Just got a 1976 ford f350/ 400cid engine (265,000 kms). Previous owner said it sat over winter and when started had blue smoke out of left side exhaust pipe only.
Pulled out plugs and driver side plugs were badly fouled with oil + crankcase was somewhat overfilled. After cleaning plugs/changed oil runs good but still piles of blue smoke and when reved high some oil on ground from exhaust.
There is a sticker that says the engine was rebuilt, and our neighbor thinks that engine sludge/junk from having it sit too long is the only problem and that running hotter plugs/ +ignition tune up is all it needs.
How do you tell whether this problem is just "crap in the engine" , or worn valve guides/seals, or needs new rings?
I dont want to put hotter plugs in until i know they wont foul up right away.
2007-03-20 07:05:28 · 11 answers · asked by cool_camaro81 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
You've got busted piston rings.
Valve guides wouldn't smoke that much.
Do a compression test.
2007-03-20 07:11:25 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. KnowItAll 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The least expensive way to tell if the rings are bad is to have a compression test done on the engine. If the rings don't seal the combustion chamber you'll lose pressue under compression and leak it past the rings. You should also have a cylinder leak down test done for the valves at the same time. Its worth investing in the diagnosis rather than spending money trying to fix something severe.
If the PCV valve is clogged from sludge the engine won't vent the crankcase pressure and it will force the oil into the engine past the piston rings. That would be the first thing to change. Still, if the car is new to you, do the compression test and the cylinder leak down tests.
As a note, the valve seals will usually cause blue smoke when you decelerate and the throttle snaps shut rather than on acceleration or when reving the engine.
hope that helps
2007-03-20 07:14:06 · answer #2 · answered by honda guy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A simple inspection by removing one of the valve covers may tell you of the sludge build up. If the motor was rebuilt, how many miles on the rebuild? Was it professionally done? The problem may be in the workmanship of the person that built it. Sitting through the winter CAN cause the rings to set but there are a lot of variables. (Moisture-time sitting-was the motor prepped to sit?) Oil burning is a touchy subject! It is best to find "THE" problem by testing (cylinder leakage test- compression test- visual inspection). Be careful going to hotter plugs. Yes, it can burn some of the excess oil but you could develop another condition called "DETONATION". What this means is: when a substance in the combustion chamber gets hot enough, it can ignite the air/fuel mixture before the spark plug (at the correct timing). This is also known as pinging! This condition can actually burn a hole in the piston or damage the valves.
At the very least, do a compression test! It could show rings or valves but at least you can identify which cylinder and how bad it is.
2007-03-20 07:37:46 · answer #3 · answered by RICK C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like your intake gasket on the drivers side is not
sealed. This would allow the engine to pull oil internally into
the cylinders. You can do a compression test on the cylinders
to check for worn rings, valve guides and or head gasket issues.
2007-03-20 07:29:18 · answer #4 · answered by D-Bone 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was overfilled with oil because it burned so much the guy dumped in two quarts at a time. The sludge isn't from sitting. He probably made that sticker in his garage.
Betcha dollars to pocket lint a compression check gives you readings all over the place. The previous owner sold you a junker.
2007-03-20 10:08:24 · answer #5 · answered by Nomadd 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If the problem was valve guides/seals, you would most likely see the blue smoke when accelerating only. Otherwise, I would say that it's a ring problem.
2007-03-20 08:18:34 · answer #6 · answered by jmt454 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Another suggestion check the torque settings on the bolts of that head?? A bad head gasket seal, if it had been rebuilt and not put back together right??
2007-03-20 07:21:08 · answer #7 · answered by eks_spurt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Valve stem oil seals are badly worn and need replacing, Oil is getting in to the cylinders.
2016-03-29 08:42:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i dont think theres anything major wrong with the engine.sounds to me like the valve seals are leaking on that side.
2007-03-20 07:14:42 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You mean you just got "f"ed by a 1976 Ford F350. Time for a rebuild...
Unless you know who rebuilt it, you know nothing.
Good luck.
2007-03-20 07:20:58 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