Ls400 Burning Oil

[chilkoot]

it turns out the LS i was going to pick up from my brother is burning oil, but it just started. i checked the oil and it is definitely the source of the problem. it's not eating any large amount, dipstick still showed full but there was white smoke coming out of the pipes on a warm afternoon after startup.

Will an oil change fix it or does this mean there is already an internal problem in the engine? When I change the oil it will have been burning for maybe 15 miles worth of driving or so (he uses the car to get to work, 3 miles each way, and promised he wouldn't drive it otherwise)

edit: the engine still runs fine and the heater control valve is leaking coolant. how can I be sure what the smoke coming out of the exhaust is? it looked like steam from a cold morning and didn't smell, but the oil is like tar and it was decently warm outside.

[Threadcutter]

it turns out the LS i was going to pick up from my brother is burning oil, but it just started. i checked the oil and it is definitely the source of the problem. it's not eating any large amount, dipstick still showed full but there was white smoke coming out of the pipes on a warm afternoon after startup.

Will an oil change fix it or does this mean there is already an internal problem in the engine? When I change the oil it will have been burning for maybe 15 miles worth of driving or so (he uses the car to get to work, 3 miles each way, and promised he wouldn't drive it otherwise)

edit: the engine still runs fine and the heater control valve is leaking coolant. how can I be sure what the smoke coming out of the exhaust is? it looked like steam from a cold morning and didn't smell, but the oil is like tar and it was decently warm outside.

Power Steering

[chilkoot]

sweet, after some googling it sounds like it'd be obvious if it were oil, and heavy and blue, not white and wispy. not a dealbreaker then.

thanks much.

[Threadcutter]

sweet, after some googling it sounds like it'd be obvious if it were oil, and heavy and blue, not white and wispy. not a dealbreaker then.

thanks much.

Chil:

I'd like to suggest that you completely read the thread that I listed AND search AND fully read any other P/S thread hits that you get. There is an astronomical amount of good information on this website on the subject of P/S leaks, resultant failures and the cure(s). I'm one of the posters in some of these threads, but there's probably at least 10 other guys that know as much, if not (a whole bunch) more than I do on this subject.

Once you've read it, you'll be exceptionally well armed to tackle and solve your problem. It will be a great investment of your time. If your were to take your car to an Indie, you'd be lucky if 50% of them could properly diagnose and solve your problem. If you were to take your car to a Stealer, they'd fix it, but you will still be making payments on the repairs 3 years from now.

Arm yourself with knowledge and you'll protect yourself from those who would otherwise take advantage of you. B)

[chilkoot]

sweet, after some googling it sounds like it'd be obvious if it were oil, and heavy and blue, not white and wispy. not a dealbreaker then.

thanks much.

Chil:

I'd like to suggest that you completely read the thread that I listed AND search AND fully read any other P/S thread hits that you get. There is an astronomical amount of good information on this website on the subject of P/S leaks, resultant failures and the cure(s). I'm one of the posters in some of these threads, but there's probably at least 10 other guys that know as much, if not (a whole bunch) more than I do on this subject.

Once you've read it, you'll be exceptionally well armed to tackle and solve your problem. It will be a great investment of your time. If your were to take your car to an Indie, you'd be lucky if 50% of them could properly diagnose and solve your problem. If you were to take your car to a Stealer, they'd fix it, but you will still be making payments on the repairs 3 years from now.

Arm yourself with knowledge and you'll protect yourself from those who would otherwise take advantage of you. B)

that's become my mantra. after the mechanic quoted $5000 to fix the car, and did not list anything wrong with the p/s system whatsoever i'm quite glad I found this place. he did mention the heater control valve was leaking coolant and that was one of the things i was going to have him fix, could he be confused, or is that another issue entirely that is likely also present? i figured it must have been the oil given the circumstances, i guess the p/s needs some lovin' too.

thanks for the help, an active owners group with lots of great info is what allowed me to overlook the fact I was driving a Taurus.

[rich13]

sweet, after some googling it sounds like it'd be obvious if it were oil, and heavy and blue, not white and wispy. not a dealbreaker then.

thanks much.

Chil:

I'd like to suggest that you completely read the thread that I listed AND search AND fully read any other P/S thread hits that you get. There is an astronomical amount of good information on this website on the subject of P/S leaks, resultant failures and the cure(s). I'm one of the posters in some of these threads, but there's probably at least 10 other guys that know as much, if not (a whole bunch) more than I do on this subject.

