I have an 04 E55 with 82k miles and I just started noticing a puff of oil smoke on a cold startup. Once it is warm it does not smoke.

Anyone else in this mileage range have the same issue? I guess it will soon be valve seal time.

 

That's most likely whats going on, but you needn't be too concerned. Try this: Run your car up to 80 or 100 MPH in 5th and then simply let it decelerate down to around 45 MPH and then, while checking your rear view mirror, apply about 30% throttle. If you see any significant amount of smoke you need to check the seals or worst case the guides. Hot cats will probably reduce a portion of the visible smoke.

 

Id assume you downshift from 100 to 45? 5th gear @ 45 will stall, so apply the throttle in 3rd? 4th?

 

No Jangy Jr. 5th at 45 will not stall (it's around 1350rpm) You don't want a down shift to occur you just want the car to pull a good hard vacuum to see if you are leaking from the valve guide seals

 

Exactly.

 

Just throwing it out there but are you sure it's not just a little cold start condensation?

 

No smoke on decel. Checked that tonight. None on a warm start either. It's definately a little oil in the cold start. I had my wife start it and I stuck my nose up the tailpipe. Guess I will just keep an eye on it for now as the car does not use any oil between changes.

 

there is a DIY for valve seals.

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...placement.html

 

Are you smelling just unburned gas from rich start?

No oil consumption? Try 0-40 M1 and a fresh filter.

Have you put in new plugs yet? Check your VC gaskets for leaks. If any, change along with breather hoses.

Decel test above is a good one tried and true

 

Not to worry - - - it ain't broke.

 

New plugs and wires a couple months ago. No vc leaks. If it gets worse I will do the valve seals next winter. Looks like a good excuse to do cams while I am in there. thanks for the input guys.

 

I'm at 94k miles and just noticed a puff of blue smoke on startup yesterday, and yes, today as well. Engine still has monster power, so I'll keep an eye on it. Good thread !!

mp

 

Don't worry about it. Benz allows oil consumption up to 1% of fuel consumption with MoS 2 chamfered rings. The only accurate measure. You have zilch.

Worry about the life of those rear tyres.

 

Mine does it once or twice a month...normal I guess since it's been doing it forever.

 

I've lost count on the rear tires ! lol

Your posts are very informing and, in my case, reassuring. My oil level is fine (unchanged since last service) and I wasn't sure if I should 'race' out and get some STP or 20-50 Royal Purple !! (I run that in my '72 Firebird with the 535" engine - not the STP)

 

Please stick to Benz approved oils!

 

At that mileage any car will puff oil at startup. Valve seal stem wear and valve seal wear is just the nature of mileage, Benz or not...

 

Not true, my E55 has the least mileage out of nearly every vehicle I've ever owned ( I've owned more than 20 cars ) and it's the ONLY one that smokes every once in a while at start up. Even my Pontiac Grand Prix's ( one had 100K miles and the other had 170K miles ) never did this, yet my 67K mile E55 does. I also had an Infiniti G35 Sedan ( 100K miles ), G35 Coupe ( 80K miles ) and 5 VW's ( each with 100K+ miles ) and they never did this either.

 

Maybe it's due to the shear thinness of the Mobil One oil? I asked a tech at the stealership one time about this and he said that the AMG engines are made "loose" for max power output???

 

I'm surprised by some of the tolerances they use so maybe this is the real issue.

 

I agree with GT-ER. I also have an '04 SL55 with the same motor and 105K miles, and no puff of smoke at all !!

But, and thanks to you all, I ain't a gonna worry about it !!!

 

I am confronted with another problem. Car is slowly eating coolant. A puff of coolant smoke comes out of the driver's side exhaust in the morning. I also have to add coolant about once every other month. No overheating problems, etc.

My bet is on the head gasket but I guess it could be the supercharger intercooler seeping? Thankfully I can do the head gasket myself.