I just changed the oil to mobile1 10w30 with a lucas conditioner at 10%. I also bled the brakes and accidentally overfilled the res. I now have smoke pouring out the back. Its bluish white. It stops when the car warms up. It didnt do this before the change. Maybe its the brake fluid or possibly the oil change loosened up some slug from the engine. Old oil was black.

There is also a loud tapping sound coming from what seems like the head but I cant totally pinpoint it. The tapping increases with the rpm.

Im guessing the car needs a valve job? Also, there are small oil deposits on the spark plugs. I'm going to do a compression test as a place to start but wanted to get other opinions on the matter as to the life span of the rings on this thing...

Car has 110k and is a 1994 xjs L6 4.0

 

Mmmmm, 10W/30 is maybe a tad thin for the AJ6/AJ16 engine.

I dont want to start another oil thread fiasco, PLEASE.

The usual for this engine was/is 20W/50, and in some cases 15W/40.

The "bluish/white" smoke is oil burning. Brake fluid is white, as is trans fluid.

The tapping is more than likely the thin oil. I am NOT a follower of the additives, sorry, just me, "that grumpy old bugga from downunder".

The oil in the plug tubes needs attention, camcover gasket and 6 spark plug tube seals. Simple enough task.

I would drop that oil, leave the filter, and refill with 20W/50, and see what changes.

My AJ16 (X300) got rather tappy when I went for 10W/40 as a trial, and I now run 10W/50 Penrite and as quiet as expected.

I am assuming??????, that the engine was NOT tappy or smoky PRIOR to you doing this oil change???.

 

From what I've read I'd tend to aggree with Grant. The oil burning is probably from the additive churning stuff up and the tapping is probably from the thinner oil. I've got some M1 15w50 (IIRC) that I'm going to put in when I get the chance.

 

I went for a ride yesterday and then started her up today and no smoke. Not seven a small amount came out on start up. I'm guessing the Lucas stop Smoke isnt so bad? That thick petroleum crap mixed with the 10w 30 must be working... Though next oil change Im going to use what is suggested here, (prob a 15w50) without includin that additive crap, even though it works I dont really trust it on all the sensors, etc in the engine. I forsee it creating other problems.

 

Also, the valve tap is a lot less than it was. I'm still thinking of a valve adjustment.

 

Good news. I still reckon your oil and additive are your issues.

Tappets are set by shims, and generally do not move, and are NOT a simple task to reset. Many, many hours will be consumed, not to mention the beer supply, which will be HUGE, and then the vocabulary will expand considerably.

Get some better non added oil in there and see what happens, I reckon it will be fine.