Blue Smoke

[SID210SA]

After driving home from work and parking my MM at home for about two hours I started it back up an noticed blue smoke comming form the tail pipes. I had just finished cleaning the engine bay and wiping down the dirty items in the engine bay. All I used was a damp cloth, and then went back with protectant wipes and cleaned off the plastic pieces. I was told that because of the pressure of the engine that the premium fuel that was in the cylinders was not burned off, and when I started the car it was what was left that caused the blue smoke. I reved the engine a couple of times and no other smoke. I turned off then turned back on the car and no new smoke. This happened on Friday and hasn't happend since. Also when I turn the key on and off with out turning the engine on I hear what sounds like a creeking door comming from under the dash on passanger side of the car like almost behind the climate control center. Any thoughts would be greatley appreciated. The only mod is the 90 watt whelen hide a way strobes. There is only 17K on it.

[TripleTransAm]

I was told that because of the pressure of the engine that the premium fuel that was in the cylinders was not burned off, and when I started the car it was what was left that caused the blue smoke.

Who told you that?

BTW, unburnt fuel smoke is black.

Welcome to the " smokers' " club.

[Proudcop]

Hey from NC, only had my 03 Marauder for a year. The blue smoke has happened to me twice. From what I understand its normal. Not sure if that is true or not. Ive been told it could be condensation burning off or either oil burning off. Doubt either is true. Just wanted to let you know your not alone!!!

John

[RF Overlord]

After driving home from work and parking my MM at home for about two hours I started it back up an noticed blue smoke comming form the tail pipes.

SID, as 3TA said above^^^, that's a common occurrence with these cars...it may start out an an occasional thing, then slowly get more frequent, or it could just stay the same. Either way, it's bad valve seals on the driver's head that are the cause. If it's not too frequent, and the motor doesn't burn any appreciable oil, then leave it alone, it's not worth the aggravation to correct...ask 3TA (TripleTransAm) if you don't believe me.

I was told that because of the pressure of the engine that the premium fuel that was in the cylinders was not burned off, and when I started the car it was what was left that caused the blue smoke.

Again, what 3TA said above^^^

Also when I turn the key on and off with out turning the engine on I hear what sounds like a creeking door comming from under the dash on passanger side of the car like almost behind the climate control center.

My car has done that since day one...

[TripleTransAm]

ask 3TA (TripleTransAm) if you don't believe me.Again, what 3TA said above

No... please don't. You don't want to hear what I have to say on that subject.

[Pat]

About a month ago I too experienced blue smoke at start up after the car was idled for a few days.

I immediately raced to the Temple, prostrated myself before the Alter and sacrificed animals.

Since then, no blue smoke even after the car is idle for a week. FWIW.

[TripleTransAm]

My job involves fixing things, and I've made a name for myself by remembering little details that eventually figure into the big picture when discovering a fix.

Here's what I've noticed:

Start the car cold, let it run for not more than a minute, move it around your driveway if you have to, shut it off.

Wait a few hours, or maybe a day.

Start the car again. Grab your gas mask, 'cuz that baby's gonna do it's best impersonation of the Marlboro Man knocking back a tall cool glass of Mobil One.

Bonus points: only run it for less than a minute again this time. Again, wait another day, try to fire it up the third time. Cough spit fart belch shudder... if you don't notice the smoke, you'll definitely note the "glass-smooth idle" (provided the glass is shattered into a billion bits).


Theory (as I mentioned in another thread a while back): these pigs run so rich at startup that a short run douses the cylinders or the backs of the valves with raw fuel (see the occasional black puff and strong odor on a cold startup). Does this raw fuel sitting there rob the friction surfaces of oil which then proceeds to getting these surfaces roughed up on the next dry startup? I don't know, I'm no Ford engineer.

[ROB502]

My kids call my Marauder "Smokie" the same way they said it on Stewart Little (the movie) the name of the gray cat.

I took it to the Ford place they said it's a High Performance Ford engine built to loose tolorances. -B.S. and that smoking was normal until it uses a quart of oil every 900 miles. Mine only used half a quart for 2000 miles in there oil test. They said that was good for a Ford. So at 23000 miles I will just keep driving "Old Smokie"

But after three New Fords I think this will be the last.
1997 Windstar blown engine at 44000miles
2000 Grand Marquis trans and coverter flew apart. 38000miles
2003 Mercury Marauder SMOKIE ,TAP-TAP 23000miles

It's back to Toyota!

