Oil Smoke

[Joel T.]

Hi;

I have recently put together a restoration motor for my '63. It has about 35 miles on it since the build. From the right cylinder bank I am getting oil smoke, the left bank is fine and burns clean. The block has been gone over and has no issues. The heads were re-done as well. Naturally all new rings, seals, etc.. I notice the smoke more once the engine is warmed up... As I pull away from a light or stop sign I will see the "blue cloud", also at idle, again when the engine is warm.

Any ideas what I should be looking for? I'm thinking that either a valve seal was left out (which is unlikely) or perhaps the intake manifold gasket is not seated properly. I should note that all the machine work, block, crank, heads was done by a local race motor builder with a great reputation. I figure that I messed up somewhere putting it all back together.

Thanks!!

Joel

[William V.]

Re: Oil Smoke

Joel

From your discription it sounds like a valve seal problem. however, I would not rule out a piston ring seating issue. I suggest reading the plugs looking for a problem cylinder and then going from there.

Good luck

BV

[John O.]

Re: Oil Smoke

Hi Joel

As Bill said, check the spark plugs on that side to see which one is burning oil. Problems could be,plugged oil returns,or the rings on that piston have the gaps in line letting oil through.Check the valve seals.I believe they have a tool out there that screws into the plug hole that has a gauge on it and a fitting that allows you to pump air in the cylinder .It you have a leak,the air pressure will drop. Both valves have to be closed.Air leakage would be from bad seated valves or rings not placed right.

Good luck..................John

[Don Izzo]

Re: Oil Smoke

Joel, I recently went through this exact problem with my 60 283. It Only burned oil from one side after the engine reached full operating temp. All components in the heads were brand new brand name parts. Compression test on all cylinders was within acceptable range with a cold engine, but oil consumption was only noted with a hot engine. I got lots of good advice on this board and would like to pass some of it along to you. My problem was finally remmedied when following the advice of a menber here, I removed the exhaust manifold on the affected side and found wet oil on the exhaust valves. I pulled the head and found several of the new valve seals were shredded . A new machine shop determined the cause to be the failure of the engine rebuilder to properly cut the new valve guides for the late style valve seals used. After the guides where cut and new seals installed the oil consumption immediately stopped. Needless to say I did both sides.

Start with a compression test and maybe a visual inspection of the valve seals . A little difficult to see much of the valve seals but had I known what I was looking for I would have saved myself a lot of sleepless nights. (After it was diagnosed I found small pieces of the blue valve seal material near the oil return passages). If you don't uncover a problem with the compression test then progress to a cylinder leak down test. Do these tests with both a cold and hot engine to insure no changes.

It was suggested to me that it could be a bad seal on the intake manifold but after removing the carb and looking into the manifold, I realized just how difficult this diagnosis would be.

Don

If this doesn't help I assure you the guys who visit this board will have your engine running like a tiger in no time!

[mike mccagh]

Re: Oil Smoke

did your run the engine at about 2500 RPM for 20 to 30 minutes at start-up time to seat the rings? mike

[Joel T.]

Re: Oil Smoke

I did, but not for that long of a time.... We also had some problems with initial timing which made running the engine difficult at first. My guess is that we ran it at that RPM for only a couple to three minutes.

[mike mccagh]

Re: Oil Smoke

therein may lay your problem. the rings take that rpm and time to seat properly in my experience. how many minutes have you got on the engine since startup? if only three minutes or so, you may want to try the breakin procedure outlined previously. good luck, mike

[Joel T.]

Re: Oil Smoke

Mike,

I just went out to do just that. Ran the car at 2500 for almost 20 minutes. The good news is that the smoke, which started up again when I started the car, went away, and was clean for about 10+ minutes. The bad news was that the expansion tank cap let loose at about 20 minutes and I had to shut her down, quickly. She's cooling down right now... But while she was running hard, everythig looked good.

I need to do some more checking, and probably add a gallon on anti-freeze.

Joel

[mike mccagh]

Re: Oil Smoke

sounds like you've cured the problem. let us know when it's got more miles on it.mike

[Joel T.]

Re: Oil Smoke

Thanks Mike, and all the rest of you guys!

This is the first restoration project for me. Between this and about 17 other "issues" which have surfaced since I put this '63 back together, I think I have accumulated many many new grey hairs!

I'll keep you posted!

Regards,

Joel