used a drop of oil and I change it every 5K miles.:beer:

I wouldn't worry about it unless it starts doing it all the time after sitting a few hours...indicates valve guide seals leaking but still not the "Kiss Of Death"!!:shake:

I had a 426 HEMI in 1967 that looked like a DDT fogger every time I started it but that sucker would fly!!:burnout: It burned....drank....dumped... consumed a quart of oil every couple hundred miles!!:eek:

I don't think you will have much luck at the dealer since doing a head job will require removing your blower and most dealers wouldn't touch it.....especially not under warranty but it never hurts to ask!!

Good Luck!!

Marauderjack:rasta:

[Breadfan]

Well, did it this morning, and a small puff after sitting 5 hours at work. Looks like I'm in the club now. I will service my PCV system and see if that helps.

I was more concerned that it would be an engine longevity issue - and I'm not even talking super long term as I expect I'll do some internal work before 100,000 at the rate I'm putting mileage on. (I only have 29k now) But would hate to have a major issue in the next year...

It is embarrasing though.

I may look into having my heads rebuilt at a performance shop, maybe grab some slightly nastier cams, get ported, stronger springs maybe, oh, yeah, and better valve guides. But even this won't be for awhile - cost permitting though I'll atleast look into it.

I may still bug the dealer, but don't expect much from them.

Edit: Just checked, I'm in some luck, my warranty is good until 5/24/06

[merc]

Send me a P.M. I have some friends at the local L/M dealer in Manassas.

[Lowell]

My blues smoke was cured with two new cylinder heads.

[Breadfan]

OK, so, I'm pursuing a few options - not sure if anything will come of them or if I'll be willing to shell out cash for rebuilds or upgrades at this point.

So I'm considering my options and chasing a few warranty-realted leads while I still have warranty.

Regardless of the outcome, there is a big underlying question I have.

I only smoke a bit at startup. Some have had the dealer tell them "that's not a problem." Many have replaced cylinder heads.

So... just how much of a problem is this?

Will this just be an annoyance from now on? Will it develop to be a bigger oil burning problem? Will the heads break? Will there be engine damage if left unchecked?

If this gets worse, how long would one have? A year? Two?

And most importantly, can I take it to the track!!! Is it safe to go racing everyonce and a while? Will it damage the heads?

I know some of these are questions not easily answered, but I'm trying to gauge a comfort level here. I want to know how serious this issue is, and how it affects my cars reliability. Can I continue driving it without being too worried, etc.

Again, right now it only smokes on startup after sitting a number of hours. And it's not a huge cloud.

No smoking or oil burning while driving.

Thanks!

[Cheeseheadbob]

Mine has blown smoke only three times since I have had it. One pre-S/C and twice after. All three situations were indentical. I started the car cold just to move it around in the driveway, and shut it off. When I went to start up again either later in the day or the next day, poof! alot of smoke. I let the car idle and warm up before driving. I experienced no problems. Now, if I have to only move the car, I let it warm up or drive around for a bit before shutting down. No problems since.

[mclemore102]

Mine smokes every now and then even before the S/C. But i have the head tick on the driver side. It's really annoing kinda sounds like a exhaust leak but it's not.

[Breadfan]

So this is interesting...didn't drive my Marauder from Friday to Tuesday. Tuesday morning I start her up and no smoke.

Drove her again Wednesday, no smoke. No smoke in the mroning or after sitting 10 or so hours at work.

Interesting...

Well, I'd much rather this be intermittent, makes me feel better! To continue that trend I smoked a souped up Jetta that was trying to act too cool. Guy had a freaked out stare when he did the loser fly by, lol.

[Lowell]

Do not worry it will get worse.

[Marauder2005]

I have a 300a and have smoke & tick (among of other problems in past)

I had the chance to get a brand new 2004 (issue resolved) I kick myself

every day. Do I hate the car I have now? I have to say----To a certain

degree :( I think most 300a's and some 300b's have tick and smoke issue

and 300a's seem to have other problems as well (not all) Sorry for my

vent, good luck with your issue.

[Breadfan]

Do not worry it will get worse.

Honsestly, that's fine with me. I'm serious.

The info I lack is how long until it becomes a problem and a reliability issue.

If I'm good for a year or so, I'm golden. By then I'll spend the cash for the heads to be professionally rebuilt with stage 2 cams.

:beer:

Anyway, I'll keep tracking the warranty thing while I can.

Thanks!

[dhawke98]

Mine (300A or was it B (June 02) has the smoke but is unpredictable as to when it will smoke. The dealer had it for a few days doing some other stuff and it didn't smoke at all for them the whole time... Got it back drove to work and started it to go home and poof... No tick thank goodness...