New Yorker Smoke Problem

[Jes]

Hello All,
I am the proud owner of a '89 New Yorker with a 3.0 and under 40,000 miles.
It has been running very well except lately, I've had a bit more smoke then
I would like to see come out the tail pipe. It's not a cloud of smoke but it
is noticable when idle or when I'm waitinf for the light to change to green.

It's a white smoke but smells more like an overly rich mixture then
antifreeze. I also checked my antifreeze level and it has not changed a bit.
Have a small oil leak around the valve cover that takes up about a pint
every other week.

Help! I sure love this car and hope your suggestions might help me pinpoint
the problem.

TIA,

Jesse

 

[Steve]

Hello All,
I am the proud owner of a '89 New Yorker with a 3.0 and under 40,000 miles.
It has been running very well except lately, I've had a bit more smoke then
I would like to see come out the tail pipe. It's not a cloud of smoke but it
is noticable when idle or when I'm waitinf for the light to change to green.

It's a white smoke but smells more like an overly rich mixture then
antifreeze. I also checked my antifreeze level and it has not changed a bit.
Have a small oil leak around the valve cover that takes up about a pint
every other week.

Help! I sure love this car and hope your suggestions might help me pinpoint
the problem.

TIA,

Jesse

Typical Mitsubishi 3.0. Valve guides leaking like sieves (maybe even
dropped down out of the head), or possibly rings getting sticky. The
engine is known for both.

 

[PC Medic]

Typical Mitsubishi 3.0. Valve guides leaking like sieves (maybe even
dropped down out of the head), or possibly rings getting sticky. The
engine is known for both.

This engine prior to 94 had seen problems in this area so what is said here
is possible. How ling since last oil/filter change and PCV Valve checked.

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

I am the proud owner of a '89 New Yorker with a 3.0 and under 40,000
miles. It has been running very well except lately, I've had a bit more
smoke then I would like to see come out the tail pipe.

I imagine so, since the only acceptable amount of smoke from the tailpipe
of that car is "none".

it is noticable when idle or when I'm waitinf for the light
to change to green.

Your first-year 3.0 is suffering from the same problem virtually all of
them did: Upper-engine problems. These engines are very prone to valve
stem seal leakage (fix: new seals), dropped valve guides (fix: rebuilt
heads incorporating the post-'93 factory fixes of snap rings and better
guides), poor crankcase ventillation (fix: complete service of ALL the
components in the PCV system) and, occasionally, stuck oil rings.

There are enough post-'93 3.0s in the world that you can *easily* find a
good, serviceable set of used heads for less than you'd spend having yours
exchanged for a rebuilt updated set. www.car-part.com .

-Stern

 

[Guest]

Hello All,
I am the proud owner of a '89 New Yorker with a 3.0 and under 40,000 miles.
It has been running very well except lately, I've had a bit more smoke then
I would like to see come out the tail pipe. It's not a cloud of smoke but it
is noticable when idle or when I'm waitinf for the light to change to green.

It's a white smoke but smells more like an overly rich mixture then
antifreeze. I also checked my antifreeze level and it has not changed a bit.
Have a small oil leak around the valve cover that takes up about a pint
every other week.

Help! I sure love this car and hope your suggestions might help me pinpoint
the problem.

TIA,

Jesse

No question about it on that model - you have a valve guide problem.
Either dropped or worn out.
You will need the heads rebuilt or replaced, as well as a catalitic
converter. On mine, by the time you could see oil smoke the cat was
dead. I suspected the oil seapage was my problem untill the cat
started to rattle and I started to see smoke.
Dang MitsoShitty engines. Bulletproof bottom end, and fragile valve
guides.