Well, with the help of this board I ressurected my high school 1970 maverick after 13 years of sitting under a cover OUTSIDE! Drained the fluids, refreshed a few things and WHOLA it started. Water in oil so I pulled the engine and changed head gaskets, problem solved. Started to do other things, new rear, stall converter etc.. Been running great as I flogged alll the new parts. Today after a flogging I noticed a fair amount of smoke from the drivers side exhaust. The wrong color too, Light blue. Oil, yes? Pulled the plugs on that side and the electrodes were perfect light gray color. The threads on the plug and the recess where the electrode protrudes from had burnt oil on it. Cleaned them real good pout them back in and made a few pulls to 5ooorpm. Blue smoke was back and the plugs were again perfect on the electrode but oil residue on the threads. Am I missing something or do I have ring problems? After sitting for so long nothing owuld surprise me. Although when I parked it the engine had less than 5000 miles on a total rebuild (balanced etc) and only 5 or 6 1/4 mile blasts. (Low 13's with 3.00 gears and no stall) WHAT TO DO???? If I pull the engine again I guess it is AFR time etc... Any ideas, is it rings or maybe just valve seals? How does one tell the difference? Scotty
Usually smoke only on startup is valve seals. Chevy smallblocks are good for that. In my experience the smoke you are seeing out of one of the banks could very well go away after time. I have messed with old cars sitting and they usually do some smoking for some time after they have been brought to life. I always change oil pretty quick again. I think if you ran a compression check you would know exactly what was going on. Dont give up on the motor yet. Even some stale gas will give off some smoke. Just stuff I have experienced over the years. Dan
I kind of like Dan's idea of a compression test on all cylinders. See if there is a difference between left and right cylinders. If you find a low one - pump a couple of squirts of heavy 50W oil in the plug hole and test again. This will raise the compression on a good cylinder some, but if it really makes a low or marginal cylinder jump high, it could be a cracked ring. Also - just for giggles - pull the tranny vacuum modulator hose off the manifold and look to see if there is oil there. A blown or leaky tranny modulator valve will suck oil into the intake from the tranny. I had one blow completely out one time and make a batman smoke screen, but I have heard of them leaking off slowly and pulling oil intermittently. Cleaver
Good Ideas-keep em coming There is NO smoke on startup, so I am feeling good about the heads. I will try the other thoughts. I have ran a couple of hundred miles so I think it is getting worked in. Scotty
Breather cap Today after a short drive I pulled the oil breather cap out of the valve cover. It was covered in milky substance on the inside, kinda thick and water drained from the cap, condensation? Pulle the valve cover off and the insude was milky white on the top but the springs, rods etc were clean oil. Also, the oil in the galley was clean. For the heck of it I threw a feeler gauge under a couple of the arms that were on centerline (or close) and I am ashamed to say 2 of them came in at OVER .50! I know, I know ALWAYS be adjusting solids.. Could that have caused anything like oil burn? Confused here.....Hmmm, ideas? Scotty
Scotty; What kind of oil do you use? Quaker State was famous for that a few years back. Usually, if the engine does not come up to temp, and is shut down, like in short around town trips, it will form sludge in the valve covers, and in the oil pan. Try cleaning it out, go to a 180 or 190 degree stat, and see if it helps. Earl
Run valvoline 30w (California weather) Thermostat is 180deg and car sits at 180* when it is running a lot.. Still confused.. keep em coming. Scotty
have to retorqued your heads since you put on the new head gaskets? you should after about 200 to 300 miles i would start there first
TTT, any new ideas from anyone? Could extremley loose valve lash cause oil burn? Don't see how but had to ask. Scott
