# Maxima is smoking....



## missgirle (Feb 27, 2004)

Hi All:

I have yet another question about my 98 Maxima GLE.

This car was purchased used about 6 mo ago and I have driven about 4k miles since I have had it. I bought it with 103k. 
The car sometimes smokes right after it is started up and in park. It doesn't always smoke when started up. It doesn't smoke while driving, it seems. I can't really tell since I am driving but when stopped at a light I never see smoke (like I do after I start it up) so it seems to only do it when started up, intermittently. hehe

When I bought this car I had my mechanic check it out and he didn't find anything wrong however, he may have not been looking for this. 
So any suggestions? I plan to take it back to him to have him check it out but what should he look for?

Thank you for any info!

Josey


----------



## Asura (Aug 27, 2004)

valve guide and/or seal maybe? does the oil level goes down between cold start ups?
what colour is the smoke?
maybe just moisture in the exhaust piping?


----------



## missgirle (Feb 27, 2004)

Asura said:


> valve guide and/or seal maybe? does the oil level goes down between cold start ups?
> what colour is the smoke?
> maybe just moisture in the exhaust piping?



HI!
Thanks for replying.

I haven't noticed the oil level fluctuating like you mentioned. I just had an oil change and the car has done this before the oil change.
The smoke looks blueish or gray? Sometimes it will give off a lot of smoke after started other times it will be just a little smoke, sometimes nothing at all. But it definitely is something other than moisture. I just hope it isn't major, but I have heard that when a car smokes it could be major. 

Thanks.

Josey


----------



## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

missgirle said:


> HI!
> Thanks for replying.
> 
> I haven't noticed the oil level fluctuating like you mentioned. I just had an oil change and the car has done this before the oil change.
> ...



bluish u say? thats bad....thats oil burning..bad gaskets. Def have it checked out


----------



## DaMaxima (Sep 1, 2004)

AjRaCeR805 said:


> bluish u say? thats bad....thats oil burning..bad gaskets. Def have it checked out


Thats definitely burning oil.


----------



## missgirle (Feb 27, 2004)

So we are talking major huh?

Is this something that will gradually get worse, or will it just die one day from it?
What does something like this usually cost to repair?

I can always take it back to the guy I bought it from, he said if something major is wrong with the car then he will charge me half of what the cost would be to fix it. I guess I am not sure on how much life I expected this car to have. He told me that Maxima's are good for about 200k, I bought it at 103k for about 5k. It has defineitly been a good car so far and would like to keep it going but not if it is going to cost an arm and a leg. 

Thanks!

Josey


----------



## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

changing the head gasket to a mechanic is hard shit....they will get u on labor. Its really nothing tooooo major...it just has the potential to lower the life expectancy of your motor and u always have to check oil levels to make sure youre good on that


----------



## Maximeltman (Nov 16, 2003)

ya. id get it checked out. maxima is good, especially when it is not high(smoking)


----------



## SPEEDO (Jun 9, 2003)

you probably have some valve seals leaking, next oil change try the "high mileage" oil, it helps swell old seals to stop leaking. Some where down the road you may want to freshin up the engine, but that should buy you some time.


----------



## JimN4BYO (Dec 8, 2004)

*Smoking on Startup.....*



missgirle said:


> Hi All:
> 
> I have yet another question about my 98 Maxima GLE.
> 
> ...


---------------
Josey,
You have described leaky valve guide seals - perfectly. After a long sitting period (months usually), some of the rubber seals in an engine dry out. Then when you start using the car again, they will wear quickly - or crack and leak. What you have described is not at all "bad" or dangerous or serious. You cannot "bandaid" fix bad valve guide seals. The only "fix" is replacement. Unless you are overly embarrassed by the smoke, and it remains ONLY as a "startup" problem, let it be!

NO additive that I have ever tested has stopped oil from leaking through a warn valve guide seal. Spending money on additives, special oils or other snake oils may make YOU feel better - but will do little or nothing to cure the problem. Drive it and enjoy it until it gets bad enough to make you uncomfortable - or until a plug starts fouling (then it is warn enough to justify the expense of replacing them).

Just my opinion - based on 27 years of engine building/rebuilding, drag racing, autocrossing and restoring O-L-D cars.


----------

