Have a 2003 Niassan Pathfinder 129000 miles. I run Castrol Edge high mileage 5w30. The last oil change some how I grabbed just Castrol Edge 5w30. I used it instead of going back and getting the other oil. But this morning about 25 degrees out side it had a good amount of blue smoke after start up. I've never seen it have blue smoke before. Could that be caused by using the different oil?
Blue smoke after oil change.
- Thread starter jxthomps
- Start date
- Status
Probably just coincidence. Would have done it with the other oil also.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
How often do you change your oil?
A neighbor was changing his oil (name brand) ever 1K.... filter every 3K. He was getting blue smoke startup - beginning at 40K (GM Pontiac Bonneville).
It happens and engine design - driver recklessness with the gas pedal - parts quality issues or wear, are mostly to blame for the blue stuff.
A neighbor was changing his oil (name brand) ever 1K.... filter every 3K. He was getting blue smoke startup - beginning at 40K (GM Pontiac Bonneville).
It happens and engine design - driver recklessness with the gas pedal - parts quality issues or wear, are mostly to blame for the blue stuff.
Last edited:
Did you overfill?
My observations are that addiction to high mileage oil is correct. The puff of blue smoke, only on start-up, is a sign of leaking valve stem seals. High mileage oil swells and softens these elastomer seals and reduces leakage. If you switch back to normal oil, the seals shrink and harden back to their original condition. Compounding this is low temperatures which also tend to shrink and harden the seals allowing oil to leak down the valve stem into the cylinder (remember the Challenger O-ring disaster caused by low temperature hardening). This is one reason that I do not use high mileage oil until there is some evidence of oil burning or leakage.
Don't know the whole story, like why did you start using HM oil in the first place. Assume it was for oil consumption?
Yes switching between regular and HM can do that. You were using a HM oil with rubber seal sweller additives. If the valve seals were in good shape and you swelled them to the point they were real tight, they would wear or change shape. Now there's no swelling additives and the valve seals are loose. You're now getting tartup blue smoke, increased consumption. Should go away when you go back (after several thousand miles)
Yes switching between regular and HM can do that. You were using a HM oil with rubber seal sweller additives. If the valve seals were in good shape and you swelled them to the point they were real tight, they would wear or change shape. Now there's no swelling additives and the valve seals are loose. You're now getting tartup blue smoke, increased consumption. Should go away when you go back (after several thousand miles)
Originally Posted By: compratio10_5
My observations are that addiction to high mileage oil is correct. The puff of blue smoke, only on start-up, is a sign of leaking valve stem seals. High mileage oil swells and softens these elastomer seals and reduces leakage. If you switch back to normal oil, the seals shrink and harden back to their original condition. Compounding this is low temperatures which also tend to shrink and harden the seals allowing oil to leak down the valve stem into the cylinder (remember the Challenger O-ring disaster caused by low temperature hardening). This is one reason that I do not use high mileage oil until there is some evidence of oil burning or leakage.
+1. I noticed Maxlife took the 75,000 mile odometer off its label.. It always bothered me for the reasons you state. Misleads people and gets them hooked on HM oil.
My observations are that addiction to high mileage oil is correct. The puff of blue smoke, only on start-up, is a sign of leaking valve stem seals. High mileage oil swells and softens these elastomer seals and reduces leakage. If you switch back to normal oil, the seals shrink and harden back to their original condition. Compounding this is low temperatures which also tend to shrink and harden the seals allowing oil to leak down the valve stem into the cylinder (remember the Challenger O-ring disaster caused by low temperature hardening). This is one reason that I do not use high mileage oil until there is some evidence of oil burning or leakage.
+1. I noticed Maxlife took the 75,000 mile odometer off its label.. It always bothered me for the reasons you state. Misleads people and gets them hooked on HM oil.
Seals don't swell past their original size. HM oils use esters to simply soften the material.
At any rate, the seals wouldn't harden up immediately after an oil change! It would take time, just as it took time for the esters to soften them.
You sure it wasn't smoking before? Sometimes you don't notice little things until you've made a change.
At any rate, the seals wouldn't harden up immediately after an oil change! It would take time, just as it took time for the esters to soften them.
You sure it wasn't smoking before? Sometimes you don't notice little things until you've made a change.
Try the liquimoly motor oil saver.
Overfilling can cause blue smoke, check your PCV valve.
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Seals don't swell past their original size. HM oils use esters to simply soften the material.
At any rate, the seals wouldn't harden up immediately after an oil change! It would take time, just as it took time for the esters to soften them.
You sure it wasn't smoking before? Sometimes you don't notice little things until you've made a change.
X2
Seals don't swell past their original size. HM oils use esters to simply soften the material.
At any rate, the seals wouldn't harden up immediately after an oil change! It would take time, just as it took time for the esters to soften them.
You sure it wasn't smoking before? Sometimes you don't notice little things until you've made a change.
X2
Not a Castrol fan here used to use Pennzoil HM with great success but now using Mobil High Mileage and i am not looking back
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Castrol Edge is good oil. I would not drain it. Instead I would buy a bottle of High Mileage Oil Treatment and put that in.
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Did you overfill?
I often wonder if pouring all the oil in during an oil change is a good idea. It would seem to be overfilled with the correct amount since the oil filter is empty for a moment or so during start-up.
Did you overfill?
I often wonder if pouring all the oil in during an oil change is a good idea. It would seem to be overfilled with the correct amount since the oil filter is empty for a moment or so during start-up.
- Status
