E46 330i smoking like a trooper

[Mave]

Grrrr. Just nursed my '54 E46 330i home.
This morning, I noticed a lot of whitish smoke coming from the exhaust when I started up. It cleared after a few seconds, put it on my list of "thinks to check out". Journey into work (8ish miles) uneventful.

Checked oil and coolant this evening before leaving to come home, no problem. Set off with no smoke.

About 5 miles into the journey, I was stuck behind a tractor for a few minutes, finally got a chance to overtake, stuck it into 2nd and went past. A few seconds later, loads of smoke coming from the exhaust. No warning lights, temp gauge normal.

Pulled over about 200 yards later, shut engine down, wisps of smoke still coming from the exhaust.

Left it half an hour, checked levels, all fine, started it up and load of smoke, smells of oil. Keeps smoking if I rev it in neutral. No obvious sign of blowing or sucking from the oil fill cap, no mayo. Got Mrs Mave to follow me home, much less smoke only coming back at idle.

Any ideas? Its only done ~60k, no sign of coolant system leaks, serviced ~3K ago, at the moment I'm inclined to think something to do with the CCV?

Any recommendations for someone in / near Bristol to look at it? Normally I'd have a go at it myself, but domestics are realllly busy at the moment and I need to get it sorted sooner rather than later.

Cheers

[Mave]

Thanks guys. Redish was on my list of potentials so I'll give them a call. Pretty sure it was oil smoke not steam, based on the smell and colour. Not had any problems with the thermostat that I know of- gets up to temperature quickly, blows warm air quickly, and needle was steady in the middle of the gauge. When I popped the bonnet, everything felt normal - nothing roasting hot, hoses normal temp and squashy. Only thing that makes me doubt ccv is that there wasn't a chance in engine note, or significant sucking or blowing when I pulled of the oil fill cap and then the breather tube going to the rocker cover- but I haven't got my head around how the valve operates yet...

[Mave]

Going to do a bit of poking around tonight - but it was a lot of smoke, not just a bit. Billowing out the back, not just a puff. Bit like a Co2 fire extinguisher :-D (maybe it was just co2! :-))

[Mave]

Ah, I think I see what you're saying - could be mayo sludge in the CCV em getting dragged into the inlet manifold and burned / evaporated when I nailed it? Probably the first time I've given it welly in the last week or so..... fingers crossed.....

[Mave]

Quick update, had it looked over, no sign of hg problems, in for a ccv change Tuesday. Thanks for all the advice.