Burning oil...

[Tram]

Ok, so I'm burning oil.. A lot of oil..

Got some new exhaust, was inspecting it and found this:

I'm pretty sure it's the left bank, as before I got this new exhaust put on, it had true duals and the left side was blowing oil onto the rearend.

So, to start isolating what might be the issue, could anyone look over the attached pictures and video to see if there is anything OBVIOUSLY out if place to a 351W guru?

I'd greatly appreciate it..

http://youtu.be/v4QInK9VgDo

http://youtu.be/Z9PnNMkUuZs

 

[broncnaz]

Honestly the pictures do no good. Of course if your really burning oil then you should have clouds of blue smoke coming out of the exhuast. If its really bad and oil is actually spitting out the exhuast then the oil on you new pipes could be from a spot that has a leak.
Most likely tho you have a oil leak that is dripping on the exhuast and begore was blowing back on your rear axle. look for drips above the exhuast pipe.

 

[lil bronco]

You need a breather cap in that drivers side valve cover don't ya? That motor got to breath!

 

[Tram]

Of course if your really burning oil then you should have clouds of blue smoke coming out of the exhuast.

Like this?

http://youtu.be/Z9PnNMkUuZs

You need a breather cap in that drivers side valve cover don't ya? That motor got to breath!

Good point.. Would the lack of breather cause it to burn oil? Seems like it might.

 

[broncnaz]

Yes pretty much like that. While a breather cap will help a little its doubtful you'll stop burning oil. Oil bruning is not totally due to the PCV valve. Burning oil is due to bad rings and or valve guides and seals.

The blow by that the PCV system is desgined to pull out of the engine is unbrunt gases that escape past the rings. While there may be some oil in thoses gases its usually not that much.

 

[Tram]

Yeh, I guess I need to do a compression test and a leak down and see if the rings are bad and go from there..

Has be considering pulling the 302 out of my '66 that is quite a ways from being finished and throwing it in the '74.

 

[blubuckaroo]

A compression test is a good idea. I made the mistake once of condemning a good motor. It's only problem was a badly split intake manifold gasket. It sucked the oil right out of the lifter galley. Ran like crap too.

 

[Rustytruck]

If the motor passes compression and leakdown tests pull the valve cover and check for sluge and crap blocking oil drain back passeges in the head. Any oil sitting on top gets sucked down the old valve stem seals. The valve stem seals may need replacing too. This can be done with the motor in the truck but is a pain in the backside. Replacing the valve cover gaskit and adding a breather to the valve cover will probably help with your external leakage on your ehaust syatem.

 

[Tram]

I think the oil isn't leaking externally onto the exhaust, there appears to be a leak at the edge of the collector and it's coming from INSIDE the exhaust...

 

[DirtDonk]

Even if it doesn't stop the oil burning, you MUST correct your internal crankcase ventilation system's function before running it anymore.
It's just not doing your engine any good, and certainly could be contributing to your issue.
Both in the short term, AND especially in the long term.

How long have you been running the engine?

Paul

 

[Tram]

I have only driven it about an hour. To and from the exhaust shop/tire shop.

No idea how much the PO's drove it like that.

That said, I picked up new PCV and breather valves today..

I also ran a compression test..

108 on 7 of 8 cylinders..

#8 is definitely my trouble spot, which jives with the left bank theory I had.. Tested it 6 times..

0, 0, 108, 90, 0, 0..

I'm thinking stuck valve?

 

[Tram]

Decided to pull the valve cover and see what we could see....

 

[DirtDonk]

Interesting rocker geometry you got there Hoss...

Paul

 

[Tram]

Interesting rocker geometry you got there Hoss...

I like my rides artsy..

So.. I guess there are two answers to my quandry..

A.) New cam/pushrods/rocker and whatever else was massaged when this happened

B.) Pull this engine/tranny and replace it with the 302/3 speed I've got sitting in my "not quite finished" '66..

B seems like the more plausible idea for getting back on the road quickly. Throw the 351 on the stand and build it this fall and then swap them back around, put the 351 back in the '74..

Either way, the 351 is looking at some work and I might as well throw it on the stand and take my time with it. If the transmission was in tip-top shape on the '74, I'd just pull the grill, throw a new cam/etc into it and let her rip, but since the transmission is already in need of some help, it makes sense to take it all out..

Boy, I love a project.. LOL..

 

[broncnaz]

You might get away with just replacing a pushrod. but your compression numbers are a little low the engine is tired and how #8 pulled 108 is beyond me with a intake valve not working. Definitly should have had signs and sounds of that vale/pushrod.
Id say your #1 cylinder readings are probably ok you just have a issue testing it.

So really swapping your other good 302 in is really a better choice. You dont have to swap transmissions. Its really a straight forward engine exchange.

 

[Tram]

You might get away with just replacing a pushrod. but your compression numbers are a little low the engine is tired and how #8 pulled 108 is beyond me with a intake valve not working. Definitly should have had signs and sounds of that vale/pushrod.
Id say your #1 cylinder readings are probably ok you just have a issue testing it.

So really swapping your other good 302 in is really a better choice. You dont have to swap transmissions. Its really a straight forward engine exchange.

I wrote that incorrectly.. It's the #8 cylinder that had the worst readings.. 0, 0, 108, 90, 0 and 0.. I'm with you, I don't understand how it read a 108 at any point in time, but it did..

A co-worker and I were just talking about just swapping a pushrod and seeing what happens.. I'm tempted to try it, just to see if I could get through the summer..

The only reason I'd swap the transmission is that it's (the '74) got a warped flywheel and gets the ole' shudder step going.. I have a spare C4 that I had planned on rebuilding and swapping into it later..

 

[DirtDonk]

When you did the compression check, did you hold the throttle all the way open?

Paul

 

[Tram]

When you did the compression check, did you hold the throttle all the way open?

Paul

Honestly, no.. I didn't.. I'll do it again tomorrow and see what happens..

I think I'm going to locate a pushrod and a rocker arm, check the lash and see what happens...

 

[DirtDonk]

Sounds like a plan.
While the open-throttle method won't help a bad cylinder, it will very likely bring up the numbers a bit. Might turn out you have good compression after all.
If it goes up to around 120-ish, you're starting to get in the sweet spot. Typical street engine (depending on the cam profile) might be anywhere from 120-125, to 150-160 or so, I would think.

And your other cylinders were so consistent that I'm gambling on the numbers coming up just about right.

Crossing fingers for luck anyway. After all, can't just count on the real world without giving it a helping hand up, right? ;D

Paul

 

[Tram]

Well, you were right.

I redid the test, this time - I warmed the engine up, last compression check was cold and used the full throttle method.. I still wasn't able to get it up to operating temp, as it started smoking and unfortunately my hoity-toity neighborhood does not appreciate my new mosquito repellent device. So I stopped at the first signs of smoke.

Numbers were much better for all cylinders, with the exception of #8.. It was still showing zero.. Lowest cylinder was 115, best I got was 123.. So all much better..

I need to round up a pushrod and a rocker arm and give it a shot.