Smoking Spotrak Petrol

Forum: 

When my sportrak petrol is left standing for about 4 hours when I start it, it runs I suspect on 3 cylinders, with lots of white smoke after revving it all clears up and it runs great with no white smoke. Could it be a valve seal or something more serious?
Help, suggestions please.

Dave

Smoking Spotrak Petrol

Sound like your head gasket has gone. If it sounds like its running on 3 cylinders on start up, then one cylinder is probably losing compression. White smoke, is water it the exhaust gasses, a sign of head gasket gone. When it warms up the head expands, and seals the gap, and will run fine. Get a new set of head bolts, and a head gasket. As your there get a new timing belt, and do the head gasket. You may as well do it while it runs fine, as long as its done ok, it`ll last a good 50,000.
Worth doing, but important to get new head bolts. You may need your head skimmed, but that only costs £30 or so.
If it were a valve oil stem seal, then would only produce a puff of blue smoke when started. When running would be fine. And it would involve rebuilding the head, whilst doing the head gasket and timing belt.
Worth getting this done, as Sportraks are starting to get thin on the ground around by me.

James.

Mud makes excellent Toothpaste.