Blue smoke from Saturns?

[unkle bik]

Saw this in today's Pain Feeler business section:

"Saturn warning on blue smoke

General Motors Corp.'s Saturn unit has told its dealers that some customers may have problems with the 3.0 liter V-6 engines on its 2000-2004 L-Series vehicles and its 2002-2003 Vue sport utilities. A technical service bulletin sent to dealers says that if customers note blue smoke from the exhaust when the engine is started, there may be a problem with the valves. The problem is unusual and Saturn has had few complaints, a GM powertrain spokeswoman said. A decision will be made on each case whether GM will cover repairs if the warranty has expired, she said. "


Anybody experience this?

[prof]

No problem so far
2000 LW2 and
2002 L300

[Jaseball]

What's blue smoke signify again? Coolant leaking into the engine?

You would really need someone else to look at your car to make sure nothing was up with the car.

[unkle bik]

Originally posted by Jaseball
What's blue smoke signify again? Coolant leaking into the engine?

You would really need someone else to look at your car to make sure nothing was up with the car.

One would tend to think it was burning oil.
Bad valve guide seals, perhaps?

[2NDSOUT]

That's what I recall reading, that if you have Blue Smoke, it means your car is burning oil...definately something with the valves....I've heard of First Gen's doing this and it has taken them this long for GM to realize it? Hello, its not just on the L-Series and VUE!!!

Stupid GM!!

[OvenRude]

2 things that blue smoke brings to mind is either burning oil or burning rubber....most likely the first item is the issue.

[BlueIonDriver]

DUDE, i want blue smoke! lol

[MadmaX]

blue smoke is oil, and although the 1.9's can turn into real oil burners they didn't usually smoke.

The 3.0's they are referring to seem to always smoke when we first pull them off the transporter with 2 miles on them, but I've never seen one that was broken in that was still doing it.

[2NDSOUT]

I think what we are seeing here from GM is the fact since Saturn is under the GM umbrella now....GM knew about this problem, but neglected to have anything done about it in the 1.9L engine. Now that it is becoming more prevalent in the L-Series and VUE and now that Saturn has become a part of the GM BEAST...GM is thinking..."We can't have a bad reputation for the Saturn..."

This just irks me....I'm venting....

Another way for GM to save face on Saturn.

I Love my Saturn, but I really could care less about GM.

[myoung]

It has nothing to do with Saturn being under the "GM Umberella." They didn't mention the 1.9, if you didn't notice. It burns, yeah, I can attest to that, but not with clouds of smoke. The 3.0 is a completely different beast then the 1.9. Originally in the Cadillac Catera and later CTS, it's definately had its share of problems and complaints. Cadillac Techs aren't too fond of the Catera, and the 3.0 is one of the reasons.

[edwilson13185]

I was wondering about Saturn's 3.0. That engine had major problems in the Catera. Hopefully these are just a few isolated cases, though, and nothing widespread like some other editions of the 3.0-liter seem to have.

[Pete93SL1M]

Originally posted by BlueIonDriver
DUDE, i want blue smoke! lol

Ok, is it me or did anyone else just laugh out loud at this comment. Good one, Blue!

[orangeforfive]

Originally posted by Pete93SL1M
Ok, is it me or did anyone else just laugh out loud at this comment. Good one, Blue!

Yea, I laughed out loud...I had blue smoke, and lots of it...my old 1991 Chev Astro. The kids would like run when I was starting the old van. Once started, it stopped smoking...it was oil leaking through the valves.

[wlhawk]

My honda had the same problem

[walt]

I have been told by my Brother a mechanic for over 30 years that blue smoke upon starting is usally dried up valve seals. My younger daughters GEO (Toyoto corolla) blows clouds of the stuff upon starting. However the car uses little oil and Im told its a simple fix with if you have an air compressor and the proper tool. Second what paper is the " Pain feeler business section".I have not heard any complaints from the well know publishers about Saturn3.0s smoking. Can anyone verify such a service bullitin is out there before all V6 VUE owners start thinking they will be needing a motor job in a few years.

[piney]

I've seen some L300 V6s in traffic recently and noticed some smoke & thought it odd but have not noticed it on any VUE yet. If they only smoke half as bad as every 1990 Civic I see, the will smoke a lot though.

The Accord CVCC I had in HS used a quart per tank. When I'd start it up cold, it'd cloud the whole HS parking lot. Great for killing mosquitos though.

[dieseljack]

Just sit behind a mid-nineties Dodge Caravan / Plymouth Voyager with the Mitsubishi 3.0 liter V6 at a stoplight sometime, and when the light turns green - look out! There'll be enough belched out blue smoke to blind you. This problem is reportedly related to not only valve seals, but valve guides as well. The repair is in excess of $3,500.00, and just as with the lousy transaxles on those vehicles, Daimler Chrysler is doing nothing to help the owners.

[Kevin94SL]

Caravans have transmission problems.... NO WAY....

We owned one... we only had 4 different trannys in there over the life of it.... no tranny problems there...

On a positive note there though, the little 2.5 litre, 4-banger took 400,000km of abuse... that was before Mom hit the deer....

[MadmaX]

Four oil burners I've owned

1993 ES300 smokes at start-up
1994 Maxima smoked at start-up
1988 Integra smoked all the time
1989 Mitsubishi Mighty max huge clouds anytime it was running

BTW, I never exceed 3000 miles for a oil change, and use Mobil1 99% of the time.

[L300-Linmo]

"The problem is unusual and Saturn has had few complaints"

Apparently enough complaints to warrant a TSB.

I had this problem, covered under warranty - first bucket load of dirt on the coffin for my Saturn. Final nail in the coffin was the 3rd coolant issue.

Odds are many owners in the northern climates won't notice for several months. Frosty windows and exhaust vapor will hide the smoke until springtime.

Bad seals on one of the cylanders. Between balding Fireblowns and multiple bad engine seals - I think Saturn needs to
re-examine it's suppliers for the new models it is rolling out.

Weren't those engines made in Germany? Fine German engineering - same crappy German quality. LOL