03 cobra 34k miles, oil change 1000 miles ago. Like the title says, most days it will smoke on startup no matter if its been sitting for 10 minutes or 10 hours. It has been doing this for the past 6 months or more. Also, i checked my oil and there was NONE on the dipstick. Put about 2 quarts in and it was at max.I installed a catch can on the drivers side because thats where everyone recommended, however the passenger side tube, grommet, everything is saturated in oil. So im going to install a catch can on the passenger side tonight. 2 quarts is a lot of oil to burn just through blow-by though...but I feel like if something was wrong internally something would have happened by now? She runs just as good as ever, no power loss, no out of the ordinary noises, just looks like a pos when i start it. Any advice would be appreciated!
Smoke on EVERY startup.
- Thread starter sushistrip
- Start date
I am using 5w20 and I will say the amount of smoke on startup when I was on 5w30 was less. I hadn't checked my oil because I just got it changed. I change it every 3k miles. But hell I'll be checkin that shit everyday from now on.
Valve guides or valve guide seals.
Yup and check your Pcv system
After having the drivers side catch can on for a few days the amount of smoke on startup has dropped about 50%. It stormed hard last night so couldn't get the passenger side catch can on. I don't see much oil in the drivers side but there definitley is some. I've read about 50/50 opinion on whether the drivers side or passenger side produces more oil so I'm doing both. Will be replacing the pcv valve tonight if I can find the right one. Is it true that pulling the sparkplugs and checking them for oil should tell me if I have a valve seal or guide problem?
Tucker
Active Member
I made my own oil separator for 1/4th cost.
Had that problem on my 01, seems like you solved it a bit. For me, i just switched to a thicker oil and it stopped most of it.
And my dipstick NEVER showed oil, i would change my oil and a few hours later the dipstick would look dry.. always bothered me.
And my dipstick NEVER showed oil, i would change my oil and a few hours later the dipstick would look dry.. always bothered me.
Yea I changed the pcv valve out so we'll see. After doing a little research it would seem that the passenger side only shoots oil when in boost. However I drove home after installing the catch can for the passenger side and it was dry. I did only do a short 2nd gear pull to like 70 but that was it. Maybe it only sees oil if u are in boost for quite a bit longer, like 2nd through fourth? Anyways I might check my spark plugs this weekend to see if there is a leaky valve seal. But this. Morning the smoke was just a tiny little puff.
Pull your spark plugs after the car sits for a bit and see if there is oil on them. That much oil on startup is an indication of either bad valve seals or rings. A leakdown test will tell you right away. The oil seperator may bandaid the smoke to an extent like you see but not all of it. You most likely have some engine damage........
I just had a customer go through this issue on a 19k mile pulley only Cobra. Rings were toast and was smoking bad on startup after it sits.
I just had a customer go through this issue on a 19k mile pulley only Cobra. Rings were toast and was smoking bad on startup after it sits.
Smoke on start-ups seems to be quite a common thing with these mod motors. I suppose it could also depend on how much smoke and for how long before it becomes a real concern? I seem to get greyish/white smoke on start-ups from time to time. I'm guessing I may have some valve guides or seals not up to par. I only put on around 1500-2,000 miles a year, but my oil always reads full on the dipstick.
Common yes, normal no.
Smoking is not normal. I know alot of people claim they have a little smoke at startup from time to time which they "claim" is normal but it really isnt. On a healthy engine, if its smokes, it may be due to some oil in the intake area. This is where the separator comes into play. But why is the oil there in the first place.......blow by.....
If you have engine issues a quick check is inspecting the plugs and a 100% sure check would be a leakdown test. Excessive leakage past the rings will explain why it is smoking. For the OP IMO I think his issue is larger then adding a separator. Especially since he claims it happens on every start regardless of how long it sits and also that he seperator only cleared 50% of the smoke.
Like I said, do a leakdown and inspect your plugs. Your answer will be right there.
Also like I mentioned. I just dealt with this EXACT issue on a customers car last month. Car smoked on startup all the time. The longer it sat, the worse it got. It would smoke after sitting for 5 mins then starting it.
Some plugs had oil on them. Had 20-25% leakage past the rings. Fix was new rings of course and also needed a valve job and seals.
You may be seeing your oil full on the dipstick, but it does not take much oil in the cylinder at all to make it smoke a good amount. A few drops will make it smoke
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Leaving work today I only had a very small puff of smoke. Just went to the grocery store and there was no smoke when I left.
(at this point I have a catch can on the drivers side AND passenger side and I have replaced the pcv valve with one from autozone ($3))
A leakdown test is $260 from a local shop. For that amount I might as well have them pull it apart and plan on replacing seals, and rings if need be. I will pull my plugs this weekend to see if there is any oil on them, and I will do a compression test myself.
