Blue Smoke Please help

[hillbean]

Hey everyone I have a SBC that just started spouting blue smoke out of the Passenger side. I have not experienced any loss of power or loss of oil pressure. I am not losing oil yet but it just started today. I am going to start with a compression test to rule out rings. My question is how can I check the valve guide seals without tearing the engine down. My other question is I read that the Vacuum modulator can go bad and cause transmission fluid to be sucked into the intake. How can I test the transmission vacuum modulator. Any other tips or ideas are appreciated thank you for your time.

[cableguy0]

You cant really check the valve seals. AS for the modulator. Just pull the hose off of it. If there is trans fluid in the hose the modulator is bad. Valve seals generally burn oil at startup and until the engine is warm. It wont be evident going down the road.

[franken]

A puff of blue smoke at startup is an indication that valve seals leak. Checking compression, noting the result, shooting some oil in the cylinder, checking again and comparing results can give an indication of ring sealing.

[geezer#99]

If it's blowing blue constantly while driving on one side only, you gotta suspect the intake gasket has blown out on that side. On the underside. The vacuum pulls oil into the intake valves.