s2000Junky

I had a F20 out of my 02 do the same thing, just random big billow of oil burning smoke in stop and go traffic on occasion, but otherwise ran great and good compression numbers. I could rev the motor up and it would eventually go away and then wouldn't see it happen again for a few months, but it did it enough times that it raised my suspension something was amiss. I never got to the bottom of it. I just assumed oil control ring sticking or maybe partially broken. I always used full syn oil, but the not sure about the previous owner. I put a camera down the cylinders and didn't see any signs of cylinder scoring. Looked healthy. As I said, good compression numbers.

Mobil has a lot of additives that burn off and has shown time and time again to be one of the least desirable to use in this car, especially if you have a motor with higher then average oil consumption. Switching to any other full syn oil is almost guaranteed to be an improvement in that regard. Also might consider moving to the factory recommended 10/30. Or 5/40.

windhund116

Symptoms sounds like valve stem seals maybe worn.

BuggyofMildDiscomfort

Yea that's common for valve stem seals.

HarryD

Alright brother, let's talk you down and bring you back down to earth. You remind me of me, 10 years ago, sitting in the drivers seat in the paddocks of Laguna Seca, motor running, idling. Outside air temp maybe high 80s or 90F, hot temps. Long idle times, waiting outside in line for an autocross run. In anticipation of an intense session and high cornering speeds, I made sure my oil was filled to the absolute top of the H on the dipstick. Billows of smoke. Smoke show. Obnoxiously embarrassing. Surely my motor was going to blow.

Now obviously my oil fill level was too high. With heat expansion, that oil is gonna get sucked into places and it's going to get burned and it's going to let out billows of smoke. I've had this happen over the years in similar situations. Every single time. As soon as I stopped overfilling it, it went away. If you check (and fill) when the motor is cold, make sure you factor in heat and expansion.

If your compression and leakdown numbers are healthy, you've checked for cracked retainers, you've ensured your spark plugs are torqued at the proper levels, and you haven't dropped anything foreign into your motor and you don't plan on running it low [or high] on oil or overrevving it – your motor is going to be rock solid and it's not going to blow up. Make sure you're not overfilling it, take a deep breath, and enjoy the car.

It's a Honda, and a damn reliable one at that. Take it to redline all day, every day. I know I have.

s2000Junky

Entirely possible. However I didn't get any perceivable leakage into cylinders on cold start up, which I typically associate with worn seals - with oil leakage overnight past the stems and into the combustion chamber, giving the classic blue cloud on start up. There was always the steady state oil usage with mileage on the motor, as many have, but it was the sudden random "spy hunter" ploom at idle that made me think random sticking oil control rings. Who knows...

s2cakeee

Sister***** lol! This is exactly what I needed to hear! I truly appreciate you. I’m at 173,000 miles, so I’m going to retire him from tracking for now, but you’re right, it’s a Honda!!! It’ll be fine for mellow commute driving

……now my whining diff on the other hand……we’ll just turn up the volume of the radio until it’s gone lol

Thank you all for being so helpful. The s2k community is second to none.

windhund116

When in doubt about things you hear or feel --- crank up the volume and A/C!