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Smoky SL55

colingo

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Oct 12, 2009
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I've just got an SL55 - only done 28,000miles, but after leaving the car a couple of days when I start up there's a plume of blue smoke. There's no sign of oil being burned at any other time. The weird thing is that this doesn't happen every time. I guess one explanation is that the car has been overfilled with oil, but I imagine there could be more sinister reasons.

Any ideas or experience of this out there?
 
I would have the rocker covers checked for leaking. Ive had this before and as the spark plugs sit below the rocker covers the oil drips on them and over a couple of days it slowly runs down the plug into the bore and when you start it up it quickly burns off the oil
 
I've just got an SL55 - only done 28,000miles, but after leaving the car a couple of days when I start up there's a plume of blue smoke. There's no sign of oil being burned at any other time. The weird thing is that this doesn't happen every time. I guess one explanation is that the car has been overfilled with oil, but I imagine there could be more sinister reasons.

Any ideas or experience of this out there?

Is the intercooler full of oil?
 
There was a thread about this problem a few weeks ago. Olly @ PCS said its normal and nothing to worry about. It happens to my E55 sometimes.
 
Thanks everyone for responses so far, but Nick, what are you thinking - oil seals on the super charger?
 
There was a recent post about similiar prob but was on a c32 and was to do with the breather set up, do a google.



Lynall
 
There is quite a few amg cars that do that, normally aspirated and kompressor. I have done extensive reading on this and seems to be normal, loads of discussions on american sites as well. Mine does it as well once left for a prolongued period without use (other members' both e55s did as well and olly advises as normal) and sometimes at cold starts if the last use was a short drive before parking the car (it never warmed up fully). Went to London the other day, fast drive the car got a good run, left it for two days parked then no smoke. A guy with a clk55 mentioned it as well and c32s.

My car again does not smoke while driven and in the approx 4000 miles I have covered since bought there has been no movement on the oil at the dipstick not even by a mm. In my early paranoid days I had a mate drive in front of me and tried to keep up, asked him to keep a low gear at high revs, boot it, then back off, then boot it again letting it roll - checking for seals wear smoking etc - and no smoke, nothing.

It has been advised that the way the breather system works if there is enough fumes and carbon build up, the location of the pipe that helps the system breathe from the induction is above the intake and if it drips oil overnight the engine will suck it at cold starts.

It has also been very noticeable on the new slk 350, which when people spoke to dealers again it was deemed as normal. Similar smoking is also evident on e39 BMW M5s and e46 M3s. Videos also on youtube for this. There is also an e430 v8 on youtube that demonstrates it well on a cold start.

Some americans have recomended seafoaming the engine. Need to read more about that.

This is amateurish advice, but its from what I've been reading.
 
I have noticed it seams to be normal on amg engines more so if left for a few days or driven for short times.Also seen it on brand new vehicles.
 
Last edited:
EDZ - Is your E55 a Kompressor?

Lynall - I did google the C32 breather problem and it does look a plausible explanation.

Barbanasos - the only thing is I've had an E430, an SLK320 and an E55. None of them smokes like my SL55. I guess we're talking about the amount. I'll post again on the weekend with a picture at start-up.

andymerc- I'd like to believe your explanation, and it since I've thought about it, it does happen after long periods or after short journeys. But as above it just seems a little bit too much smoke.

Thanks all for comments

Colingo
 
EDZ - Is your E55 a Kompressor?

Lynall - I did google the C32 breather problem and it does look a plausible explanation.

Barbanasos - the only thing is I've had an E430, an SLK320 and an E55. None of them smokes like my SL55. I guess we're talking about the amount. I'll post again on the weekend with a picture at start-up.

andymerc- I'd like to believe your explanation, and it since I've thought about it, it does happen after long periods or after short journeys. But as above it just seems a little bit too much smoke.

Thanks all for comments

Colingo

No, mine is normally aspirated:)
 
Smoky SL55 update

After my last post (smoky SL55), I promised a picture. So here is an SL55 obscured by smoke.
 

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I personally wouldn't be too comfortable with that amount of smoke on such a new/low mileage car.

Will
 
Is it smoke, or steam? It looks a bit steamy further away from the exhaust.
 
One way to tell is if it evaporates it's steam, if it fills the street with a lingering blue tinge it's smoke.
 
I see what you mean! Thats too much in comparison. I was surprised when you said to take a photo as theres not enough time to catch it with a camera. Once on, puff and its gone. Does it just idle like that for a few secs?
 
Puff of smoke lasts about 2secs and then is gone. I was out in it today and stopped twice. The smoke was only produced after first start-up. Its got to be oil somehow getting into the inlet manifold. Nick Mercedes suggested looking at the intercooler for oil. I don't know my way around this car yet, so I don't know how to access the inter-cooler - otherwise sounds a good idea. I gave it plently of welly today but the exhaust was completely clear???
 
Valve guide seals.

For 2 secs of blue it's not worth bothering about.
 
The SL55s only done 28000, I've got an E55(non-kompressor) thats done 64000 and doesn't produce any smoke. Seems a bit premature for valve guides.
 

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