# Saturn is smoking more than I am

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-is-smoking-more-than-i-am/49802>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** smoke, l, saturn\
**Created:** [June 3, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-is-smoking-more-than-i-am/49802 "2010-06-03T19:57:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MaryPC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@MaryPC](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MaryPC)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-is-smoking-more-than-i-am/49802/1 "2010-06-03T19:57:21Z")

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This is a 2003 Saturn L200, about 66k miles with a new engine installed in January of this year.  
  
 Now, upon starting, it has blue-gray smoke out of the exhaust upon starting. The smoking ends within 1 minute. It does not reapppear until I start the car again.  
  
 Can someone tell me what this might be.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-is-smoking-more-than-i-am/49802/2 "2010-06-03T20:01:55Z")

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A smoking engine on start-up when the smoke is a blue-gray color is an indication that the valve guide seals are leaking oil.

Tester

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**Author:** ![MaryPC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@MaryPC](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MaryPC)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-is-smoking-more-than-i-am/49802/3 "2010-06-03T20:09:17Z")

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Thanks for your reply.  
Regarding repairs: how long can I put this off and what are we talking in cost? I am in Ohio.

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-is-smoking-more-than-i-am/49802/4 "2010-06-03T20:14:29Z")

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You can run the engine forever with leaking valve guide seals. It’s just embarrasing to have an engine smoke on start-up. Just check the oil every so often to make sure the level doesn’t drop too far.

Tester

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**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-is-smoking-more-than-i-am/49802/5 "2010-06-03T20:45:05Z")

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I ran a 1969 Cutlass over 100k with leaking valve seals.

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**Author:** ![Ron-man](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ron-man/32/739_2.png) [@Ron-man](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ron-man)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-is-smoking-more-than-i-am/49802/6 "2010-06-03T21:07:06Z")

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Didn’t your new engine come with a warranty? Why put it off?

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-is-smoking-more-than-i-am/49802/7 "2010-06-03T22:40:01Z")

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As already stated, you can drive with leaky valve seals virtually forever. You’ll just use oil.

But Ron-Man made a good point about the warranty.  
Was this a used replacement engine?  
Was it a rebuild? If so, was it a “long block” (including rebuilt head) or a “short block” (a rebuilt block upon which is mounted the old head).

Read your warranty carefully.

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**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2010, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saturn-is-smoking-more-than-i-am/49802/8 "2010-06-03T23:24:26Z")

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My sister inlaw had a smoking 76 LTD and would drive down the road, smoke billowing, window open and an UN-lit cigarette waving in her left arm hanging out the window…

as if 😉