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Re: Causes of blue smoke on start-up of 1966 MGB. Valve stem seals?

To: Dirk de Boer <deboer@duke.usask.ca>
Subject: Re: Causes of blue smoke on start-up of 1966 MGB. Valve stem seals?
From: "W. Ray Gibbons" <gibbons@northpole.med.uvm.edu>
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 1995 10:33:09 -0400 (EDT)
On Mon, 28 Aug 1995, Dirk de Boer wrote:

> The last two weeks my 1966 MGB has emitted a blueish cloud of smoke on 
> start-up. The engine starts up right away, and there is no smoke on 
> acceleration or deceleration. Also, it seems that there is more smoke 
> if the car has been standing longer.
> My first guess is that the valve stem seals need replacement but I 
> wonder if there are any other possible causes.

Before thinking expensive repairs, try cheap ones.  Sometimes, if it has 
been too long since an oil change, you can see startup smoke.  Try fresh 
20W50 and see if there is any difference.  Another relatively cheap cause 
is fuel leaking into the oil which dilutes it and chews up the viscosity 
index improvers; that can quickly become expensive if not stopped.

   Ray Gibbons  Dept. of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
                Univ. of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
                gibbons@northpole.med.uvm.edu  (802) 656-8910


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