smokin

[hkestes41]

Ok,

I took a chance on a 53 model 218 that came with an overdrive. Really only wanted the overdrive but he would not seperate the two and I ended up getting him down to $275 so don't think I got hurt at all.

Anyway I talked to the guys mechanic who was putting the Hemi in his 53 suburban and both said the engine ran great with no problems. So, as I said I took a chance, cleaned both up, painted, added my new offy intake, carbs, headers etc and put them in my coupe.

Engine seems to run good and no problems with the transmission in standard mode (don't have the electrical hooked up yet), but the engine smokes like crazy out the road draft tube. Nothing out the exhaust, but when I look in the mirror it looks like I am driving some kind of old beater.

What's the deal? I would think that if I am getting enough blowby to produce that much smoke out of the draft tube it would be smoking out the tailpipes. Any suggestions? If nothing else, I guess I will just add a PCV and drive it while I rebuild my old engine.

[Plymouthy Adams]

see Lou Earle's post on this subject..he uses the marvel myster oil treatment to the gas..very heavy mix if I remember right...then runs that puppy to temp for a long run...seems to free up rings that may be on teh verge of sticking..sticking rings will cause extreme amount of blow by in you engine as eveident of the draft tube huffing as it is...else..the rings are very worn...

[Don Coatney]

Remove your oil fill tube cap with the engine running. On a healthy engine you will see almost nothing. On a non healthy engine you will see a blast of white/blue smoke every time the bad cylinder/cylinders fires. Place the palm of your hand over the oil fill tube and on a healthy engine you will feel nothing. Do the same on a non healthy engine and you will feel a pulsation. The draft tube and the oil fill tube are common. This is a good test of the health of the engine. Have you done a compression test? That is another test of the health of the engine.

Before you start disassembly you might want to do a search on this forum of bonami. Some here have applied a snake oil cure with good results on non healthy engine.

[hkestes41]

Remove your oil fill tube cap with the engine running. On a healthy engine you will see almost nothing. On a non healthy engine you will see a blast of white/blue smoke every time the bad cylinder/cylinders fires. Place the palm of your hand over the oil fill tube and on a healthy engine you will feel nothing. Do the same on a non healthy engine and you will feel a pulsation. The draft tube and the oil fill tube are common. This is a good test of the health of the engine. Have you done a compression test? That is another test of the health of the engine.

Before you start disassembly you might want to do a search on this forum of bonami. Some here have applied a snake oil cure with good results on non healthy engine.

Don,

Thanks for the advice. Did as you suggested and removed the fill cap. Noticed that the smoke out the draft tube decreased significantly within 15 to 20 seconds. I had soaked the filter in the cap in gas to clean it out before installing the engine but guess I didn't get it clean. Used about 1/2 a can o carb cleaner on it and it has made a big difference.

Never though that the fill cap filter being clogged could have made that much difference.

[hkestes41]

Bit of an update and questions.

I replaced the draft tube with a PCV valve plumbed directly to a threaded port on my Offy intake. Now the engine is smoking out of the Oil FIll Tube.

In fact I ran the engine with the oil fill cap off and then noticed oil spatters all over the distributor and plug wires. Oil level is actually about 1/2 quart low so it is not because it is overfilled.

1) Could the smoke have shifted to the oil fill tube because the PCV valve spring is too strong?

2) What engine should I be using a PCV valve from on this engine?

3) Should I expect oil to be expelled from the fill tube when the cap is off?

4) If not any idea what could be causing this?

5) Any suggestions for addressing the smoke or oil out the fill tube?

[Don Coatney]

1) Could the smoke have shifted to the oil fill tube because the PCV valve spring is too strong?

The oil fill tube and the draft tube are common openings directly to the crank case.

2) What engine should I be using a PCV valve from on this engine?

Not sure but a PCV valve is not going to fix your engine.

3) Should I expect oil to be expelled from the fill tube when the cap is off?

Yes with broken rings or a broken piston.

4) If not any idea what could be causing this?

See #3 above. Have you done a compresion test?

5) Any suggestions for addressing the smoke or oil out the fill tube?

Rebuild your engine.

[hkestes41]

I think I may have identified the source of the smoking.

Number 2 piston is missing a significant chunk of the edge. Also a much smaller divit in the edge of number 1 that shows as the light square spot along the edge facing number 2.

[Don Coatney]

I think I may have identified the source of the smoking.

Number 2 piston is missing a significant chunk of the edge. Also a much smaller divit in the edge of number 1 that shows as the light square spot along the edge facing number 2.

Why does that not surprise me? Welcome to the club. Here is how I paid my dues.

[Young Ed]

My truck came with no engine as the PO blew it up and was about to go SBC with it. The car ran for about 2minutes and by the end of the 2min the oil pressure had dropped to 0 and the bearings were knocking away. Never pulled the head to see the pistons though. It went right to the shop for building. I'll say welcome to the club too.

[blueskies]

I think I may have identified the source of the smoking.

Yup...

Here's mine, and it ran great, didn't smoke out the tail pipe, but did have quite a bit of blowby... Two of the pistons had holes in the edges where the top compression ring had escaped into the muffler, and the other four were ready to do the same. The top ring groove was big enough for two rings to stack... 86,000 miles on the clock.

Pete