Smokey cold starts on 325is

[rc]

This is a friends car so info is watered down as its passed to me,On intial start the big lump likes to pour out alot of smoke but once she gets the right foot all comes good again, Any body have similar problems or know of reasons for this happening ( rc)

[toby]

possible valve stem oil seals - when oil runs down into engine when car is turned off and is clogged up with oil when next started.
does this happen after the car has been left for a while?

[rc]

the car would be started every day but only travel's a mile or so, too and from work. He tells me there's a while smell of petrol from her at start if this helps at all

[toby]

sounds like valve stem oil seals - i suspect this more since you say car used for short journeys which tends to wear out the engine as the oil never gets hot and flow around the engine

[toby]

a mile journey??
recommend a bike

[x-works]

If the smoke all but dissappears after one or two good revs after start up and there is a very rich smell of petrol during this time it "could" be a leaking injector. After the engine is switched off the fuel system remains pressurised for quiet a while, if you have an injector which is weeping, a small amount of fuel will drip down into the manifold and depending on the position the valves stoped at on that cylinder, it can dribble down and sit in the chamber. Upon start up it can take a few seconds for this extra fuel to burn off or if there's a lot of it, it can foul the sparkplug for a few minutes leaving the engine sounding rough till it clears.