I bought an amazingly clean '89 s-10 blazer recently... I absolutely love the truck, its in showroom condition with only 75,000 miles on the 4.3l v6. I bought it from an older fellow you had hardly driven it, and it had been garaged its whole life. Anyways, I have no compalints about it, but I recently noticed that it blows a considerable amount of smoke out of the tail pipe when I start it up after it has sat overnight. Is this any cause for concern. It hasnt used a drop of oil in 5,000 miles (due for an oil change), and otherwise runs good.

Smoke makes me immediately think rings, but it doesnt seem possible with the low milage and the known relaiblitly of these engines. My 95 s10 had close to 200k and it had no problems whatoever... I am really not a car mechanic, so any insight would be awsome... Thanks!

Dan[/align]

 

thats valve seals. rings produce smoke when you drive if you have bad rings but at start up its almost always the valve seals.

 

Actually smoke on initial startup that goes away after a bit would lead me to believe that the valve seals are going. It doesn't take much oil at all leaking past a valve seal to cause a startup smoke condition.

Being that it lead such a pampered life probably didn't do the seals any favors. These engines are very reliable, but any engine that isn't run much will end up with problems like this.

HA! Detroit beat me by less than a minute. Guess that's what I get for taking my son to daycare this morning! LMAO!!

 

Is it nessesary to replace them? I've read that it wont hurt anything at all to leave it alone. Would a product like lucas or auto rx help condition the seals? Thanks in advance!

 

It isn't absolutely necessary, but you will have to do more frequent spark plug changes. It may also decrease the lifespan of the catalytic converter as well.

You can try a high mileage oil or a seal conditioner and see if it helps. It's only a few bucks. The seals themselves aren't expensive, but to change them out, you have to remove the valve covers, rocker arms, pressurize the cylinder and pull the valve locks. The remove the spring retainer and spring to gain access to the seal. Repeat on each valve, all 12 of them.

 

ALso if you do replace them seals, go with the corvette umbrealla style ones instead of the standard ones they use. They will fit but youll have extras.

 

Hey dbleon, I've got a 91 that does the same thing and swartlkk is right about the cat issue. I'd get that taken care of because I now have to replace my catalytic converter.