Whats causing the smoke?

[RollinOnClaws]

My 95 esi started spittin a lot of smoke and I don't have a whole lot of knowledge about cars so I took it to a mechanic. At first he thought it could be the rings but ran a compression test and found that to be okay so now he thinks it could be the valve guides causing the problem...does this sound about right or are their other things it could be? He also quoted me a price of anywhere between $800-$1000. Does that sound about pricewise to fix it if thats what it is? Thanks.

 

[Coup D E'Tat]

How much smoke? When does it smoke? What color?

 

[jasoncitrano]

If it smokes just on start up then goes away it's the valve seals...if it's that it probably runs shitty until it's hot too.

If it constantly smokes it could either be the head gasket or the rings.

Also could be a bunch of other stuff as well, but thats where i'd start

 

[RollinOnClaws]

It's kind of a whitish greyish color, doesn't smell like antifreeze though. It doesn't start smoking until its been running for about a minute or so, but when it does it's quite heavy and is continuous. If that helps narrow it down at all.

 

[dsmfan715]

Just a thought, maybe its a head gasket. Pressure test it. Good luck

 

[Coup D E'Tat]

What were the compression numbers?

 

[asexton6969]

Any CEL?

 

[Cablefed]

If the smoke is coming out of the exhaust check your seals on your turbo as the turbo might be leaking oil into the exhaust. Happened to me so I know.

 

[~laser_craver~]

i also had the seal/plate in my turbo go out and it smoked for a long time untill the turbo blew and then i took out the turbo and was gonna rebuild it and i found that the plate by exhaust trubine wheel had a hole in it and by the looks of the turbo that plate was supposed to keep the oil from going into the exhaust but it had a hole in it so the oil leaked threw and burnt in the exhaust causing it to smoke as soon as i got a 16g on there the smoke was gone....

ryan