Worn Valve Guides
Symptoms
Blue smoke on startup that clears after 30-60 seconds. May also smoke on overrun (deceleration after highway driving).
Cause
The cast-iron valve guides wear over time, allowing oil to seep past the valve stems and into the combustion chambers. This is accelerated by infrequent oil changes and extended idling periods. The exhaust valve guides wear faster than the intake guides due to the higher temperatures.
Fix
Replace the valve guide seals first, this is a relatively simple job that can be done with the head in situ using a valve spring compressor and compressed air ($50-100 for a seal kit).
If new seals don't cure the problem, the guides themselves need replacing.
This requires removing the head and having a machine shop press out the old guides and install new ones ($300-600 for a complete guide replacement with new seals).
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