2003 es300 smokes at start-up!
05-11-11, 03:18 PM
#16
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Bad news, the pcv valve didn't solve it.... still get a cloud of blue smoke when I start it. I have the car in the shop as we speak. I just can't believe that a lexus with only 83k would have bad valve guide seals or any engine problems...
Ill keep everyone posted.
Ill keep everyone posted.
05-13-11, 05:37 AM
#20
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I had a 95 ES300 with only 55k and had to have the dealer replace the valve seals. If worn, they will allow a little oil to seep into the cylinder. This small amount of oil will cause the smoke on start up. Had the same problem on a Chevy pickup.
05-16-11, 10:38 AM
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The smoke never did clear up, and the shop diagnosed it as having bad valve guide seals. To make a long story short, I got rid of the car and went back to honda. I bought an 07 accord exl. Thank you for the help! I might try my luck again sometime in the future.
05-16-11, 11:54 AM
#22
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At that milage the Valve Guide seals should not have been leaking. So if they were, its likely that the car was abused prior to you purchasing it.
You did the smart thing by getting rid of it. Of course you should have been more diligent in the first place by having the car inspected.
Hope all turns out better for you
Phil
You did the smart thing by getting rid of it. Of course you should have been more diligent in the first place by having the car inspected.
Hope all turns out better for you
Phil
06-22-11, 07:37 PM
#23
brucelee, you're way off.... changing trans fluid doesnt do jack. The smoke is a tell tale sign of the 3.0L sludge rearing its ugly head, that's why the valve stem seals were starting to fail.... that valve cover is already coked up with garbage. At that point you're beat, we used to warranty short blocks & sent out the heads when people came in specifically complaining about it.. it was handled like an unpublished TSIB.
06-22-11, 09:50 PM
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I had the same symptoms, after cleaning the MAF sensor, it helps a bit only.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...af-sensor.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...af-sensor.html
Last edited by download; 10-01-12 at 11:29 PM.
03-29-12, 11:18 AM
#25
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2003 ES300 Smokes on Startup
My car smoked like hell when I started it after a few months of ownership. Thought it was the valve seals. Opened the valve covers and was completely full of gunk. After cleaning out with small wire brush and wet vac, found that the problem was that there was so much gunk that when the gasses were sucked off it was sucking oil from the valve cover into the throttle body. Fixed the problem and was a great time to change the spark plugs. Took a few hours but would have cost me a small fortune to have it done elsewhere.
03-29-12, 05:06 PM
#26
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My car smoked like hell when I started it after a few months of ownership. Thought it was the valve seals. Opened the valve covers and was completely full of gunk. After cleaning out with small wire brush and wet vac, found that the problem was that there was so much gunk that when the gasses were sucked off it was sucking oil from the valve cover into the throttle body. Fixed the problem and was a great time to change the spark plugs. Took a few hours but would have cost me a small fortune to have it done elsewhere.
03-29-12, 06:58 PM
#27
brucelee, you're way off.... changing trans fluid doesnt do jack. The smoke is a tell tale sign of the 3.0L sludge rearing its ugly head, that's why the valve stem seals were starting to fail.... that valve cover is already coked up with garbage. At that point you're beat, we used to warranty short blocks & sent out the heads when people came in specifically complaining about it.. it was handled like an unpublished TSIB.
03-29-12, 07:06 PM
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LEXTEK1 confirmed it too.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...uming-oil.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es3...uming-oil.html
Pull the front valve cover. Check to see how much sludge is evident. If there is an obvious build up of black sludgy looking stuff in the valve cover do this. Remove the rear valve cover and look for the oil drainback holes located midcenter in the head casting. Also look at the front head for this. Take a long screwdriver and clean out the oil drains. Clean out as much of the sludge as you can, and get it all, and replace the valve cover gaskets while you are at it. I'll bet they are hard as a rock!
You will need to remove the oil pan and clean in there as well. Making sure you get all of the broken up pieces of sludge you shoved down from the top. Clean the oil pickup tube and screen by taking it off and cleaning it. Make sure there is nothing inside of it.
You can probably save that engine if you do it now. I'm not sure of the comments above about the clogged PCV or a broken ring. A clogged PCV is not going to burn oil! How can it? It's clogged! A broken ring is well, just unheard of.... Whats going on is the PCV system is picking up the oil in the rear head. If the drainback holes are restricted, the oil pools in the head. The vacuum from the PCV is picking up that oil and sending it into the intake. The oil then pools in the intake and collects in an intake port, snuffing out your plug. Use the Denso plugs for it. Anything else will not work well!!!!
Take your time. This is a messy job but not hard by any stretch... Removing the upper intake will be the hardest part.
Good luck.
You will need to remove the oil pan and clean in there as well. Making sure you get all of the broken up pieces of sludge you shoved down from the top. Clean the oil pickup tube and screen by taking it off and cleaning it. Make sure there is nothing inside of it.
You can probably save that engine if you do it now. I'm not sure of the comments above about the clogged PCV or a broken ring. A clogged PCV is not going to burn oil! How can it? It's clogged! A broken ring is well, just unheard of.... Whats going on is the PCV system is picking up the oil in the rear head. If the drainback holes are restricted, the oil pools in the head. The vacuum from the PCV is picking up that oil and sending it into the intake. The oil then pools in the intake and collects in an intake port, snuffing out your plug. Use the Denso plugs for it. Anything else will not work well!!!!
Take your time. This is a messy job but not hard by any stretch... Removing the upper intake will be the hardest part.
Good luck.
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