I think that’s a good guess.

This was very helpful to me . My ls1 chev engine has good power only smoke when full reeves if drive normal engine runs good and no smoke . Gray tail pips in side . I think oil seals on valves have gone hard as engine has 300.000 ks and has full power just smoke when sitting and drive off fast then gose away . I’m an old machanic I think it’s valves seals

I’d do a leak down test. The leak down test will tell you more information about where you’re losing oil, but tends to cost a little more than a standard compression test. This should help you narrow down the problem and determine next steps.

to replace a valve spring is a relatively easy job.its just removing your rocker cover and then swapping the bad spring for a new one.i could do it and i’m not a mechanic.you’ve been conned,is there not an ombudsman or office of fair trading/consumer protection organisation you can have review your bill?we have them in the United Kingdom.
all the best,
Dave

I would put money on your valve guide seals with the condition you described. Especially if the smoke billows out upon a cold start up and then goes away after a few minutes of driving. What happens is the oil settles inside the valve train area of the cylinder head after shut down of the engine and starts drooling downward, past the valve guide seals, running down the shaft of the valve and eventually into the combustion chamber and collects there until the engine is started again, which is why it smokes so much in the morning.. hope this helps.

Jason Martini
ASE Certified Technician
Portland, OR

It could be, yes. You might want to change plugs, but figure out where that leak is coming from. You may need a new valve cover gasket or something like that.

I have a Daewoo cielo with G15MF Engine,I noticed the vehicle was lacking power when I engage in gear,it was found that two plugs where being submerged in oil,can this be the problem?

There are many possible causes of burning or leaking oil, including bad valve guide seals, bad piston rings, bad front or rear main seals, bad camshaft seals, head gasket leaks, and incorrect oil viscosity, to name a few. It’s impossible to say exactly what is burning oil until you have your vehicle diagnosed at a shop, though.

Do keep putting oil in it so you don’t ruin the engine, but I’d get the burning oil issue addressed as soon as possible. All that burnt oil is not good for the environment and you may fail a smog test if it persists.