Thread: got a little smoking problem!

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I am having a puff of white smoke coming out of the tail pipe, it's starting to happen a more often , anytime I stop at the light and when I take off it blows a small cloud of smoke,I know my carb maybe a little rich,
could his be it ? someone mentioned to me that it could be the
valve guides, I don't know to much about buicks, but it's a little wagon I
picked up cheap and sort of want to keep it to make my deliveries,it has
a little 300 cu/in 2 barl.carb, ( good on gas) hope someone can help!!
thanks

How old is the engine?

That's not a bad looking Ralph (say Buick really fast a couple of times thinking you are sick). I think if it's smoking when you leave the light, it's only because that's the only time you notice it. It probably needs rings and actually could use a general rebuild. You'd probably be better off finding a later Buick motor and swap it out. The 300 is a rare beast.

Geez, I hope my 60's Ralph joke didn't offend you. Just an oldman's humor. Anyway, if it was Valve seals or valve guides you generally don't notice it except on start up after it's set for a while (leak down). That's why I say that it's more than likely old rings and lots of mileage and the 300 motor was kind of note for it. (although the alunimum (sp) heads could be a cause). JMHO

Duane is right, somehow oil is getting into the combustion chamber. (white smoke is oil, black smoke is excess fuel) On an engine this old seals, rings, and clearances are probably starting to go away...........just old age.

Depends on what you want to do with the car. If you want to keep it stock, rebuild the old engine, but, as mentioned, these 300's weren't exactly the star of the Buick lineup, and had some little quirks. I had a '67 for my wife that had this engine, and it was always giving us one problem or another.

If you want to rod it, one of the later Buicks would be a nice swap, or a SBC using Chevelle mounts (I think)

For now, maybe a switch to a heavier grade oil, or an oil modifier, like STP would help somewhat?


Don

well! I decided I'd get the yukon out and follow the wife around just to see
how much the wagon smoked, I don't know which was worst my
wife driving or the smoking it appears to smoke even if you let of the gas and step on it again,I really do like the 300 but if if going to be to costly I would consider putting a buick 350 or 400, I do have a 4 bolt 350
that I took off my 67 el camino before I sold it, I just like the some what
stock look,infact I'm thinking of painting it the same color except with metalic,
but first I'm trying to get all the bags out,I know there is not alot of buick fans, but Hey! I've learned to like different cars, and I also think any car can be made to look nice or persentable,good example is the guy that has the 56 olds,( dog tags I think) we had one and I never really cared for it, But Man!! what this guy done with his, UNBELIEVEABLE !!! awsome.)

Smoke color code.......

White = Water
Blue = Oil
Black = Fuel

A puff (or a cloud) of white/blue smoke when you punch it after coasting is usually valve guides, with really bad rings a possibility. If you can't live with it, you are probably looking at a complete overhaul. If you're really lucky, rings and bearings and a valve job will do it, but the bores are likely worn enough to need reboring. If its a "Beater" that you like but don't want to put a bale of fun-tickets into, find a good used engine at a wrecker's.

I had white smoke on an old car once and it turned out to be a bad head gasket leaking water into a couple cylinders. Just a thought.

Originally Posted by viking

Smoke color code.......

White = Water
Blue = Oil
Black = Fuel

Yeah, everything says blue smoke for oil, but everytime I follow some oil burner, it sure looks white to me.

Don

I agree that blue smoke can definitely look white especially if the leak isn't too bad. You may want to (careful not to burn yourself) put your hand behind the tailpipe and see if you're getting a lot of moisture blow out, or oil blowing out. This will work if you're getting a lot of smoke. Another good sign of rings going is a lot of oily smoke coming from the blow-by tube in the back of the engine. The rings may be letting compressed air back into the crank case, and letting oil up into the cylinder.