Hey everyone!
I have a car from 2001 with a 4.7-liter engine that has done 275,000 miles. It’s in really good shape, inside and out, and the engine runs well. The only problem I’ve noticed is that sometimes, when I start the engine after it’s been off for a while, I see a big puff of smoke from the exhaust. This happens if there’s either too much or too little time between turning off and starting the engine again. I’m not a mechanic, but based on my experience with cars, I think it might be because the stem seals are getting old and need replacing.
I’m curious about how much it would cost to fix this, and if it’s worth it given the high mileage of the car. In the past, I’ve spent a lot of money fixing up cars, only to find out later that there were bigger problems or that the car was reaching the end of its life anyway. I’ve heard that this type of engine can sometimes have issues with valves, and I’d hate to spend money on fixing the seals only to have another problem soon after.
Should I just stick to replacing the spark plugs when needed, or should I save up to fix the seals? I’d really appreciate your thoughts on this!