I think vss's too. The extended idle plus a cloud of smoke on start off is a good diagnostic. Ditto the improved guides. The oil smell should be almost identical to what you smell when you drop oil on a hot exh mani. The gassy smell makes it possible you have a leaky injector washing the oil off the cylinder walls, too. Is the smoke bluish tinted? Is there marked oil consumption. I'm still worried about the water loss...

Not responsible for advice not taken...