Once you've read it, you'll be exceptionally well armed to tackle and solve your problem. It will be a great investment of your time. If your were to take your car to an Indie, you'd be lucky if 50% of them could properly diagnose and solve your problem. If you were to take your car to a Stealer, they'd fix it, but you will still be making payments on the repairs 3 years from now.

Arm yourself with knowledge and you'll protect yourself from those who would otherwise take advantage of you. B)

that's become my mantra. after the mechanic quoted $5000 to fix the car, and did not list anything wrong with the p/s system whatsoever i'm quite glad I found this place. he did mention the heater control valve was leaking coolant and that was one of the things i was going to have him fix, could he be confused, or is that another issue entirely that is likely also present? i figured it must have been the oil given the circumstances, i guess the p/s needs some lovin' too.

thanks for the help, an active owners group with lots of great info is what allowed me to overlook the fact I was driving a Taurus.

[Threadcutter]

sweet, after some googling it sounds like it'd be obvious if it were oil, and heavy and blue, not white and wispy. not a dealbreaker then.

thanks much.

Chil:

I'd like to suggest that you completely read the thread that I listed AND search AND fully read any other P/S thread hits that you get. There is an astronomical amount of good information on this website on the subject of P/S leaks, resultant failures and the cure(s). I'm one of the posters in some of these threads, but there's probably at least 10 other guys that know as much, if not (a whole bunch) more than I do on this subject.

Once you've read it, you'll be exceptionally well armed to tackle and solve your problem. It will be a great investment of your time. If your were to take your car to an Indie, you'd be lucky if 50% of them could properly diagnose and solve your problem. If you were to take your car to a Stealer, they'd fix it, but you will still be making payments on the repairs 3 years from now.

Arm yourself with knowledge and you'll protect yourself from those who would otherwise take advantage of you. B)

that's become my mantra. after the mechanic quoted $5000 to fix the car, and did not list anything wrong with the p/s system whatsoever i'm quite glad I found this place. he did mention the heater control valve was leaking coolant and that was one of the things i was going to have him fix, could he be confused, or is that another issue entirely that is likely also present? i figured it must have been the oil given the circumstances, i guess the p/s needs some lovin' too.

thanks for the help, an active owners group with lots of great info is what allowed me to overlook the fact I was driving a Taurus.

Chil:

I think (I've never replaced one before) the heater control valve replacement is supposed to be no brainer material. Again, do a search here. Haysoos man, what was he going to do for $5,000.00? I'd stay well clear of someone that starts "bandying about" those kind of numbers.

thanks for the help, an active owners group with lots of great info is what allowed me to overlook the fact I was driving a Taurus.

Friends don't let friends drive Taurus's..............They stink..........been there, done that.......

[chilkoot]

the $5k was $200 for toe adjustment retainer and aligment (which I will have him do), $800 for the rear crankshaft seal (i will do myself for $20), engine coolant tank ($450 from him, but am replacing myself with a tank i have already pulled from a '90 LS400), water pump, timing belt, tensioner, idler ($800 from mechanic, doing myself for ~$500 in parts); rotors, plugs, wires, filters ($750 at mechanic, $400 in parts so doing it myself), $500 for front pads+ rotors, plus rear pads (doing for $400 myself, pads and rotors all around), heater control valve leaking coolant ($200, was going to have my mech. do, even more money saved), driver window motor/master switch ($800, pulled from a '90, have parts in my trunk), and resistor plate behind the instrument cluster is bad ($1300), leading to intermittent speedometer functionality, but I have a GPS that displays MPH so i'm not too worried about that.

$5k from the mechanic I trust, or $1.5k in parts and tons of getting to know me new car time for me, it's a no-brainer

[falciott]

the $5k was $200 for toe adjustment retainer and aligment (which I will have him do), $800 for the rear crankshaft seal (i will do myself for $20), engine coolant tank ($450 from him, but am replacing myself with a tank i have already pulled from a '90 LS400), water pump, timing belt, tensioner, idler ($800 from mechanic, doing myself for ~$500 in parts); rotors, plugs, wires, filters ($750 at mechanic, $400 in parts so doing it myself), $500 for front pads+ rotors, plus rear pads (doing for $400 myself, pads and rotors all around), heater control valve leaking coolant ($200, was going to have my mech. do, even more money saved), driver window motor/master switch ($800, pulled from a '90, have parts in my trunk), and resistor plate behind the instrument cluster is bad ($1300), leading to intermittent speedometer functionality, but I have a GPS that displays MPH so i'm not too worried about that.

$5k from the mechanic I trust, or $1.5k in parts and tons of getting to know me new car time for me, it's a no-brainer

Chil, just out of curiousity, how much are you paying for your car?