2006 Tahoe-White smoke on start up

[wjburken]

The mechanic was saying that the oil ring may be gummed up and sticking to piston and some how that makes the oil go by in start up. But as soon as it gets warm it starts working as it should. I was waching some videos on YouTube about soking the pistons in trans fluid, or injector cleaner or seafoam. Puring it in from top and letting it ssoke through piston ring, the only thing that the cylinders are on a angle so probobly will have to lower the piston enough to cover the whole thing with liquid.

I’m not sure I would be filling my cylinder up with tranny fluid, or anything else for that matter.

Good quality oil changed regularly is a much better idea in my opinion. Too many “hold my beer and watch this” type of guys on YouTube.

 

[Doubeleive]

The mechanic was saying that the oil ring may be gummed up and sticking to piston and some how that makes the oil go by in start up. But as soon as it gets warm it starts working as it should. I was waching some videos on YouTube about soking the pistons in trans fluid, or injector cleaner or seafoam. Puring it in from top and letting it ssoke through piston ring, the only thing that the cylinders are on a angle so probobly will have to lower the piston enough to cover the whole thing with liquid.

that smoke it lets out at startup is a GM Trademark, always has been, good luck, I would just drive it and buy a jug of oil for $25 to top it off with once in a while between oil changes and that will last you a long time, if it is burning a little oil at 207k my guess is if nothing else goes wrong then it will make it to 265k (about where they die on average), which on average is going to get you 3 more years down the road or more without having to fork out a few grand, plenty of time to save up for a rebuilt motor or another truck with less miles. I guess if it's a love affair go for the motor but your getting took even at 6k, I had my 00 5.3 replaced with a rebuild for $3200 out the door, it pays to shop around.

 

[Doubeleive]

I’m not sure I would be filling my cylinder up with tranny fluid, or anything else for that matter.

Good quality oil changed regularly is a much better idea in my opinion. Too many “hold my beer and watch this” type of guys on YouTube.

ya, I don't think anyone has come up with a non tear down fix in how many decades? lol ~~snake oil~~

 

[OR VietVet]

Doing that you would be pulling the spark plug for the cylinder and pouring in some of whatever fluid you are going to use and then after disabling the engine so it will crank and not start, just spin the engine over and then repeat as many times as you wish. The you tube probably said how many times. You MUST drain the oil and change filter and add oil after that. Then reinstall the spark plug and drive and keep checking for that puff of smoke. Does sound cheaper than a NEW engine.

There is always someone telling you to try something as a band aid.

 

[Tomasz Szymczyk]

It dosent make sense, with all the smoke i get on start up. It got to drip down from heads cuz when you shot off the engine the oil cant just drip up in to the cylinder. Should i gamble on the heads and change them?

 

[Big Mama]

Tomek, I don’t want this to come across as rude so forgive me. You’re way over thinking this. New heads won’t do much bc you replaced the main source of oil getting into the cylinders. As for filling cylinders with whatever I’d stay away from that. How much gas is in your oil? Is it runny and a strong smell on the dipstick? My only GM was an 87 305 that did this had valve guide problems. When you changed your seals was there obvious wear? Just don’t want to see you throw parts and money at it if not necessary.

 

[iamdub]

I feel this is all misguided overthinking and blindly diving off the deep end.

I still don't think we've determined if the "smoke" is actually smoke or steam. What about the other factors he mentioned in the first post? One of the four cylinders on the passenger side bank had notably higher compression and the spark plug was wet. Was it wet with oil or water? Then he paid $420 to get some cryptic response of "10% blow by in cylinder #1" and no further explanation, just a quote on a replacement or rebuilt engine (and at quite a premium price, IMO). How does the shop calculate and present blow by as percentage? If the shop was capable of this, then they could offer specific details to back up how they arrived at this diagnosis. It sounds like the classic "technical" double talk bit shops use to scare a lesser-knowledgeable person out of their money.

Tomek, there are still a few things you can do to diagnose this yourself, or at least give us better info so that we can help pinpoint the issue. Since you removed the valve covers to replace the seals- how did it look under there? Any chance you took any pics? Have you smelled the "white smoke"?

 

[OR VietVet]

Even if he replaced the valve seals, if the smoke he is seeing is actually coming out of the tailpipe only on start up, he could still have valve guide problems.....hell, with all this UN-detailed info and scare tactics at the shop, if you just keep extra oil and coolant with you if needed, drive the damn thing ad then see what happens. Does it get worse? Stay the same? Source of smoke is actually somewhere else? My explanation of the band-aid treatment was never an approval of that video on you tube. Like has been said-snake oil at its best. There has to be a point where you just either shine this on and you drive it and see if it gets worse or you find an actual shop that will not use scare tactics and try to sell you a new engine. By the way, a reman engine is not new except for new to the truck. You want new get a crate engine from GM.

IMO, just keep an eye on it and drive it and save up money for either a repair or a different rig.

 

[Big Mama]

Smell please oil or not?

 

[OR VietVet]

Smell please oil or not?

Plus oil smoke looks blue not white like coolant.