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Why would a 1937 Packard 120 smoke when started?

kind regards
Garrett Meadows

Could be several things so kind of needs a careful look at the color of smoke. A bluish fog could be burning oil so rings or somehow oil is getting sucked in and waiting to burn. A darker to blackish color is usually gas or running too rich. Somewhat harder to see but believe a light or white color is steam so generally some coolant is leaking into a cylinder.

Like HH56 said, black smoke indicates rich mixture. Could be as simple as the choke being on when started.

White smoke is condensation. You didn't say how long it smoked after starting. Could be moisture in exhaust system or combusion chambers from the last time it ran.

Check out the smoke from the exhaust stacks in this 4M-2500 at Mystic Seaport. I would assume that, as the museum is demonstrating the engine they have restored it and it is operating normally.

youtube.com/watch?v=AW3rFfF565c