In the morning It smokes I assume until the muffler heats up.

Checked my oil and initially there was oil the dipstick so I wiped it off and put it back in - came out dry as a bone.

Antifreeze is full.

Service records in the glove box consistently show one quart low at oil change - and on the last oil change they switched from 10/30 to 20/50 - why would they do this?

Did I get a car with a bad engine?

It drives fine - idles nicely seems great, so I am stumped.

I also have another thread going where I believe the problem is solved, but just to add its a P0420 catalyst code, whether or not its related, who knows.

Thanks

 

Valve stem seals

 

What color smoke ? white or blue ? Does it smell like burning oil ?

As you say once the muffler warms up and dry's the condensation out the smoke stops.


Other question, change back to 10W30 or 5W30 and see what happens. Go to walmart and buy a 5qt bottle of Mobil 5000 motor oil and a fram filter. Cost about $12.00

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 1992Si &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Go to walmart and buy a 5qt bottle of Mobil 5000 motor oil and a fram filter. Cost about $12.00
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Do you highly recommend this?
I'm having a similar issue and wanna see if this should do the trick.

 

well I added one quart 10/30 and its between the circles now so it was only a quart short.

white smoke - smells just like exhaust, nothing else.

and valve stem seals - this is a common problem that doesn't give my cars life a ticking clock, right?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 00_Civic_EX_Newb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well I added one quart 10/30 and its between the circles now so it was only a quart short.

white smoke - smells just like exhaust, nothing else.

and valve stem seals - this is a common problem that doesn't give my cars life a ticking clock, right?</TD></TR></TABLE>

If it doesn't smell like oil, then the smoke is just condensation (water). The seals doesn't really give you a ticking clock if you maintain oil level. It might not be your valve stem seals if you aren't smelling oil.

 

Thanks for the quick answers.

Sounds good - but my question would then be:

How is water accumulating nightly in the exhaust?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 00_Civic_EX_Newb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks for the quick answers.

Sounds good - but my question would then be:

How is water accumulating nightly in the exhaust? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Condensation.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 00_Civic_EX_Newb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How is water accumulating nightly in the exhaust?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

You know the dew you see on grass in the morning? Same thing, but in your exhaust.

 

if it is just condensation - why doesn't every car smoke in the morning from it? is there something I can take care of to solve this?

I trust you guys more than whatever mechanic I get Monday when I take her into the shop - the more info I get the better.

These forums have been a great help so far.

 

u arnt likely to get much noticable smoke from condensation .. u never did way how much smoke u were getting..since u say your coolant is always fine im gonna say that its your valve seals. they allow sitting oil left in your head to leak over time and when u start it u get smoke.

its not really a ticking time bomb if u stay on top of the oil consumption but it will get worse.. the seals them selfs are 15-30$ its the labor or time that will kill u like all other parts. if u cant do it your self.

 

I smoke in the morning if i leave early 94 hatch with b18 and my moms 04 smoke and every other car i see smokes so i dont see why this is normal


but it is, and like everyone is saying charge back to 10w or 5 w

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 00_Civic_EX_Newb &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">if it is just condensation - why doesn't every car smoke in the morning from it? is there something I can take care of to solve this?

I trust you guys more than whatever mechanic I get Monday when I take her into the shop - the more info I get the better.

These forums have been a great help so far.</TD></TR></TABLE>

condensation is pretty dependant on enviromental factors like humity and temperature, if your not loosing coolant and your exhaust doesn't have the sweet smell of coolant i wouldn't worry. The checking the oil and finding the dipstick dry thing though, that concerns me. Does the oil pressure light ever come on or flash intermittantly? Oil pressure and oil level aren't directly related, but if the oil level drops very low the light will come on. when you reinsert the dipstick after you wipe it off your putting it in all the way right? Also when are you checking the oil. if the engine is still warm it will look like its down some, shouldn't be anywhere near dry though.

 

the first morning I had the car was the worst smoke - semi thick clouds lasting about 30 - 60 seconds at idle. they dissipated quickly and didn't cause a lasting cloud.

today - just real transparent light consistent smoke, as I got halfway down my block is stopped.

Ill take the advice and grab some 10/30 and a filter and just do the oil change.

i appreciate and respect the time you guys take to help new or uninformed people out. Thanks

Edit to respond to last post - I put one quart in and it was okay. Its right between the two holes on the dipstick. The car was just about due for a change anyways, and all 4 receipts from the last year say one quart low at time of change.

 

yep, sounds like condensation

As you gain confidence you can try an adjust the valves and see if the ticking stops.

Down load the manual. Read and learn.

http://hondatech.info/downloads/Auto/Manuals/

 

Thanks for the link to the manual.

taking the car in tomorrow to get checked out, hopefully somehow the Cat or o2 sensor that is supposedly bad is causing this and I wont have another investigation after my initial problem.

same thing today - 3 days straight of smoke in the morning. by the time I backed out of my drive and hit 3rd gear it was gone.

please send out your prayers - I want my Civic to last longer than a month!