Low Mileage 88 Accord - Smoke on Startup

I have a 1987 Civic w/35,000 miles and it does this also on startup. It's most likely because of the low mileage the car wasn't
run each day, so it probably has had many "dry" starts. It might burn a little oil, nothing to worry about. Mine is using maybe
1/2 quart a month. Could be the valve seals dry rotted like you mentioned but it should not be any harm, just do your oil changes
and other maintainence.

 

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