Best advice -L-36 blue smoke -rebuild time??

[Duke W.]

Re: Best advice -L-36 blue smoke -rebuild time??

Keith - I think your diagnosis is on the mark. The diagnostics indicate a possible ring problem in #3. The other cylinders look basically okay.

The next diagnostic test to conduct is a bore scope inspection of #3. Most good mechanics have a flexible tube bore scope that can be used to inspect the cylinder walls with the piston at BDC, and the spark plug hole orientation may allow the use of a cheaper rigid tube borescope.

If there are no significant score marks, then the problem could be a "sticky ring", which is not unusual for a 40 year old low mileage engine, especially if it sat a lot with dirty oil!

Sometimes sticky rings can be "unstuck" with a good detergent package like in C-category oil, and there are some oil supplements that have even more detergent that can be used to aid the process. The Bardahl product you added might be such a product.

With a crankcase full of detergent, get it hot, and drive it hard, and the ring may unstick itself.

I think you should follow this course for some time rather than tearing into an original low mileage engine.

If you live in my neck of the woods I would be glad to help out with "Italian Tuneups" as I know of plenty or roads to give a car a helluva workout, and I have logged a lot of racing and track time events in the last 45 years.


Duke

[Keith B.]

Re: Best advice -L-36 blue smoke -rebuild time??

Duke/Joe: I do wish I was closer to you in Cali, I'm 2 hrs north of Seattle in Vancouver, BC Canada - BC NCRS Chapter.

It has been recommended to me before that with all the carbon and junk that comes out of my 1,000 mile oil changes ( Diesel of course ) that I seek out a professional "hot-oil flush" for my 66. I'm told a local dealer has a very high power Snap-On oil flush system that he believes in, others have told me it will do more harm that good. Not sure about that now that I have learned I have a real problem at # 3.

Is it advisable to still drive the car Duke, obviously it is under performing with this diagnosis, burning oil and more gas, am I risking further damage by driving it further?? ALso told I'm looking at a $ 6,000 to $ 10,000 rebuild bill to do this engine right.......sure wish I was more mechanically inclined........back to you......and thank-you again. K

[Duke W.]

Re: Best advice -L-36 blue smoke -rebuild time??

I'm somewhat suspicious of "engine flushing" (maybe others have some first hand experience), but first things first - get the bore scope inspection, then try some Italian tuneups if the walls are not scored. Driving the car hard should not cause any more damage/problems than already exist, and I know you have some great two-lane blacktop in BC. Once the rain (and snow) stops give it some hard use this summer and see what happens.

If a summer of hard driving doesn't free up the ring you can try the engine flush.

Another question - peering through the oil fill hole in the valve cover can you see significant sludge buildup?

If the oil gets dirty quickly, the detergents are doing the job.

Duke

[Chris E.]

Re: Best advice -L-36 blue smoke -rebuild time??

Keith,
Please forgive me if this is duplicate advice, but since everyone else has addressed the technical parts of the rebuild, I wanted to address the softer sides.

You asked about "finding the right person to preserve the pad". I would say two things. First, that should be held in second place to the quality of the shop. Second, you can and should expect any shop to follow your directions on the rebuild (including to preserve the pad).

Overall, I would say that you talk about how important the pad is EARLY and OFTEN and THROUGHOUT the rebuild process. Visit the shop multiple times throughout the rebuild to show the owner and workers that you are very serious about the quality of their work and their attention to your instructions.

Lastly, WRITE IT ON THE SERVICE ORDER. We're talking about preserving what is probably thousands of dollars of inherent value for your car. If you don't write it down on the shop service order, it will be MUCH harder to pursue other actions later on. (which you hopefully won't need to do)

If you don't think these actions are strong enough, tell them that the engine rebuild cost will have to be cut in half if they grind the pad down. That'll get their attention.

[Keith B.]

Re: Best advice -L-36 blue smoke -rebuild time??

Thanks Duke, will go to the next step and follow your best advice. I have the valve cover off a few times and it is clean, clear with NO sludge build-up. When I change my diesel grade oil, almost immediately the clean oil goes black.........there is not doubt in my mind that having the car sit for yrs there is lots of carbon build-up. Keith.

[Dick W.]

Re: Best advice -L-36 blue smoke -rebuild time??

I have had good results with pouring Marvel Mystery Oil in cylinders to unstick rings. Pour it in, leave it for several days, crank engine over with plugs out to blow the MMO out. Reinstall plugs and drive.