On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 12:41:25 -0500, "Stan Dowiat"
<standowiat@alltel.net> wrote:

>I've recently acquired an 88 Accord DX automatic which had 70k miles on it.
>I'm sure this is correct because my wife's grandmother bought it new and
>kept it until I bought it from her. It looks and runs good and the body and
>interior is in excellent shape. Gets about 25 mpg around town. and I've put
>5k miles on it since November.
>
>The one problem I know of is that it smokes slightly ( blue smoke ) for a
>second on startup after it has sat overnight. Does anyone know if this is
>common on this honda at this age? What is causing this? Is it something
>like how the valve seals on an old chevy V8 start to leak after they get
>old?
>
I would suspect the valve seals. There is oil in the upper chambers
when the engine is stopped. After setting a while, some of this oil
can drain around the seals and collect in the cylinders, hence the
puff of smoke.

This might be a case where one of those additives, like Motor Medic
(if they still make it) might help. If it doesn't work, you are out a
couple of bucks at worst.


Elliot Richmond
Freelance Science Writer and Editor