[ckadiddle]

I saw blueish smoke ONCE and about had a conniption fit. After reading about the smoke issue here on mm.net, I realize that I am one of the lucky ones. It's been more than a year and has only smoked once. The car is driven daily, though.

[Proudcop]

Mine usually burns a little more than a quart and a half every 3000. Is that bad?

[CBT]

I get blue freakin' smoke about once or twice a week. I don't mind, it matches the blue freakin' paint.

[SergntMac]

Maybe someday, we'll get around to doing this the right way. Poll the active members here who have experienced "blue smoke at start up", and crunching that against some real world numbers.

Some say this is a genuine problem, complain that it never should have been this way, and demand that it be recognized as a factory flaw (with a full recall) and fixed. Others will say it's "characteristic" (a much more centered and reasonable expression over what "normal" means) of the 4.6L 4V DOHC build engine. Even FMC itself has a position on how much oil should disappear in X miles between oil changes, which is to say that "none" isn't an option anymore. Where is the truth?

Once we get a hard number on who here has experienced this "blue smoke at start up", and perhaps got it fixed (and how), we can learn more from the Mach I and Aviator owners, maybe even reach out to '03/'04 Cobra and older Mark whatever owners.

All of us share the same 4VDOHC design, and three share the exact same engine, made at the same plant, by the same people, with the same sub-contractors providing the same sub-assemblies. They differ only in upper intake manifolds and in some cases, different cranks, neither of which seems to contribute to "the problem".

We are a classic "sample group", and with such small numbers, we cannot represent the greater at large experience. If 200 of us here lunched our engines, trannies, valve seals, rods, sub-woofer amp, pinion seal, Lord, what-ever and so on...That's still just a very small percentage of the 11,000 plus Marauders sold. It's even smaller when you include the Mach I (6000 builds)and Aviator (X builds). Do the math, we're not very significant among the grand scale of things, are we. But, it seems that way to us, because we're talking (and internationally too) to each other about our complaints.

Maybe next time, we'll look at hard numbers.

OTOH, maybe it would be better if we don't?

[TripleTransAm]

Once we get a hard number on who here has experienced this "blue smoke at start up", and perhaps got it fixed (and how),

In my case, replacement of the driver's side cylinder head cured both immediately.

Unfortunately I lowered my level of vigilance and missed the exact sequence of the return of both the blue smoke and ticking some one-and-half years later, but if I had to search deep in the recesses of my brain into that little corner where I tuck useless details away for possible later use, I'd be inclined to say that the blue smoke returned first followed by the ticking. The ticking hasn't gotten as bad as my original head, but the blue smoke is pretty much the same now.

I'm pretty confident in this, as I can recall saying to myself sometime in mid 2004 "Hello, did I or did I not just see a bit of blue smoke on that startup?". And I'm almost sure the tick showed up later that year (early fall, I recall it being around the time I fetched my winter tire package in Vermont).

[RF Overlord]

Mine usually burns a little more than a quart and a half every 3000. Is that bad?

Depends on who you listen to...Ford's official stance is that anything more than 900 miles per quart is acceptable; in your case that translates to 2000 miles per quart...at that rate the dealer won't even talk to you. But I do 5,000 mile OCIs and burn less than ½ quart, and I know most people use less than 1 quart per 3000 miles, so yah I'd say yours is on the high side...what brand/viscosity oil are you using?

[JMan]

[quote] Also when I turn the key on and off with out turning the engine on I hear what sounds like a creeking door comming from under the dash on passanger side of the car like almost behind the climate control center. [quote]


I have a similar noise from the "Blend Air Door" on my car. I have to believe that they use a strategy that 'parks' the door when the car is shut off. I know earlier models had numerous blend door motor failures due to the foam insulation around the door 'glueing' the door in one position. This was prevalent in hot climes where the controls were set at Auto + 60* nearly all year. Once changed to a warm setting, the door motor would strip its gears and no more hot/cold blend. This may be an effort to 'exercise' the door so it doesn't reside in one position all the time. Someone else may have more info on this. I'm just assuming and you know what that means . . .
J