Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

Just replaced the valve seals, and rechecked compression. I got 225 225 200 235. Adjusted valves to .006" intake and .007 exh. set timing to 15*.

B16A

Still have blue smoke.

What could it possibly be?

Re: Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

Rings. A compression and leakdown test will only show the condition of your compression rings. Not oil control rings.

Re: Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

Awesome.

What is the diagnostic procedure to confirm?

Re: Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

Generally, blue smoke during hard acceleration indicates faulty oil control rings. While blue smoke during deceleration and on startup after the engine has been off for a while indicates faulty valve guide sealing either from leaking seals or excess guide clearance. As a previous person said, a leakdown and compression test will tell you nothing about your valve guide seals or your oil control rings.

Re: Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

Great, so it sounds like another crapshoot:whirly:

Thanks for the info. I'm boosting anyway, so now might be a good time to upgrade my pistons...

Re: Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

x2

Re: Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

sea foamed it today to see if maybe that would make the smoke worse by removing the carbon buildup that may have been making it run fine so I could have a definitive answer as to whether it was the rings or not. No change. Idles slightly better.

I don't notice any smoke at all during acceleration. This is wierd because it seems to be contradicting what everyone has been saying.

Checked vacuum lines again. Turns out I had my PCV hooked up to a vacuum source that read 2 - 3 mmHg. Not enought to allow the crankcase to breathe. :hammer:

I had switched it to another source that I thought was vacuum. I should have checked it BEFORE I switched it. Only reason I switched it was so I could run my BOV to a better source because it wasn't blowing off properly.

Funny thing is that now that I think about it, it only started smoking after I made the switch.

I hope it's not too late, but I put everything back the way it was before.

I fear that the inability of the crankcase to breathe may have caused damage to my rings already. :scared:

I tested the PCV valve. It is shot.

Will replace PCV, and repost results.

Really hoping to avoid replacing pistons.

BTW, I noticed that I was getting smoke out of my breather hose too. When I switched the PCV back the way it is supposed to be, it stopped, but I'm still getting smoke out of the tail pipe.

Re: Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

rings sound done to me

Re: Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

OK, this is becoming wierd.

Had somebody follow me, and the car only smokes after I decelerate and then punch the gas. No smoke under hard acceleration.

There was oil all inside my PCV when I replaced it.

Car is throwing a cloud of smoke once again at startup.

Vacuum test shows vacuum reading fluctuating vibration between 20 - 18 mmHg (occationallly, not constant)

And it smokes if I blip the throttle at idle.

Here is a shot of one of my valve guides.

If I remember correctly, I believe that 3 intake and 1 or 2 exhaust guides had this kind of scratch/gouge in them.

Re: Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

You check the turbo??

Re: Blue smoke: new valve seals, compression & leakdown good. Why?
 

Yeah. No evidence of oil/tar/gunk/residue whatsoever either on exhaust or compressor side.