<VV> Occasional Oil Smoke puff

[David Heath]

I have an issue hopefully someone here can shed some light on.  Every once
in a while, the engine will give a puff of oil smoke out the left bank.
This puff lasts for about 5 seconds or so, is always on the left bank, and
always seems to be when the car has been idling for a long time (10 minutes,
maybe longer).  This happens when I have been in stop-and-go traffic for
quite a while or if I get stuck at several stop lights in a row.  The
frequency is never greater than one puff every twenty minutes, maybe longer.
The puff is pretty thick (embarrassingly thick), so it must be from more
than a drop or two of oil.  The engine shows signs of leaking a little oil
past the rings on the left side (slight blue haze to the exhaust), but this
puff is much thicker and only lasts for a few seconds, like a blob of oil
got to the manifold or one of the cylinders and as soon as it is burned off
the engine is back to its normal self.  Engine runs strong.
I have been wondering lately if the oil may be coming up the crankcase
ventilation tube and into the balance tube where it may go to the left side
more easily since the inlet to the balance tube is closer to the left side.
Any thoughts?

Thanks.
Dave Heath
Cypress, CA
140-4 coupe