j.,

This is a most enlightening post, thank you. This one, taken together with your other post requesting help learning about your car helps me (and everyone else) offer some suggestions.

Since we now know it is not brake fluid, the question remains; what is the smoke? You gave us other symptoms that may help answer that question:

1. The car will not exceed 60MPH at full throttle. This is an indication that the engine is way down on power. You don't mention it (probably because you have nothing to compare it to), but I will wager fuel consumption and acceleration suck too.

2. The smoke is most apparent (you can see it in the mirror) when on over run. (Over run is the condition of coasting or braking with no throttle input. During over run the engine is being braked through the drivetrain. RPM is up and decaying at a rate determined by the rotational speed of the input shaft of the transmission. There is a very high vacuum in the intake tract because the throttle plate is closed.)

First, take your Haynes manual out to the car and open the hood. Look all around the engine compartment. When you see something you do not know the name and/or function of, look it up. If you cannot find it, post back here (pictures help) and someone will ID the part and function for you. Remove the valve cover. Pull the spark plugs. Check the oil. Once you can name and describe the purpose of everything you see, you can continue trying to determine the source of your smoking problem.

I will tell you (from 1700 miles away, so take that into consideration) that I think the color of the smoke is a pale blue, the source is engine oil, and the problem is a stuck oil control ring. Here's why:

The car sat still for a very long time. When the engine is stopped at least two valves will be off the seat. That allows air into the combustion chamber(s) of the cylinder(s) with open valves. Over time the exposed parts will rust, even in Arizona.

At this point I started to explain about how stuck piston rings can cause your symptoms. Then I realized that you may not have a frame of reference to understand what I was typing. How much do you know about how engines do what they do?

To prevent more damage to the engine, it is imperative that you keep the oil level topped up. You may be able to free the stuck ring(s) without disassembling the engine. But that will be a fruitless endeavor if the engine is run without oil. Also, keep a sharp eye on the water (and antifreeze, it is that time of year) level.

Once you determine the source of the smoke, you will know which system needs attention.

Assuming it is a stuck ring, one method to free a stuck ring that has about a 50% chance of working is to use some Marvel Mystery Oil (available at any parts house). Pull the spark plugs. Bump the engine over with the starter or turn the engine by hand using the fan blades (KEY OFF!) until you cannot see any of the pistons through the spark plug holes. Use a funnel and a small hose to pour as much of the MM oil into each cylinder as it will hold. Pour the remainder of the bottle into the oil fill hole on the valve cover. Put the plugs back in, finger tight only. Let the car sit for a couple of days. Remove the plugs. Spin the engine with the starter to expel any oil still sitting in the chambers. Replace the plugs and wires. Start the car. It will smoke like hell for a little while, don't worry about it. (Well, worry about the smog police. In this day and age anyone bold enough to actually work on their own car is obviously eccentric and a danger to us all. ;-) Go for a spirited drive of at least 20 miles. Change the oil and filter. Repeat the entire process. After the second run through, install new spark plugs (properly gapped). Now drive the car normally and look for signs of smoke in the mirror. Report back here.

See your other post requesting help to learn about your car.

--
Mr. Shannon DeWolfe -- (I've taken to using Mr. because my name tends to mislead folks on the WWW. I am a 51 year old fat man ;-) -- KD5QBL