328i e36 smoking... help please?!

[slotcars1]

Hi guys

So I started my car this morning and was greeted by white smoke from the exhaust?! Went for a drive,came back and smoke still there!it wasn't thick plumes but quite noticeable! Also noticed what looks like oil in the exhaust?? What could it be and how much moola am I looking at? Someone said it could be valve stem seals? Any help advice?

 

[freerider]

not so sudden for valve stem seals, they wear out gradually. My first guess would be a broken ring maybe.

Also you would normally notice worn valve stem seals when you put your foot down after a decrompression cycle down a hill, there would be a nice puff of smoke from the oil the vacuum pulled past the seals.

 

[Sankekur]

not so sudden for valve stem seals, they wear out gradually. My first guess would be a broken ring maybe.

Also you would normally notice worn valve stem seals when you put your foot down after a decrompression cycle down a hill, there would be a nice puff of smoke from the oil the vacuum pulled past the seals.

+1

 

[Philip Foglar]

Compression test, although it could be an oil ring which as far as I know won't reveal itself with a compression test. I think with valve stem seals it's usually when the engine is running under compression that you will see puffs of smoke or if the car has been idling at the lights for a long time when you pull-off.

 

[slotcars1]

Ok cool so first point of call is compression test! Will do so this week and let u boys know the results and see if that reveals anything! Could it be cylinder head gasket? No water in oil and visa versa?!cool shot for the help so far!

 

[LPM320]

My 328i also smokes, although not all the time, and never at idle, but when it does smoke it is a bit noticeable, but not terribly hectic. It uses oil as well. The part that really confuses me is all the power is definetely still there, if the motor was on the way out, then im sure there would have been a noticeable drop off in power?

I have just decided to live with it, because other than this, the motor doesnt even skip a beat.....and I dont feel that this problem warrants a rebuild of the motor just yet.

 

[sidewayz]

also just a tip, check your oil filter

 

[slotcars1]

Cool thanks okes, why the oil filter out of interest?

 

[rick540]

White smoke = brake fluid or coolant

Blue smoke = engine oil