MX-3.com

It runs great, good little car, I think. I just bought it last week for my son. It barely smoked when I tried it out, but... When I bought it and crank it first thing in the mornings it looks like a fog machine! HELP!! What is it? that's the only time it smokes, and it is oil.

So the smoke is blue right? Does it get less or go away when it warms up?

rings/valves. do a comp/leakdown test. or maybe I'm crazy and shouldn't sleep in the middle of the day. Could also be any of the valve seals?

how many miles are on this thing? a high mileage engine can be subject too burning oil on start up. also both the 4 cyl and v6 mx3's that ive owned have both burnt oil. its a rather common thing for these cars to burn oil so make sure you show your son how to check and add oil to his car when necessary.


from the low mark to the full mark on the dipstick is approx. 1 litre, so if its half way in the middle it needs about half litre of oil.

Oil seeps past the valve seals over nite and gets burned off when you start the motor. You could try that seal conditioner. Dealership said to add two cans at once. It's suppose to soften and swell the runbber seals a little. I never really noticed a difference.

If you're handy valve stem seals can be done easily at home with a few tools and without removing the heads. It's definitely the valve stem seals.

I second that it's most likely your valve seals.

You can either take off the heads to do it, or use compressed air into the spark plug holes so that the valves don't fall into the cylinder when you take off the keepers.

Another trick is to fill the cylinder with rope that you push through the spark plug hole. Fill up the cylinder so the valve has nowhere to go.

For sure its just the valve seals, mine does the same and doesnt even take much oil. I have a small leak in rear valve cover and only use 1/4 litre 2000 km after oil change. I find it uses a little more as your oil gets old.

I always like Engine Restore from crappy tire, its a bit pricey but seems to help & not harm (ive been using for years with castrol GTX 5W30).

Timing belt is good to check, interfence motors on 1.8. (BOOM if blows)

You got a great car

ALL k series motors are NON-interferance. KLZE, K08, KLDE, KFZE etc

If timing belt snaps, nothing will happen.

There is a possiblity, if you're at 7.5K. Valves can float enough to interfere. But then you deserve it.

Ryan wrote:There is a possiblity, if you're at 7.5K. Valves can float enough to interfere. But then you deserve it.

I don't see how that's possible.

soccerdad2195 wrote:It runs great, good little car, I think. I just bought it last week for my son. It barely smoked when I tried it out, but... When I bought it and crank it first thing in the mornings it looks like a fog machine! HELP!! What is it? that's the only time it smokes, and it is oil.

You could try applying a nicorette patch to the front fender. Helped me stop smoking. lol

I waited for someone to comment on how dirty "crankin it in the morning" sounds. You've all let me down.

I know that the 1.6 is non-interfence but I thought the 1.8 was. Glad to hear it is not.

Thanks guys