54 valve cover oil blow out

[Donald M.]

I finally drove my new '54 Corvette on its final test drives on Monday and Tuesday, and the drive home on Wednesday and Thursday. Yea! Total mileage put on the car was close to 800 miles. On the two day drive home I parked my car overnight at my friend's home. His driveway is severely slanted down from garage to street so that when my '54 was parked there the front of the car was higher than the rear of the car. The next day even before I got home my friend sent me pics of a rather large oil spill on his driveway where my '54 was parked. When I got home there was a LOT of oil on the valve cover that had obviously come from the four vents cut into the valve cover. Checking the dip stick showed one quart low. There was never any indication of the engine burning oil on my test drives or drive home. This oil spot on the driveway could have come from some other cause, but I have no knowledge of a leak elsewhere on the car.

Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing or suggestions?

Don Moses
Bayview, TX

p.s. My new '54 Corvette drives and runs like a dream. I absolutely love it.

[Richard M.]

Re: 54 valve cover oil blow out

Don, What a great trip. Wow 800 miles in a '54....Good for you.

I know little about '54's but will ask.....Do they use a road draft tube? Could the drips be from that? Is your friend sure it's engine oil and not transmission fluid? Powerglides were known to burp fluid. Like on our '63 PG.

Rich

[Donald M.]

Re: 54 valve cover oil blow out

Thanks, but the trip was really trips (plural) over four days. The final trip home was about 570 miles in two pretty equal days. You would not believe the general public's reaction to the car. Many had never seen a '54 Corvette. People came up to see the car and ask questions wherever I stopped. Some even wanted pictures. It was very flattering to get so much attention. Here she is...


The fluid is clearish and not colored. I thought automatic trans. fluid was colored. I did not see the spot on Bill's driveway, only a pic. of it. On further thought, the angle of the driveway could have caused trans. fluid to drain past the rear seals, maybe? Only thing is, the trans. just went under a ground up rebuild by a cast iron powerglide guru. Everything is speculation at this point.

Don

Don, What a great trip. Wow 800 miles in a '54....Good for you.

I know little about '54's but will ask.....Do they use a road draft tube? Could the drips be from that? Is your friend sure it's engine oil and not transmission fluid? Powerglides were known to burp fluid. Like on our '63 PG.

Rich

[Mike M.]

Re: 54 valve cover oil blow out

we've driven our 54 from coast to coast twice. fumes exiting valve cover cut-outs a common problem with our 235, inn spite of the engine being rebuilt just before we drove to bend oregon in late '80's. . i simply taped the four cut-outs with aluminum tape. the presence of a road draft tube will allow crankcase pressure to exit at that area. mike

[Joe R.]

Re: 54 valve cover oil blow out

Wow, I'm impressed that you would jump in a 54 and drive it home. Give the old Gal a chance to seat the rings as 800 miles is not enough for chrome rings to seat. Also thinking chrome instead of moly! I am assuming that the engine was rebuilt including the heads with new valve guides and seals. New valve guides is no problem with a good machine shop.Be patient as the oil problem may take care of itself or you could go with Mike's suggestion and seal off the vents for a few hundred miles while you are waiting to see if the problem decreases or stays the same.Good luck with your NEW 1954 Corvette! I love it! That pic is just the ultimate!!!!!!!JR

[Donald M.]

Re: 54 valve cover oil blow out

I'm planning to drive my '54 to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green this summer; ~ 2400 miles round trip, but I may coordinate with a trip to Lime Rock Raceway for the vintage car days. Time will tell.

D.

we've driven our 54 from coast to coast twice. fumes exiting valve cover cut-outs a common problem with our 235, inn spite of the engine being rebuilt just before we drove to bend oregon in late '80's. . i simply taped the four cut-outs with aluminum tape. the presence of a road draft tube will allow crankcase pressure to exit at that area. mike

[Donald M.]

Re: 54 valve cover oil blow out

The engine was rebuilt by Jasper Engines classic engine shop. It received new everything, including hardened valve seats. I now thing the severe parking angle contributed to the oil leak; not transmission fluid, BTW.

D.

Wow, I'm impressed that you would jump in a 54 and drive it home. Give the old Gal a chance to seat the rings as 800 miles is not enough for chrome rings to seat. Also thinking chrome instead of moly! I am assuming that the engine was rebuilt including the heads with new valve guides and seals. New valve guides is no problem with a good machine shop.Be patient as the oil problem may take care of itself or you could go with Mike's suggestion and seal off the vents for a few hundred miles while you are waiting to see if the problem decreases or stays the same.Good luck with your NEW 1954 Corvette! I love it! That pic is just the ultimate!!!!!!!JR

[Joe L.]

Re: 54 valve cover oil blow out

Wow, I'm impressed that you would jump in a 54 and drive it home. Give the old Gal a chance to seat the rings as 800 miles is not enough for chrome rings to seat. Also thinking chrome instead of moly! I am assuming that the engine was rebuilt including the heads with new valve guides and seals. New valve guides is no problem with a good machine shop.Be patient as the oil problem may take care of itself or you could go with Mike's suggestion and seal off the vents for a few hundred miles while you are waiting to see if the problem decreases or stays the same.Good luck with your NEW 1954 Corvette! I love it! That pic is just the ultimate!!!!!!!JR

Joe------


If anyone used chrome rings to rebuild this engine, they were nuts. Modern, pre-lapped, moly (top) rings are the only way to go. This eliminates all the break-in issues and are the best for seal and durability.

[Donald M.]

Re: 54 valve cover oil blow out

Joe------


If anyone used chrome rings to rebuild this engine, they were nuts. Modern, pre-lapped, moly (top) rings are the only way to go. This eliminates all the break-in issues and are the best for seal and durability.

Jasper guarantees the engine for four years. I'm guessing they use the right stuff. You are right about the rings.

D.