Smoke puff on startup?? WTF?!

[Merc4Hire]

So I'm confused...my 50k mile Marauder has a little smoke puff on startup. Almost like an older car with worn valve guide seals, but it's not beat up at all. It's stock as a rock and the previous owner didn't seem they type to beat it up, he was 59 and used it as a cruiser. What gives??

It seems to have started after I changed the oil. The first entire week I had it there was no problem, then I changed to Amsoil 10w/30, which I've never had a problem with, and I noticed this. I got 6 quarts in it, like always...nothing strange I can think of. Really only does it when it sits for quite a while, like over night, or if I leave it a few hours. My boss said the synthetic oil is sneaking past the seals, but I dunno...I've never heard of that happening on a newer motor.

It's not really a huge deal to me, I still love the car, I'd just like to find out what I'm going to have to do to it in the future...head job maybe? Or just drive it til it dies and put a terminator motor in it...

[imorb1994]

The "puff" at star up is a common problem with 03's use the search function, there is alot of info about this.
Don't know what relation to recently changing your oil has to do with it. Is it possible that it was already doing this and you were not noticing it before?
Also not to start another oil thread but why are you using 10w30 when the manufacture recomends 5w20.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forum...ght=blue+smoke

[CBT]

I can tell when my oil is low, it WON'T smoke on start-up, lol.

[merc]

Also not to start another oil thread but why are you using 10w30 when the manufacture recomends 5w20.
http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forum...ght=blue+smoke

10w30 could be the issue.

[SC Cheesehead]

10w30 could be the issue.

That's what I'm thinking.

Continued operation with 10w30 could lead to more problems than a little smoke at start up.

[Zack]

10w 30 will not cause any problems. You guys crack me up sometimes!

[tjg442]

YOU ALREADY FOUND THE PROBLEM ! GO BACK TO 5-20, LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW RECOMEND!!!

[O's Fan Rich]

I've had the issue for a spell.
Don't really bother me, although I had a lot of jerk off comments on my Youtube X pipe video about the smoke.
The new motor will take care of that smoking at start up one day!

[O's Fan Rich]

Oh, and I use 5-30w Mobil 1.....
It's the VERY BEST OIL EVER!!!

hehehehhhehhehehhehehehehhehhe heh!!!!!!!!

[chader]

it is just what they do....just love it the way it is

[RF Overlord]

Merc4Hire, as the others said, it's a common issue. Your motor is not going to expire anytime soon because of it. Unless it suddenly gets markedly worse, just drive it and enjoy.

Your boss's comment about synthetic oil "sneaking past the seals" hasn't been true for at least 30 years. It's one of those "urban legends" that refuses to die, along with "Pennzoil causes sludge".

I do agree that 10W-30 is a tad thick for New Jersey winter temps, but if you're not getting any start-up knocking or other unfriendly sounds, then you're probably alright using it.

[BODYMAN]

Had this problem on my 03 KB-S at 25,xxx miles. took the heads off and found the #4 cylinder Valve guide seals had failed, kinda suspected that after changing and inspecting the old plugs. Was smoking at start up so bad it would puff a cloud like you were having a nice big campfire got real embarassing at a car show when you started it up! went thru both heads and all valves replaced never had the issue again. Thank god I did the work myself or it would have costed me some coin. If the problem was not so bad I would have let it ride, which I did for about 5,xxx until it got real bad.

P.S. RF, I have had problems with Penzoil gunking up will never use it again took apart a motor on a stang I bought when motor failed the orig owner stated had always used Penzoil upon disassemble it was pretty nasty but not the reason the motor failed.

[Vortech347]

My 03' did it from the day I got it with 28k on it. Most of the time it would do it after the car had sat for 3-4 days. So far nothing from this 04'

[Marauderjack]

Mine has done it from time to time for 4+ years....I now have 193,987 miles on it with 109,987 of the supercharged.....and it still does it every once in awhile!!

BTW.....mine has never used any oil between changes.....ever!!!

Don't worry about it!!

Marauderjack

[ctrlraven]

I've seen mine do it 2-3 times since 12/2005, it tends to happen when the vehicle sits for more than 2-3 days which is a pretty rare thing lol.