White (maybe blue) Smoke - Oil Overfilled?

New guy, thanks for being here. I've read this forum for ages, just never posted.

I have a 2005 double cab, long bed with 171k miles. I've owned since new. It seems seasonally forever, I'd notice a small white puff once per winter on the coldest mornings (SC-cold). Maybe this would happen 2x per year. Concerned me but no oil burned at all and never more than a puff during ignition.

The other morning, coldest morning so far (maybe 20F), the annual puff occurred, but it sustained for as much as the first 1/2 mile and then went away. Again, I was concerned and a little more so than normal. I parked it a while and cranked again w/o any signs of smoke. The next morning however, it happened again and then later that evening after sitting most of the day.

I checked the oil and it was a little smeared on the dip stick each time I checked it but confirmed oil was present. I replaced the PCV valve but the old one still had some rattle to it, so probably not the problem. I took it to have the oil changed and explained my findings to the guys I've gone to for a decade w/o issue. I even explained that I was struggling to get a good reading on the stick but could see oil was present. He checked it and said, yeah it is overfilled. When I looked, it was clearly smeared but maybe overfilled and smeared. Maybe it was 1/2 inch above the top dimple. This is probably 4000 miles since my last oil change. If it was overfilled, it has been overfilled for 2 months and I just now have a puff?

Is it possible this is a root cause for the puff? What exactly may have happened and how bad is it? I'm a mechanical guy, just not car-mechanical.

Thanks!
Brian

 

Just another note:
After the PCV valve replacement, I haven't seen any puffs. It has been in the 50's since that change, so any correlation to cold-mornings wouldn't apply yet.
I think I smell it when I get out. There is also a teaspoon worth of what looks to be oil on the alternator, kind of dirty/old looking but was a point of concern as well.

 

Your puff is more than likely water vapor from the Catalytic Converter.

 

It's normal if the temps are something like 15*F or colder. I could be off a little as I spent the last 15 months in AZ.

 

I kind of had grown to accept the puff as normal. The latest set of puffing as I head off to work is a little more concerning. Something changed.

I'm not the kind of guy that can accept a smoking car with ease. I guess I'll take it to my mechanic and see if some of the valve guide seals are bad or something as mentioned in the cartalk posts.

Thanks for everyone's insight, any more about the overfilled oil-related concerns would be great.

 

My 2011 did this in the winter time. It's normal. If it was large amounts of blue exhaust, smelling of burning oil then I'd be concerned.