I've done some searching and a thread got me thinking more. On a 987.1 my08, 33k miles I saw the cloud on startup and did the searches. Saw its normal for some smoke on startup so I didn't freak out too much. Then it happened again in a couple days.
So if it doesn't happen on every startup - normal. If it happens every startup AOS. Is this right?
And as a follow up. If the AOS goes south, is this something that you just get the part and fix after driving home or is it the equivalent of pulling the pin on the grenade and waiting for the car to go. Never worked on cars where this was a known issue , just trying to stay informed. Thanks again in advance
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If you scratch your head and stare at the pipes and wonder if your AOS failed- your AOS is fine. If your AOS goes for real, it tends to not be subtle and more like a destroyer laying a smokescreen. The biggest risks are fouling O2 sensors and the cat if you run too long like that, burning so much oil that you start running dry, or hydrolocking the engine if too much oil drains into the heads. It's not terminal, just embarrassing- most people just drive home and fix it.
Your car has a flat 6 with components with different heat expansion coefficients, tolerances designed for racing, and large gaps when the engine is cold. If you start your car and park it cold, expect a puff of smoke the next time you start it. If you always park it hot, the puff will be much smaller.
I also had the odd puff of smoke at start-up. As a preventative measure I changed the AOS since I track a lot with my 08 CS. Cut open the old AOS and found the membrane to be intact, so all was good. Agree with sjfehr assessment. If it gets worse spend the $90 ish dollars for peace of mind.
And remember, if you start your car a couple times without driving it (like I sometimes do when I wash it - in/out of garage), you will get a puff (or a lot) of smoke that is excess fuel being burned off due to the multiple start cycles, not oil. You can smell the difference.
Yeah it's funny. I come from a world where a puff of smoke is bad. Not expected
. Especially when you are new to a brand.
I don't think it's AOS (yet). I haven't tracked the car yet but am still enjoying it as my everyday driver
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An early sign of an AOS failing is your oil consumption starts to increase. Keep an eye on your oil level and if consumption starts to go up more than normal and you have oil puffs consistently, it's time to change. Waiting for it to go James Bond smoke screen is not a good idea - it can happen at an inopportune time, leaving you stranded, and will foul your maff and O2 sensors, resulting in more work to the project.
