Guest syphon Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 Hey everyone, can you guys help diagnose what the problem with my '85 GL Wagon is? (N/A, Carb) So on my way to work yesterday, it drove fine. When I got to work, I had to climb this big hill. On the way up it, I notice blue smoke pouring out the back of my car. Since I was slightly late for work, I just parked it and went into work. On my lunch hour, I came out and started her up. A little smoke puffed out the exhaust, but then it stopped. I drove it around a bit and nothing showed. On the way home, it ran great. I stopped at Schucks to grab a quart of Castrol 20W50 (what I usually put in). Now, after I dumped a half quart of that in, I started heading home from schucks. The car gave off a nasty smell, I can't identify it, some sort of oil smell (not quite burning oil). Almost home from schucks, and a HUGE puff of bluish/brownish smoke comes out. Some guy driving by me yelled "Headgasket!" out the window. After this big puff of smoke, I got it home just fine. I dont think it's the HG. I mean, during all of this, the car was running absolutely normal. All gauges were completely normal (good temp, good Oil Pressure). In fact, if I never looked out the rear window I'd never know something was wrong. No fluid coming out the tail pipe either. Now this morning, I decide to drive the Subaru to work. It smokes a tiny bit, but for the most part runs fine. I find it only smokes under heavy throttle. Not every time I put my foot down, but every once in a while. What do you guys think this could be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ShawnW Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 Got too much oil in it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeneralDisorder Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 There's three ways for oil to get into your combustion chamber. First - you could have too much oil in the engine. That would cause it to get sucked into the breather, and into the intake. Second - could be valves. If your valve guides or seals are shot, then oil can get in. Third, it could be rings. Now I personally vote for valves in your case - since it comes and goes. Sounds like oil is getting down you valve guides periodically. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest syphon Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 Your suggestions of Too Much Oil could be right. I love my Subaru, but the biggest problem it has is the highly un-informative dipstick. Almost out of oil? Dipstick shows no noticable oil line, while the whole thing is lightly coated with oil. Got a full 4 quarts in there? Dipstick looks exactly the same. I know the car leaks oil pretty bad, but maybe I've been pouring oil in faster than its leaking out. That certainly explains why after I added a half-quart it blew out some smoke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest slagathor1 Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 I had the exact same problem a few weeks ago..My 92' Loyale 4wd would puff huge white smoke at random.. Turns out it was a bad vaccuum modulator on the tranny..The engine was sucking tranny fluid through the vaccuum lines & straight into the intake..I replaced the modulator (about $20 at the parts store) & BAM, problem solved!!.I haven't seen the slightest bit of smoke since! Check the vaccuum hose that goes to the modulator & see if it has any signs of tranny fluid inside it.. Tony in S. illinois 89' DL retired 92' Loyale 4WD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest moosens Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 Have you replaced the PCV lately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest carfreak85 Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 I would give it a compression test. If it fails, it would be bad rings. At your next oil change after draining ALL of the oil out, I would pour in three quarts and after letting that sit for a long time, make a score where that is on the dipstick. Then add the last quart and score where that is on the dipstick. If your original dip stick is inaccurate, then you may need to get a new, blank, dipstick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest snotrocket23 Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 Does it have vacuum assisted power brakes? If the master cyl. is leaking, it can suck brake fluid into the intake. Pull the vac. hose off and see if there is brake fluid in it. This happens occasionally. Kind of like the "it smokes and stalls when I turn left" problems that happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest syphon Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 Ok, Too much oil, Valves, Rings, Vacuum Modulator, PCV, Compression, and Power Brakes. I'll start checking ;-) Actually, I'm hoping the problem is too much oil. It'd be the first time a horrible oil leak has ever solved a problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Adam N.D.J. Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 As for the dipstick problem, what I've done on my cars is paint the end of it with white nail polish, this makes it easier to see the oil on the end of it. I painted the back side of it, that way I could see the full line, then jes flip it over to see where the oil is. Sounds like a PCV or similiar problem. Most of the time mechanical stuff like rings and valves don't come and go so sporatically. Lotsa luck, Catch ya Laters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeneralDisorder Posted August 14, 2003 Share Posted August 14, 2003 The vac modulator is only if you have an auto trans by the way. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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