Hello, new guy here... and apologize for the Novella in advance!

I am thinking to trade one of my vehicles for a '88 560 SEL.
It has been sitting at this sellers house for around 4 years without being driven.

Today, we hooked up the battery, the car started immediately. It ran smooth, but after a few minutes white-ish blue smoke started coming from the exhaust. When excellerated ( at park) the cloud thickens and go's away. After idling for a few minutes, the smoke returns slightly.
When we turned it off and restarted, it didn't smoke, but came back after 10 minutes. There was some condensation, but it was a little chilly in the Colorado air this afternoon.
He (the seller) said that the gas has never been changed since it has sat and that new gas and driving the car would take care of the problem. []
He also said he put some stuff in the oil that would help the rings and that he will put some Aluma-seal in the radiator to help seal the gaskets because one of the guy's there said the smoke smelled like anti-freeze.
Is the smoke normal for a car that has been sitting this long? Is the white-blue color an indication of something? Is this a condition of some kind of part failure that can be EASILY fixed? Will it go away or is it the warning I think it is?
And won't oil additives, aluma-seal, and running 4 year old gas destroy the engine?
Also I have read that cars at (119,000) this milage need the timing chain replaced (to prevent destroying the engine) and will eventually start having tranny problems also.
The car is beautiful (Black with tan leather interior), but I don't want to end up with a 2 ton future flower box in my yard! [:@]
Should I walk, or, RUUUUNNNNN!!!!!!

 

I was cringing at every statement in your post. If you really like the car, get it to a qualified MB Tech for a pre-purchase inspection. There is alot that can be wrong with a car that has been sitting this long with apparently the gas, oil, and antifreeze also sitting idle. This is not the way to store a car.

The tech can also get under the car to inspect all the suspension rubber which can atrophy from lack of use and drain your wallet at the same time. Keep telling yourself the following, "It's just a car...and there is no such thing as a cheap Mercedes".

Good Luck

 

Yes Run here to Maryland and buy mine lol. I agree with sunguy unless u can get for nothin almost.

 

Eeks! [:-]
Yup, I agree, a qualified tech would be the answer! Hopefully I can stop him before he pores the Aluma-seal!
I went through this problem with a Volvo Bertone Turbo I got for $200. Luckily there is a boat load of Volvos in the salvage yards here. No such luck with the Mercedes!
Looking at your cars, U should see the '71 Dodge Dude Camper Special I picked up for $500.
And as far as the price of the car, my trade to him has a rod going out on the engine, but, I'm guessing it would be a heck of a cheaper fix than the 560.... mebbe....
Thanks guys, and if anyone has a solution on how to check for the smokng problem..... greatly appreciated! (Trying to avoid the M-Mechanic's LARGE diagnostic bill) [:@]

 

Let me try to be more clear and less politically correct. Avoiding the mechanic's inspection bill and hoping for an answer on the internet is pure lunacy. Nobody, not even the best of us could venture a guess beyond the obvious that the engine has one or more serious problems, the owner obviously didn't care for the care the way it should have been, and if you're seriously considering buying it, the mechanic is going to nik you for 2 hours labor, max, to tell you everything you'll need to know to make an informed decison. If you can't afford that, you'll never afford the car. I repeat, "there is no such thing as a cheap Mercedes".

 

For what it's worth & not to diagnose your car, I've had similar smoke from my 420 SEL.

It smoked like that (blue). I replaced the valve seals & the smoke went away & the oil consumption stopped.

It also smoked white & made a bit of a smoke screen (very undignified way for a mercedes to behave). I traced it back to a bad vacuum module on the transmission, once I replaced that, all was good.

Timming chain replacement was easy for me, just remove the rocker arms to avoid problems. I omitted that step once on the 420. Oops![:@] I bent an exhaust valve & had to pull the pass side head . . . . . not my idea of fun!

 

any guidance for a do it yourselfer? tools? cylinder air pressure?