I need help from you Lexus types... I work at a place that sells salvage cars and we just bought a 2006 IS350. It was in an accident but still runs and drives fine. The problem is that the engine blows a LOT of blue smoke out the tail pipes but only when revving at WOT. You can bring the RPM's up to 5k+ at a normal pace and there's no smoke. The only thing we noticed that was obvious is a valve assembly clacking at a fast pace and at the right rear of the engine (photo posted). I've searched around on the internet to try to figure out what it is but with no luck.

I know its typically worn oil rings or damaged rings/cylinder walls that causes this kind of thing, but its strange how different the amount of smoke is under heavy load. I wanted to eliminate that valve assembly being the problem before moving on. Any help is appreciated...

Dan

That is the high pressure fuel pump... The noise you are hearing maybe the direct injectors they make a loud clicking noise which is normal.

Thanks Mike. Louder than I expected. Maybe the engine covers make the engine more quiet than most. 8-) Any idea on the blue smoke only under WOT? Just a case of worn rings/cylinders? The car has 178k, which shouldn't really mean much, but I don't know the history. Maybe someone ran it low on oil in the past...

Dan

Well, blue smoke will definitely will be oil burning. it could be a multitude of things unfortunately. I'd start with a fresh oil change AND new filter of course. Then check out the spark plugs for oil. Check for any oil on the coil packs as well. Replace components or seals as needed. If nothing, then check the exhaust for oil residue; the easiest place would be after the headers as they're connecting to the midpipe. If there is, oil is getting into the combustion chamber...meaning, bad valves, bad valve seals, bad valve guides, or bad piston rings.

Good luck and report back on your findings.

They decided not to deal with it so we're sending it back to auction at a loss. The weird thing is that it was an "insurance car", or sold by an insurance company because of collision damage, so that means someone was driving the car around with the engine the way it is. The symptoms are... no blue smoke out exhaust until it warms up, then no blue smoke if you bring the rpm's up at a normal pace, like when driving, but when warm it blows out a LOT of blue smoke at WOT.

Thanks for the input guys...

Dan