What's the most smoke you've seen from the exhaust at start up?

[Pat]

Once in a while I see a small puff of smoke at start up. I understand this is normal. However, today, at the track, I started the car and a LOT of smoke poured from the exhaust. So much so, that a couple people came running with fire extinguishers. It lasted a couple minutes, so I shut it down and let it sit. An hour later, I fired it up again and more smoke came out, but maybe just half as much. Still, it was what I would consider a lot, and I decided not to go on track for fear of something being wrong and dropping oil on the track. I let it sit another hour, fired it up and a little bit came out as I drove through the paddock to the highway. I drove the car 30 minutes, shut it down and went inside for a burger. When I came out I checked the oil, which was at the maximum mark, just like yesterday. I started the car, and there was zero smoke. I drove home, let the car sit a little bit, and the oil is still at the max mark. Based on all of this, it seems to me like I just had oil settling in the cylinders. But it seems like there was a LOT of oil in the cylinders. Has anyone else experienced this? The car has a perfect maintenance record and has not given me any problems in my four short months of ownership. FWIW, after my last session on the track I shut the car off without letting it cool down first. Not sure if that had anything to do with it, though. Any thoughts?

[stateofidleness]

sounds like a failed/failed AOS

does it idle ok? how long does it smoke for?

[Pat]

Runs perfectly. Total smoke time may have been four minutes or so, but broken up between three different times.

[Lobo1186]

from what I have read it sounds much like an AOS not very serious but shouldnt be driven it is a seemingly easy DIY if you have the patience. but running it with a completely failed AOS can hydrolock and consequently give your motor a window job.

anyone with more knowledge please step in if I am wrong.

[Daniel R]

It is the air/oil separator for sure. Mine did this a few months back. About 120 bucks for the part and 2 hours labour.

[Pat]

Those of you that are telling me it is absolutely a failed AOS, are you surprised the car runs perfectly now? No smoke, stutter, warning lights, etc. It seem so me like the oil that got in the intake maybe just "sloshed" in there from the track driving, as the oil was at the max mark. It seem to me it was burned off on the drive home (highway for an hour) and it runs just fine now. Is this surprising?
Also, I just took the oil cap off while the engine was running. There was a bit of vacuum, but taking the cap off was far from difficult. The idle got a bit funky with the cap off. I quickly put it back on and the idle returned to normal. No suprise there.
Your thoughts? Inspect the AOS, probably find nothing and continue enjoying the car?
Oh, after looking through the previous owner's records I saw the AOS was replaced three years/18K miles ago.

[extanker]

i bought an 09 cay new it now has almost 7000 miles on it [dealer serviced at 1 year] it will smoke on startup 1 in 25 sometimes so much you cannot see behind the car.....it uses no oil

[Pat]

I just took some photos. Looks pretty normal to me.
http://picasaweb.google.com/patmickelson55/AOS#