I think I have a bad valve steam seals because when I start the car white-grayish smoke comes out of the back of the car. When let sit for 2 or more hours start car and smoke comes out everytime. Will a valve adjusment fix the problem? Thanks
nope..time to have the head(s) done.....
I agree with MC. If you have a leaking valve seal, it'll just be a matter of time before the other ones start leaking, if it's a high mileage engine. You might as well pull the head(s) and have all seals replaced. The kit you but has all the seals in it, not just one. You can check the valves also while the heads are off.
Well, it can only get from bad to worse, costing double as much everytime. For now if you leave it, you will need to top up your engine oil very often, and your fuel consumption will become higher as engine friction is higher and ignition sealing is poor (high blowby gases). This means also lower efficiency of the vehicle. If the weather is hot, the engine will have a higher probability of overheating after operating for long periods of time (say 3 hours or so).... but the real danger is if you keep it this way, your crankshaft and connecting rod bearings will start to scuff little by little, which might cost you a very heavy engine overhaul. My advice: send it to a technician now, as it will require special tooling to tighten the cylinder head, remove/install valve springs, and maybe some shim calibration if it is an old model. Valves must also be inspected, and their guides as may have worn out. Give to specialist, I say, unless you have the patience and spirit to experiment.
Newer cars and trucks nowadays don't need valve adjustments because the valves automatically adjust to its specifications. However, if your car is an old one that needs the regular adjustments, the white-grayish smoke you're referring at can be traced not only to loose valve seals but can also be due to a loose or broken piston rings, a worn out cylinder walls or a detached cylinder head gasket. So do the process of elimination. First, see if it is really due to the valve seals. There's an add-to-oil additive where mixing it with your motor oil can revive old valve seals. Then apply another additive which claims that its oil molecules adhere to metal. After applying these additives and your car continues to emit the same smoke, then by all probability, your car trouble can only be corrected by mechanical repair (which involve huge repair costs) and no amount of add-to-oil additives can substitute for it.
