Change History

The lifter clatter (if that) at startup seems a bit like a problem my car had on each side over a span of a couple years, namely two finally failed "valve lift solenoid(s)" or some such.
However, too many of your car's symptoms were different. My imagined scenario is that perhaps the battery has become marginal, (no maintainer?) and the slow cranking didn't create enough initial lifter pressure, hence, the clatter. The blue smoke, which would be oil, could be the horizontal layout allowing oil to get past the rings after sitting for so long.

The lifter clatter (if that) at startup seems a bit like a problem my car on each side over a span of a couple years, namely two finally failed "valve lift solenoid(s)" or some such.
However, too many of your car's symptoms were different. My imagined scenario is that perhaps the battery has become marginal, (no maintainer?) and the slow cranking didn't create enough initial lifter pressure, hence, the clatter. The blue smoke, which would be oil, could be the horizontal layout allowing oil to get past the rings after sitting for so long.