Hello all,

Firstly, thanks for the forums - quite a bit of useful info in here!

Wondering if I could get some help on a blue smoke issue I'm having with my 94 TS Exec Magna Wagon.

I bought the car late last year off someone and the car gave out a tiny bit of blue smoke then. The problem has got somewhat worse, say from a 2/10 situation to a 4 or 5/10.

On startup there is a bit of blue (as well as some white when cold). Also, on start up I can see a puff off blue if the hood is up and I'm looking at the engine. And on idling, if the car is idling for a while then it can put out a bit of smoke. Once the car's been fun for a bit there's no problem.

And this most of the reason why I've generally been ignoring it - I've been driving around Australia with lots of long open road driving - but now I'm city based (Sydney) and the short trips aren't so good for the car. The problem still isn't that bad, but I would like to rectify it.

So, reading the forums, I guess this means the valve stem seals are going?

I know there's some suggestions of using thicker oil - I currently get Shell Helix 15W-50W put in and have also tried a few of the Nulon stop smoke/leak products and they didn't have much effect (in fact I think it may have made it marginally worse?). Has anyone actually rectified their problem using thicker oil and stop leak products or is it just delaying the enivitable??

If i was to get the valve stem seals repaired does anyone know how much I'm looking at? And can anyone recommend some decent and cheaper Sydney based mechanics who could do the job for me?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Oil / stopleak is just delaying the inevitable, but it may give you time to save if need be. I've had decent luck with stopleak stuff (can't remember the brand, look for a mention of conditioning seals), but I think it's time to get mine permanently fixed.

You don't mention if you have a 4 or 6 cyl (update your profile! :D ), dunno about cost for a 4, but I've had several quotes for a 6 of around $400. Hoping to get a mate to do it when (if) he ever gets some free time, the actual seals cost bugger all (sub $50), it's the time involved that's the killer.

mitsibishi do the stem seals without taking the heads off for approx $480
price depends on location

depending on the kms on the engine
might be worth having the heads off do the valves and check the valve guides for wear

at the worst if oil usage is gettin higher then fit new rings to the engine

mitsibishi do the stem seals without taking the heads off for approx $480
price depends on location

depending on the kms on the engine
might be worth having the heads off do the valves and check the valve guides for wear

at the worst if oil usage is gettin higher then fit new rings to the engine

Trust me, Leave the Head/s on if possible!

Ring a few places for quotes, $480 is a high

Thanks for those replies.

It's a V6 btw.

Well, I like the sound of doing it without taking the head off.

I did mine myself. It wasn't too bad to do but you need a couple of specialist bits like the valve spring compressor ($25 from Supercheap) and a tool that I made up myself that pressurized the cylinder (a sparkplug with the ceramic knocked off and drilled. Then I had a tube with an air attachment welded on). Took about 9 hours total but that included having to reset the cam belt because some idiot (read... me :confused: ) forgot about the belt tension and just loosened off the cam bearing caps without securing the cam. :rant:

Overall it was a straight forward job but a little fiddly. And it saved me the $500 that I was quoted :P

Hi there, forgot to say the car's done 160k kms (of which 30k kms done since end of Nov 06) - there was slight smoke when we got the car at 130k kms and now there's a bit more.

Tried calling a Mitsu garage - got quoted $1200!! When I was firm and said I didn't want a head service just the stem seals changing he said $600!

RogueStreak - can I ask what oil/stop leak combo you used?

Cheers

Didn't change oil at all, I think last change was using similar to GTX3, and my topups have been with GTX2, think it's like 15/40 or somthing like that. According to my mechanic, the oil he used has a built-in conditioner of sorts.

Not sure what the stop-smoke stuff was, was a silver bottle that specifically stated on the front that it conditions seals, which is what you want. The valve stem seals get hard with age, it may be possible to soften them up using a conditioning additive, it depends on how far gone they are. For about $10 a bottle (was from supercheap), it's worth trying one or two to see if it has any impact. Obviously it needs a little while to circulate and begin doing it's work, so don't expect instant success.

how big a deal is this?
mine does it slightly and has ever since i got it. i know it is something that needs to be done but how high on my priorities should it be?

Doug

Just to add did an oil change, and just using an engine flush and then some 20-50W Valvoline. The issue is much reduced. Have an additive to try which I haven't got round to using yet too.

the sohc's seals always went bust on me so i gave up raplacing them
this problem is very common in the 12v engines

then twice i had the issue of the the oil leaking from the oil cap and the rocker cover then onto the starter motor which left me stranded a few times because the starter motor died out

in regards to the clouds of smoke especially on start up, i used to use stop smoke which is around $11 from servos
it helped for a few weeks but the problem always comes back

sohc's suck
i don't think the 24v's have this problem as often as the 12v's do? :think:

sohc's suck
i don't think the 24v's have this problem as often as the 12v's do? :think:

not one drop of oil... out the exhaust or leaks... SOHC's need alot of attention to be like this...

I had some success slowing down the smoke on my old 2.6 by using one of the thicker Penrite oils. Helped lower consumption for six months or so. By the end though she was putting out a lot of smoke.

Forget about additives if you want to keep the car. Just save for the seal replacement to be done.

My v6 doesn't make any smoke (which is good for an 11 year old car) but I am saving for the day it does. In the meantime I'm changing my oil every 5000k to try and keep things as healthy as possible.

Yeah i just use a thicker oil and it slows the problem down. There is as far as i know, no perminant fix (bar scrapping the engine :P), like even if u replaces the seals, they go again eventually.

like even if u replaces the seals, they go again eventually.Yeah, but most that are gone have done at least 150-200K! So don't really see new seals going again within the life of the car, unless you are keeping it for another 10yrs or so.

Plus you would be forewarned of the problem, and use an oil with a softening agent. No-one knew of the problem when the TR-TS were brand-new, so you never used any preventative methods.
Dunno if the new seals you get are better made as well?

I'm changing mine now for the first time at 235,000 km. I know its the first time since I bought the car new. I don't expect to do them a second time.

Mainly have used Shell ultra Plus 15w 50 changing every 15,000 km.

Rob

All fixed.

And no blue smoke at 236,000 km.

Rob

cost?

$85.15 fro 12 seals and 2 rocker cover gaskets that I bought fro a local Mitsubishi dealer.

They may be cheaper elsewhere.

I had the overhead valve spring compressor (about $30 at Autobarn) and I borrowed the Air Hold (fitting to connect an air compressor to the spark plug hole). Some gasket type sealant was also needed on the outer bearing caps (camshaft) and the rocker cover gaskets next to the camshaft bearing caps.

Rob

$85.15 fro 12 seals and 2 rocker cover gaskets that I bought fro a local Mitsubishi dealer.

They may be cheaper elsewhere.

I had the overhead valve spring compressor (about $30 at Autobarn) and I borrowed the Air Hold (fitting to connect an air compressor to the spark plug hole). Some gasket type sealant was also needed on the outer bearing caps (camshaft) and the rocker cover gaskets next to the camshaft bearing caps.

Rob

If only i had done more research.
Spent over $1100 getting the re-co heads and im still putting as much oil in as i was before, if not more. nice work

i'm with paula on that

well done rob you've done well :D