Thicker oil to help with blue smoke at start up?

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I have been noticing the crown vic smoking at start up. Sometimes it will sometimes it wont. I but it will do it enough to where there will be little to no oil on the dip stick after around 3500 miles. How thick should I go to at lease slow it down some? Im only keeping the car another year, so Im not looking to spend the money to fix the valve guides.
 
There will be quite a few opinions, but if it were me I would try running some mmo in the oil for a like 100- 200 miles before your next change. And as for oil I would get 5 quarts of 10w30 of your choice with your sixth quart being straight 30 weight to thicken up your start up viscosity. That at least is what I would try first.
 
I bought the car used, but I believe it has seen 5w 20 all it life. I haven't looked at the pcv valve, when I do what should I be looking for?
 
with the engine running pull the valve out and see if it has vacuum cant hurt to clean it out with some fuel injector cleaner
How long have you had this car? and what makes you think the previous owner used 5w20?
 
My '88 Mazda 323 smoked at start-up. Every HM oil I put in it worked - reduced the smoke to unnoticeable. And over about 8 yrs I tried about every HM on the market. They all work for leaking valve guides (at least in my case).
 
Originally Posted By: ericthepig
My '88 Mazda 323 smoked at start-up. Every HM oil I put in it worked - reduced the smoke to unnoticeable. And over about 8 yrs I tried about every HM on the market. They all work for leaking valve guides (at least in my case).

I never had any luck on the ol Cheb v8's
 
Yeah, it's valve stem seals. Annoying, but that's about it. As suggested service the PCV system to see if overall consumption can be reduced.
 
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
with the engine running pull the valve out and see if it has vacuum cant hurt to clean it out with some fuel injector cleaner
How long have you had this car? and what makes you think the previous owner used 5w20?


I have had it for 3 years now, it had 115k on it when I got it. Didnt start to smoke til last year. The previous owner was the police supervisor, and their fleet mechanics had 6qt-5w20 written on the radiator cover under the hood.
 
I'm with daman.
This is most likely valve guide seals.
And a HM oil may help by softening them and making them seal, and by being a bit thicker than their contemporaries.
 
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
I have had it for 3 years now, it had 115k on it when I got it. Didnt start to smoke til last year. The previous owner was the police supervisor, and their fleet mechanics had 6qt-5w20 written on the radiator cover under the hood.


From your sig, it seems you're already using a high mileage motor oil, and a good one at that. When it comes to PCV valves, I've never been a fan of testing them. They're so cheap, just replace it. I've had oil go milky on me when the PCV nominally passed the tests, only to go completely normal after the PCV was replaced.

It may be other issues, as others have suggested. The PCV takes a few minutes and a few dollars. It can't hurt to try.
 
yeah this is my first run with this oil(weight and oil), I will be going 10w 30 ML next time round. And I will be replacing the PCV its only $6.
 
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
yeah this is my first run with this oil(weight and oil), I will be going 10w 30 ML next time round. And I will be replacing the PCV its only $6.


With the temperatures you experience, I don't think you'll have any problems trying out MaxLife 10w-30. See how it goes with that and the PCV. It's an inexpensive experiment at the very least.
 
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