Auto Advice From An Auto Expert

You might like the color blue.  It might be the color of your house or your preferred car color.  But if you see blue smoke coming from your car's tailpipe, you should start worrying.

Yahoo! Autos has this article about seeing blue smoke.  According to the article, blue smoke means you car is burning oil and that's a big no-no.  What that means is this: "your engine has worn valve guides, piston rings An engine that burns a lot of oil (more than a quart in 500 miles) is an engine that needs to be overhauled. Normal oil consumption should be a quart or less in 1500 miles. Most newer engines consume less than half a quart of oil between oil changes (every 3000 miles). So if your engine is burning oil, it’s essentially worn out and needs to be repaired."

This does not only damage your engine but also the environment.  Even gasoline which has already been purified produces greenhouse gases when burned, what would you expect from engine oil?

The article continued:  "Because the cost of overhauling or replacing an engine often exceeds the value of an older car or truck, many people will just keep on driving a 'mosquito fogger' in spite of the blue clouds of smoke it leaves behind. Never mind the pollution it causes, oil is cheaper than a new or rebuilt engine they reason. That philosophy may be okay if you live out in the sticks somewhere. But in urban areas that require periodic vehicle emissions testing, an engine that’s burning oil usually won’t pass the test because of excessive hydrocarbon (HC) emissions. You may get by on a waiver after you’ve spent some money (in vain) on a tune-up, but the fact remains you’re still a polluter."

So if your car is emitting blue smoke, it is better if you have its engine repaired right away or it is time for you to buy another vehicle.

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