Blue smoke on startup and when cold

[toomanycars]

What causes blue smoke when the engine is first running? Not just a little, but clouds of it. If I increase the revs to about 1800 the engine misses and farts blue amoke occasionally. Once at normal operating temperature the engine is fine. Isn't burning oil.

[Maarten]

I think your timing is too Late so half combusted diesel enters the exhaust.. I've got the same prob, going to properly time it tomorrow

[toomanycars]

Yes, I have experienced blue smoke from overly advanced timing, but it usually occurs throughout running and is most evident when decelerating. I don't have a dial guage so I can't check timing but I'm fairly confident it's not out. I'm thinking perhaps dirty fuel or air in the system? I know that one of my tractors (that doesn't have a fuel guage) spits blue smoke just as it begins to run out of diesel, and if a fuel filter is blocked (there are 2) it does the same thing.

[fatmobile]

Is it whitish-blue smoke.
 I'm guessing timing too but I'm thinking retarded timing because it sounds like what happens when I don't pull the cold start lever in warm weather ... misses a little around 1800rpm, till it warms up.
 There was some blueish-white smoke coming from the Golf and it was starting hard, it got worse if I pushed the cold start lever back in shortly after it started. I advanced the timing and it starts much better now but does put out a little smoke and misses around 1800 at first. I'm going to try advancing it some more.

[Maarten]

Your right... got my english a little scrambled It should be too late instead of too advanced.

[fillmore]

valve seals. had the same problem, my valve seals were shot, its a pretty easy fix if you know what your doing.