Marcus Frost

It seems that my SL600 has an issue with oil being burned on startup. Recently I had a real bad poof come out on startup one day which had me worried so I called and spoke to two people:

My service advisor: who said he was not aware of this being a common issue and recommended coming in ASAP

Jeff @ RENNTech: who said that it was a result of a somewhat poorly piped PCV system that the V12s have. Oil can collect in the intake and puddle, effectively being burned on startup and give off a decent poof of the bluish-white smoke that I've been seeing.

Jeff knew what he was talking about, and while I am still skeptical about exactly how much oil should be collecting in the intake, regardless of poor plumbing, after fielding a few of my questions fairly well I was left fairly confident.

I still would like to ask any of the 600 guys out there, especially those with aftermarket ECUs, do you get the same poof of smoke on startup? Even if Jeff is not right, my car does not blow white smoke at all except on startup so any worries about it being a valve seal or turbo seal are pretty much non existant. I'm still concerned possibly having a faulty PCV that isn't sealing and letting too much oil past it into the intake. Thought I'd post on here before I took it in to have it looked at.

-m

RJC

Marcus:

This is a somewhat common occurence on the 3 valve MB engines only under certain circumstances; this has happened to me when backing the car out of the garage first thing in the am (or after sitting overnight or longer) to wash it, then upon restart prior to moving back into the garage I'd get a nice puff of blue and white smoke; this has hapened on numerous new MB's I've owned so don't worry, just make sure you're not getting blue smoke during normal idle and or acceleration. Hope this helps.

Scotsman

I've noticed it once or twice starting in the morning with my 2005 500.
Just back from its first service and nothing amiss. Had it 2 years now so if it was something serious I'm sure it would have surfaced by now.

RJC, I see your location is up in a B17 over FL? Ever been up in Aluminium Overcast? Had an amazing flight outside Chicago a few years back.

red00lght

Hmm...never noticed the smoke upon startup in my 600. Now I have something to look forward to I guess.

JackStraw

Happened to me once when my car was about a month old and had about 600 miles on it, but I haven't noticed it since. The smoke only came out of one of the two tailpipes. The car is now about 2 years old and has 7,000 miles.

RJC

Scotsman:

Haven't been in the plane you mention, was it in a 17? My flight was through the collings foundation. I was an aerospace major my first two years of college and first started flying when I was 16 (god that was a looong time ago ) in helicopters (Enstrom F28A's) before moving into fixed wing aircraft. I still do fly on occassion mostly in client's and friend's twins, but I really love military aircraft the best and and am a fan of WW 2 history, armament and aircraft/vehicles. During the flight on the B-17 I kept thinking of 19-24 year old "kids" sitting inside the 17 for the first bombing run over heavily defended **** Germany and just how thin the skin of the plane was and how easily you could put your fist through it. I imagined the guys at the 50's shooting at ME109's swarming overhead, along side and below while the 109's were shooting 20mm shells at them along with bursts of flack from down below going off everywhere. I also imagined having a crewmate getting seriously wounded while the rest were trying to do the task at hand plus trying to tend to their comrade; war must truly be hell on earth. What made the biggest impression was how the ball gunner and tail gunner were so isolated from everyone else and if they got hit they were on their own until landing, and if the gear was not functioning the ball gunner was doomed while being crushed as the plane had to land! My Father was in the 9th airforce during WWII and I have the utmost in respect for him and his generation. We owe so much to all those defending freedom then and now.

Here's a link to the collings foundation, they also have a B24 and B25 plus other aircraft which visit quite a few cities and are available for flights.

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/

Scotsman

Hi RJC,
Yup, Aluminium Overcast is a B-17G. It was doing a tour around America raising funds so got a flight just outside Chicago while I was working there.
Also won a trip to see around the Memphis Belle so got a chance to crawl around inside and managed to fit in the ball turret. Jeez, that must have been something being in there during an air battle, and yes, wrong place to be if you were stuck in there!
Don't know if Aluminium Overcast is flying yet after it's gear collapsed while landing a while back.
Bobby

RJC

Bobby:

I'd love to have seen the Memphis Belle in person and always wanted a flight in a B-29...I don't know if any are still flying or offering flights to the public though.

Regrads,

RJC

Scotsman

The CAF B-29 FIFI (http://www.cafb29b24.org/) is still flying but don't think the public can get flights. Guess if you offer them enough though they'll find a way!

RJC

Thanks for the link.