Okay, I just bought the car, drove it around for about a week and it ran great and NO smoke whatsoever. The DAY AFTER I change the oil for the first time, it starts smoking. Now, a few days later, it's smoking like a chimney. What would you guys suggest I check on the car to possibly eliminate this smoke....I assume it's burning oil like a MF-er.
BTW, 1990 Firebird Formula - 305 TBI

 

valve seals? maybe?

 

is it smoking out of the exhaust tips or out of the engine bay?

 

Smoking out the tail pipes...sorry, should of been more clear.
Valve seals, a buddy of mine told me the same thing...i'll have to get 'em checked out. How hard is it to replace them?

 

 

I'm thinking the guy you bought it from was using heavy oil to keep it from smoking. Or it's possible you had an unrelated failure, like a broken/stuck ring, that just happened by coincidence.

Blue smoke = oil. White = water. If it's white, you might have popped a head gasket.

 

If it's a valve seal there not hard to do, you just need the right tool. A vlave spring compresser $15-$20.
The hardest part is takeing to springs on and off and not haveing a valve fall in the cylinder unless you do each cyinder 1 or 2 at a time when the piston is near the top of the cylinder, then you have to re ajust the valve springs.
I would pick up the needed seals and gaskets just pull the heads off and do them, never know what else you might find in there.

 

Yea, it's definitely bluish in color. Most noticeabel at start-up and acceleration off the line...not real noticeable at cruising speed.

 

sounds like it could be valve seals. i know u can make a piece that screws into the spark plug hole in the block and u hook an airhose to from an air compressor (i did this on my dads chevelle) and it holds air into the cylinder and u can change the intake and exhaust valves in a cylinder at a time. it takes a little while but it worked for me when i did it on dads 396 71' Chevelle

 

a friend of mine has the same problem...its more than likely a valve seal. i think it could be a piston ring too, but i'm not sure

 

could it be the head gaskets?

 

Head gaskets burn coolant and produce white smoke when they go. Blue smoke indicates oil.

Changing valve seals isn't hard but it takes time. You can get a fitting (generally used with compression gauges) that will thread into the spark plug hole and has female thread for a quick-connect like you see on airtools. Put it in the spark plug hole and hook a compressor to it and the air pressure will hold the valves shut while you remove the springs and change the seals on that cylinder. You just have to take it one cylinder at a time.

 

It's your valve stem seals bud. No qestion about it. The exhaust umbrella seals are probably as broken up as they can get. Forget about the o-rings! Anyways, you need to purchase the seals and have someone do it for you or unless you have a compressor and the spark plug adapter, you can do it yourself. It's not too hard to do. With the compressor (at min 90psi), you just hook the adapter in the hole and using a spring compressor remove the spring. You don't have to be at TDC, cause the 90 psi hold the valve up pretty good, unless your rings are well worn and the motor starts rotating like crazy. This is your problem. I've had 5 3rd gens and currently have 2. I have had to do this to every single one.

 

my 86 iroc did the same thing at startup, puffed smoke, i was told by many mechanics it was valve seals, did a tune up, and i mean tune up, not just plug change, and low and behold no smoke!
much cheaper and easier to do a good tune up before the seals!

 

If you are mechanical inclined it is not a hard job to replace the valve seals. the spring compressor and air hose attachment will cost you about 50 bucks. Make sure you buy a spring compressor that can be used with the heads on the car. Jegs,Summit,Doug Herburt and others have these tools to.You will have to rotate the motor with each valve you do to make sure it is in the closed position. Good luck