Smoke on start up

Hi, I know occassional smoke on start up isn't uncommon. I have had it a few times usually if I have parked up the car and not used it for a week - though its just a puff of smoke and is gone in a few seconds. .....However this weekend - the last 3 times I have started her I get an absolute smoke screen - again its gone in a couple of seconds - but is a lot of blue smoke - definately oil being burnt. Clouds and clouds. Now confession time I missed a gear change on Friday night , and had max revs for a second - its since this that the smoke has started - could I have damaged something. A hot restart results in a lot of clattering though no smoke - I am thinking valves, variocam - can a technician tell from PST, leak down test. Have OPC warranty but afraid this is going to be expensive

Oh dear Given the over-rev, I'd definitely get it properly checked over soon- they'll be able to properly diagnose any problem.

As you point out in your other thread this sounds sort of similar to my smokescreen situation - although my smoke seems to be grey/whiteish with a hint of blue (still think mine is oil though given how dense it is). I'm going to get it booked in with JZM when they have time. Unsure about your over rev - were you going up / down (presume up)? Either way if you missed a gear I'm sure the limiter would save you any serious issues as you should only really be able to cause serious issues is you drop it into an incorrect gear. Mind you no doubt someone will be round to correct me soon enough as I seem to have a habit of getting it wrong :roll:

Hi Vlad - Do you get blue smoke every time or just after certain journeys? Mine smokes on start up but only if I've been a bit liveley with it the journey before and my local independant is totally mistified as to where the oil smoke is coming from. But the car drives beautifully all the time (hopefully will continue to !!)

I've also noticed a correlation between spirited driving and Blue smoke at the next start up (say a day or two later) but not the 'smoke screen' that Vlad reports (hope you get to the bottom of it Vlad)

Got it booked in now for next week -compression test (& perhaps leakdown test also). Interesting my fluffed gear change was during a very spirited drive :lol: on the hottest day of the year so far. And then smoke for the next 3 start ups (big smoke) and then just a little puff the next 2 times (I haven't been home for the last 2 days - so I guess that will be telling). But so it does seem to be clearing up. Maybe my over rev hasn't wrecked my valves (vario-cam or anything at the top end) that was my real fear. She still feels strong and no miss fires or uneven idle. Big Bob pointed to oil collected in the oil seperator - which is gradually being purged on startup. Big Bob - whats the purpose of the oil seperator and why would it collect to much oil if that makes sense? BB - a public thank you for your very knowledgable posts. Top chap. :thumbs:

I found some cars "smoke" at start up more than others and have never figured out a pattern. Have been told that if you let the car idle for 2 mins before turning engine off it helps but who has time to sit there for 2 mins! Firstly it is perfecly normal! It's because the engine is a flat 6 (rather than V6) so when car is stationary it is possible for small amounts of oil to leak into cylinder head which then burn off when you start up. I suspect that the hotter the engine, the more likely it is to happen - as it cools down it will create a vacuum in the cylinder head which will draw in the oil Hopefully the limiter would have saved the engine when you maxed the rev's Andrew