# Intermittent Smoking



## Jesse Bolt (May 1, 2004)

I own a 1995 Nissan Hardbody XE pickup truck, 4 cylinder, manual transmission with 192,450 miles. I change the oil and the oil filter every 3000 miles. Very seldom I have to add oil between oil changes. It has been 450 miles since the last oil change and the old oil did not appear very dark, or what I consider dirty. 

When I crank up the truck, there is the usual wisp of brownish smoke from the exhuast as soon as the engine begins to run. I will not see the brownish smoke again until I crank the truck the next time.

Lately, I have begun to notice a light bluish smoke from the exhaust. Sometimes a huge puff of light bluish smoke will blow out of the exhaust as soon as I press the accelerator after idling for thirty seconds or longer, like when at a stoplight. As I drive down the road, there is no evidence of more smoking. The strange thing is, I can repeat the same idling scenario at another stoplight and when I press the accelerator, it doesn't smoke. It might be several more times before the huge puff of light bluish smoke will appear when I press the accelerator.

Since I have been monitoring the light bluish smoking episodes, I recently replaced the spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap and rotor button. Inspecting the old spark plugs, I was surprised to find each one a very dry, chalky white. I was expecting to find at least one spark plug brown or carboned up and/or wet and oily.

¿Does anyone have any advice as to what could be causing my intermittent, light bluish smoking problem after idling?


Thanks in advance,
JB
Greenville, NC


----------



## morepower2 (Apr 19, 2002)

Jesse Bolt said:


> I own a 1995 Nissan Hardbody XE pickup truck, 4 cylinder, manual transmission with 192,450 miles. I change the oil and the oil filter every 3000 miles. Very seldom I have to add oil between oil changes. It has been 450 miles since the last oil change and the old oil did not appear very dark, or what I consider dirty.
> 
> When I crank up the truck, there is the usual wisp of brownish smoke from the exhuast as soon as the engine begins to run. I will not see the brownish smoke again until I crank the truck the next time.
> 
> ...


Probably its the valve guides and seals that are wearing.

Mike


----------



## Jesse Bolt (May 1, 2004)

morepower2 said:


> Probably its the valve guides and seals that are wearing.


Thanks Mike. I'm going to pursue replacing the valve guides & seals.

JB
Greenville, NC


----------



## 9524tee (May 19, 2004)

i just had the same problem and it was the valve guides for sure .


----------



## Asleep (Jan 19, 2003)

i realize im a little late on this one, but for future reference - smoke (bluish-gray) on startup and between shifts is almost always valve guides and/or seals. smoke all the time is normally rings. just thought id add this as a whole lot of people dont know that.


----------

