I'm getting gray smoke from my port engine exhaust, but only on start up and only after it sits for a day or so. The engine is running fine. I need some advise please. Rings?
Gray smoke?
- Thread starter dwna1a
- Start date
OldSkool
Active Member
- May 8, 2010
- 4,360
- Boat Info
- restored 1976 SRV200
- Engines
- 188 Mercruiser I/O
If it clears up after start and remains clean even after brief shut downs and restarts the it could be the the valve seals. A technician should be able to pull the valve cover and check the seals though the valve springs to see if they are brittle. If they are they can be changed while on the engine using a few tricks of the trade but rebuilding the heads would be the best way to go. What happens is oil is allowed to get past the seals and accumulate on top of the valve head until you start it and burn it off.
If it were rings then the smoke would not go away. You can do a compression test to check the lower end but I suspect you will see normal pressures for an engine with this age on it.
If it were rings then the smoke would not go away. You can do a compression test to check the lower end but I suspect you will see normal pressures for an engine with this age on it.