I just spent $900 replacing ball joints and tie rod ends so I'm not so eager to just hand it to a shop again lol. Is it true that a leaky valve seal won't actually cause any damage?
One last thought, it has smoked on startup for at least 6 months. No EVERY startup for the last six months but often enough for me to tell when it started. In that time I have ran it HARD. This is my DD and I would usually do one good pull a day (not so much now that it's hot though). On the week-nights I'm red-lining it a few times a night. I feel that if I have engine damage something catastrophic would have happened by now. Just a thought.
(at this point I have a catch can on the drivers side AND passenger side and I have replaced the pcv valve with one from autozone ($3))
A leakdown test is $260 from a local shop. For that amount I might as well have them pull it apart and plan on replacing seals, and rings if need be. I will pull my plugs this weekend to see if there is any oil on them, and I will do a compression test myself.
I just spent $900 replacing ball joints and tie rod ends so I'm not so eager to just hand it to a shop again lol. Is it true that a leaky valve seal won't actually cause any damage?
One last thought, it has smoked on startup for at least 6 months. No EVERY startup for the last six months but often enough for me to tell when it started. In that time I have ran it HARD. This is my DD and I would usually do one good pull a day (not so much now that it's hot though). On the week-nights I'm red-lining it a few times a night. I feel that if I have engine damage something catastrophic would have happened by now. Just a thought.
I do not know your mechanical knowledge but if can you replace spark plugs you can do a leakdown test. @ $260 for a shop to do it, you can buy the leakdown tester and do it yourself or borrow one.
Also you said at that point you would just spend the $$ to have seals and rings replaced. If you want to re ring a motor and do valve seals that is going to cost you roughly $3000-$5000. $260 is cheap insurance to see if your motor is OK or not. If something fails it will cost you even more to repair other things damaged cylinder heads/cams/journals, block, pistons etc etc.
Bad valve seals can cause engine problems. Oil in the cylinder creates detonation. Even though you may not hear it, it can detonate.
Start with pulling the plugs see how they look. A compression test is not a bad idea, however even if the compression test comes out OK does not mean there isnt an issue. The leakdown is going to show you the problem.
Also does your car have cats or an offroad midpipe?
Goodluck
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Although I agree with pretty much everything your saying, I've found many threads dating back to 2003 with cobra owners already experiencing smoke on start-ups. And some of those cars only had 2-3k miles on them. I can't believe that the rings would go bad that fast! I'm no mechanic, so I guess I don't know.
I am sure you have as well as I. I have been here that long and alot of people talk about smoke at startup since these cars came out. Even with 2-3k miles on it. But that still does not mean that it is normal. Now I am not saying that every car that is smoking may have ring issues. Not saying that at all. All depends on what type of smoke it is. Some people are mistaken unburnt fuel smoke for oil smoke. Especially on tuned cars at startup
Rings can go bad in 10 mins. They can go bad after a few pulls with a not so good tune- too rich or too lean. They can go bad after some high speed pulls or back to back pulls when you are getting those cylinder temps nice and hot. There can be a ton of things that can cause it......
It doesnt hurt to check, a leakdown test will lay the issue to rest. It can give you an indication if there is a big problem or a small problem developing over time.
Oil smoke is not normal period. If a car is smoking that means oil is getting into the cylinder. How its getting in there will determine where the issue lies, if its as severe as as a ring issue or as simple as a little oil getting through the PCV system and a seperator is needed.
The reason I asked if the OP had cats is the cats can "mask" the smoking. If its smoking with cats, then I would be worried......
It's more then likely valve guides. My car smoked like crazy on start up. I pulled my engine and the rings, pistons and cylinder walls were PERFECT. My issue is with the heads and Kris Starnes is fixing that issue for me!! 
It's more then likely valve guides. My car smoked like crazy on start up. I pulled my engine and the rings, pistons and cylinder walls were PERFECT. My issue is with the heads and Kris Starnes is fixing that issue for me!!
Could be guides or valve seals as well. Wouldn't say most likely since there are alot of unknowns in the OPs case. Usually with a bad guide or seal it will smoke worse the longer it sits. OP said it smoked every startup regardless of how long. The leakdown test and plug inspection will give the final answer....
If there is oil on the plugs. Either a valve seal, guide or ring issue.
If leakdown checks out ok and oil on plugs its either a valve guide or valve seal problem
If leakdown is no good and leakage past the rings, bye bye rings or worse......
If leakdown is ok and no oil on the plugs. Its oil through the crankcase into the blower and the seperator may help.
With all of these things, the car can still run strong. This is not something to overlook and say is "normal" because other people have smoking issues.
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