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Topic: Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics (Read 19503 times) previous topic - next topic

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

I swapped the head gaskets. Everything went well. The car is idling great. No smoke, but under acceleration, THICK smoke. I haven't pulled the plugs yet to see what they can tell me. I am starting to think the rings may be heading south on me.

I pulled the tube from the valve cover, and a steady strong stream of air was blowing out. Oil in the intake as well.

I have an extra short block in the garage, and will start getting it together. I have pretty much everything for it except a new water pump and I think I'll grab a new timing cover as well, that way, when the time comes to swap, it'll be ready except for heads and intake.

I also have decided I am going back to the E-303 cam. I always liked that cam. The Ed Curtis cam will find a new home. Ever since I replaced the heads and cam, I've had nothing but trouble and as good as the car looks, it hasn't been worth the effort. SO, kind of going to take a couple of steps back and do some thinking.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #1 –
Is at all the time under acceleration? 

I'd check the valve stem seals before I tore it apart....
-- 05 Mustang GT-Whipplecharged !!
--87 5.0 Trick Flow Heads & Intake - Custom Cam - Many other goodies...3100Lbs...Low12's!

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #2 –
It's just under heavy acceleration. That's it. Under normal driving, it's fine. No smoke.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #3 –
Vinnie, you did a compression test awhile back, no?

Btw, your oil pressure tube mounter upper thing is headed your way in the AM. I misplaced the one that I thought was on my bench, so I took the one from another HO engine, and cleaned it up and it's sitting here on my desk, ready to visit you. Unless you don't want it now, what with your current scenario? :)
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #4 –
I highly doubt it's the camshaft causing the oil burning. It's either valve stem seals (which I doubt if the heads are new) or the rings going south. Unless the lower intake isn't sealed correctly and the engine is sucking oil from the lifter valley.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #5 –
Beau, send it out. Thanks. Also, I'll do a compression test this coming Saturday. I think the rings are going bad. Honestly, I don't care what the problem is, as long as I KNOW what the problem is.

I don't think the cam is the cause at all. I have wondered about the intake as well, but how can I make it seal any better? New gaskets (of course)....Fel Pro Mustang Cobra gaskets., set it down on studs to keep everything lined up, torquing them the correct way.........Is there a thicker intake gasket? I never have wondered that before. LOL.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #6 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;445761

I pulled the tube from the valve cover, and a steady strong stream of air was blowing out. Oil in the intake as well.


If the rings are sealing there should never be blowing from a valve cover... Such condition can be aggravated by a defective PCV valve or maybe it's vac line has collapsed, still anything more than a slight puff means you have a serious problem...

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #7 –
TOM!!! Is that you?!!!! Good to "see" you again. Yeah, I think the rings are probably going as well. I think I'll swap the PCV as well just in case, but as I stated, it has zero smoke under normal driving. But hit the gas, and the smoke show starts. It will smoke until I let off the gas and drive calmly. It's the spirited driving that can't be done at the moment.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #8 –
Another question....how far can the catch can between the PCV and intake be? Mewaning, if I mounted one at the front of the car, near the area where the factory air box was, is that too far away?
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #9 –
I honestly dunno, but as long as there are no vacuum leaks I doubt distance makes a difference...

I take it you've had some oil blowing so added the catch can out of necessity???

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #10 –
I'm going to install one until the replacement engine is ready (*and I have the time to swap it in). It seems to be driving fine under regular conditions. I may have gotten the car up to 45 on the way to work. No issues. But, being who we all are, I would like to run it hard every now and again, so, engine swap in the not so distant future.

As I as asking above, when installing a catch can, do I need to cap off the valve cover and the throttle body, only leaving the PCV valve (Pcv hose to catch can, then catch can to intake)?
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #11 –
There are various ways but I'd just feed it from the breather line at top of oil fill tube, then plug the line into the throttle body... The can does need to be vented or pressure will likely blow the line off, vent could be connected back to throttle body... All this assumes you are using stock setup, valve covers etc...

If blow by is bad enough you may need to increase the line size into catch can, something like 5/8-3/4" heater hose would work at least till the oil softened the rubber...

Another way to connect would be eliminate PCV valve and run the line from back of intake into can leaving connections on front of engine in place... If you go this route use as large of hose that can be fitted into intake soo there is no restriction to can...

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #12 –
I was curious about tha. As it has been, I've been getting oil in my throttle body from the valve cover tube.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #13 –
Would venting the catch can introduce unmetered air into the combustion cycle? I know some guys put a filter between the filler neck and the intake to catch the oil in lieu of a catch can.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Thick gray/blueish smoke....New pics

Reply #14 –
I want to try something for the time I'm driving it, a catch can, filter, anything . I'm going to order rings and bearings for the replacement engine. I don't think it needs them, but Not sure. The replacement engine shows all of the crosshatching to be very visible, no lip on the cylinders, engine spins easily.....But, just in case.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..