Blue smoke coming from tail pipe

Tiny
AMALEXX41
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 167,000 MILES
My car has a twin cam engine. I started my car and saw blue smoke coming from tailpipe. I saw that the air intake hose was fill with oil and got all over the air filter sensor. The car revs up high and does not switch gears. It will not go pass ten to twenty mph. It runs sluggish like puts puts like it is not getting gas. Check engine light flashes.
Friday, September 15th, 2017 AT 4:37 PM

4 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,480 POSTS
It sounds like it is either overfilled with oil or the air/oil separator (item 24) mounted on the block has a problem. It does the job of a PCV valve and is supposed to keep the oil from getting into the intake system.

First check the oil level. If it is high drain it and refill with the correct amount.
Next the system would need to be dismantled and cleaned out to remove the oil.
The air/oil separator would be replaced and all sensors cleaned of oil or replaced depending on how they test.

The CEL flashing is due to misfiring cylinders, you do not want to drive the vehicle like that as it will damage the catalytic converters even worse, although the burning oil may have already poisoned them.

Oil on/in the sensors will make them act odd and that can cause other problems. Like drive ability and engine power loss.
The cleaning is the first step. Then you need to use a scan tool to read the stored codes.
That all gets you to a starting point where you can begin diagnostics.
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Saturday, September 16th, 2017 AT 1:43 AM
Tiny
AMALEXX41
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  • 6 POSTS
Thank you. You are absolutely right.
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Saturday, September 16th, 2017 AT 2:53 AM
Tiny
AMALEXX41
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
I think my catalytic converter is gone cause upon starting car there is a rattling sound underneath.
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Saturday, September 16th, 2017 AT 2:54 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,480 POSTS
That could be the heat shield(s) on one of them. Get things cleaned up and test for the codes. I have seen converters take a lot of abuse, they just do not like it for long terms.
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Saturday, September 16th, 2017 AT 9:51 AM

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