Just had a small question, every once in a while my car as an itty bitty little bit of white smoke come out when you start it. Smokes for like a half of a second. Doesn't do it often. What could this be? The engine has now about 26,000 miles on it.





Sorry for all the questions all the time, I'm just a big dumb moron!

Does it have a burnt sweet plastic smell to it?

Nope, Just a burnt oil smell. It doesn't ever smoke except on the occasions when I first start it. Only smokes for less the a half a second. Just like one poof of smoke and thats it. Its got me puzzled. I asked my mom if it did it when she had it and she said yes. It only seems do do it once every 10 starts that I have noticed. This whole car has got me Puzzled

could just a little bit of oil be leaking into the combustion chamber? cause i know on our lawnmower if oil gets into the cylinder its puffs out thick white smoke. but thats on a lawnmower. of course its the same basic thing.

Its a shot in the dark, but it sounds like the oil is somehow near the source of spark. Check your plugs for cleanliness or excess wear

Its a start

if it would end up being oil in the combustion chanber, what usually causes this and why only once in a while?? Its nothing I should worry about I hope?

Not sure..I exit the stage to the experts...I don't want you lead you down a stray path bud... :?

Sit tight and wait for the gear heads

i second that, and i always considered you somewhat of an expert Jim. but i guess well have to wait for the hardcore gearheads.

It sounds like you may have a leaking valve guide. When you turn off the engine, the oil settles around the valves and one of your guides is allowing a small amount (a couple of drops) to enter the cylinder. When you start the engine, the oil ignites. Probably not something to be too concerned about. I had a Suburban that did the same thing for 115000 miles before I sold it.

Yes, that'* what it sounds like to me too.
A little bit of oil smoke on start-up is usually indicative of a leaking valve seal.

Try having someone follow behind you and watch your tailpipe when you let off the gas at high rpms to see if high vacuum on deceleration is sucking any oil through the valvetrain and burning light blue smoke.
Hmmm. If it is white smoke, it usually means water vapour ie. coolant leak. Blue smoke is oil.
When you turn off the engine the coolant pressure can increase, forcing coolant thru a weak point (intake manifold seal ??), then when you first start it the water vapourizes into white smoke.