Smoking

[Dave72dt]

Those brgs look really bad. Any brg that has corrosion on it should be tossed. It's awfully hard to get a consistant clearance by hand buffing. Typically it'll clearance fine in the center but will be tight on the ends. Check the oil bore holes in the crank and take a good look at the oil pump also. I prefer to use a white lithium gease on the brgs and piston skirts. It'll stay there no matter how long an engine sits before it's fired up.

[Dave72dt]

Pistons look more like an oil carbon than a soot carbon. Carb is probably fine.

[JBNeal]

I reckon if the carb was running rich, you'd have black smoke out the tailpipe and there'd be soot in that area too, as well as the spark plugs being a li'l dry carbon fouled. I ain't seen bearings do that before, but it sure looks like the bearing materials are delaminating. The oxidation you cleaned off with steel wool might have been an indication that there had been some chemical damage to the bearings, but that's just a guess.

Another thing to consider is the placement of the rings on the piston. I remember reading somewhere that the oil ring gap should be in one location, and the other rings should be located 90° from each other. If the ring gaps were too close, then I reckon some oil burning took place, although that would show up on the spark plugs.

Check the pistons & rings thoroughly for any pits, cracks or pitting. My guess is that some of the rings will show some damage from contacting loose material from the bearings, if they got up that far. If the cylinder walls are undamaged, then clean up the pistons and re-use.

[HanksB3B]

It was that I had put too much, too light of an oil in the air cleaner. I think my engine got more than a few gulps of oil, but I caught it in time before things got too fouled. I was told to use a 60 heavy weight NON-DETERGENT oil. Detergent oils dissolve the contaminants whereas non-detergent oils make them settle to the bottom of the air filter.

I'm interested in this thread as a novice and don't fully comprehend what went wrong with your engine like some of the more experienced contributors to this thread seem to.

I do question driving with the bed "filled to the brim" at 3,000rpm. Did you drive up the hill near the Getty, then up and over the hill near Thousand Oaks, . Might be a good option to pick up Reg's 230 L6 in the meantime. I'd sure like to have one engine in and the other on an engine stand. How's your new job?

Hank

[Don Coatney]

Detergent oils dissolve the contaminants whereas non-detergent oils make them settle to the bottom of the air filter.

Hank

I question this use of detergent verses non detergent in this application. I would think any oil will work equally as well. The oil is used as a dust particulate collector. Once the dust particulates have been collected they will remain in the oil irrevelent of the oil used.

Light oil should work well, heavy oil should work well, detergent oil should work well, non detergent oil should work well, sewing machine oil should work well, ATF should work well, water would work well but it will evaporate.

Please explain further why one oil works better than the other???

[Dave72dt]

My understanding is detergent oil holds contaminants in suspension while non detergent will let them settle. Used to work on a lot of farm tractors that used an oil bath filter. Our policy was to use whatever was poured in the crankcase also went in the filter. Biggest problem was the lack of air filter service. If serviced on a regular basis, it won't make any difference.

[HanksB3B]

My understanding is detergent oil holds contaminants in suspension while non detergent will let them settle. Used to work on a lot of farm tractors that used an oil bath filter. Our policy was to use whatever was poured in the crankcase also went in the filter. Biggest problem was the lack of air filter service. If serviced on a regular basis, it won't make any difference.

I'm not down on the farm (although I wish I were) The book calls for a heavy weight oil in the air filter. In a former thread "Stalling" my engine was getting a gulp of oil every now and then (going over a speed bump or a swale). My mistake was using too much oil but the same oil from the crankcase Valvoline Synthetic 10 w 30 was too thin and sloshing over the carb. Right now I'm using some Castrol straight 30 weight because I had an unopened leftover, but I intend to switch to whatever the book calls for. I think it's something like 60weight. I do buy into the non-detergent advice I got from the best engine shop around So. CA, but I also buy into the theory of changing it at the same time as the engine oil. John T-53 don't mean to Detour this thread I know you have more important concerns I do wonder about the carbon build up and have my own thoughts on how that happened but I not saying anything right now. I am wondering how much oil you had in your air cleaner though.

Thanks,

Hank

Edited March 26, 2010 by HanksB3B

[Dave72dt]

The oil bathes I worked with were not mounted directly to the carb and we didn't use synthetics. Only two brands available at the time and none for diesel. 10w30 or 15w40 depending on gas or diesel. Remote filters probably reason for no sloshing into carb as these tractors bounced a lot over rough fields.

[JBNeal]

I had a smoking problem on the '48 a couple of years ago...I drove it into town to run some errands, and I keep it under 40 because of the roads & the traffic. The first hard right I make into a business driveway brought a li'l smoke into the cab, and the stench of gear oil. Upon further inspection, it looks like I forgot to tighten that li'l screw to the air cleaner:

[Reg Evans]

Oops !....that'll leave a mark.

[Merle Coggins]

I had a smoking problem on the '48 a couple of years ago...I drove it into town to run some errands, and I keep it under 40 because of the roads & the traffic. The first hard right I make into a business driveway brought a li'l smoke into the cab, and the stench of gear oil. Upon further inspection, it looks like I forgot to tighten that li'l screw to the air cleaner:

Hey, that looks familiar. When I first got my truck done I debuted it at the WPC meet in PA. While driving around out there it started sounding funny, but nothing alarming. At one stop Byron (Byronb3b) came over to check out my truck. I opened the hood and saw my air cleaner looking very much like yours. I had converted mine to a paper element so there was no oil to spill. When I put it back on I made sure that the screw was TIGHT. It hasn't come off again, so far.

Merle

[HanksB3B]

I had to use a piece of plastic tubing on the inside diameter of the clamp before I could tighten the clamp enough that I couldn't pull it off the carb or that it wouldn't rattle like crazy.

Hank

[Young Ed]

Hank do you have the gasket on top of the carb?

[HanksB3B]

Ed,

Are you talking about a round gasket that fits the air horn part of the carb and the air filter attaches to? Then the answer is no. Or are you talking about a flat gasket holding the air horn to the carburator body then the answer is yes. Is there something here I never seen so I don't know it's missing?

Thanks,

Hank

[John-T-53]

Update: Rods are at the machine shop getting checked out and reconditioned if necessary. #1 looked like it got really hot due to oil burned on the surface around the crank area. The guys there seem to think it was the bearings that failed because they weren't the steel/copper-backed type, and couldn't take the loading they were subject to. Thank God for the forged crank!

Another question that came up is regarding orientation of the pistons. Does it matter which side of the block the expansion slit faces? Or, do pistons from these flatties have an offset pivot point?

Hopefully the ol'gal will be back on the road by next weekend!

[Merle Coggins]

Ed,

Are you talking about a round gasket that fits the air horn part of the carb and the air filter attaches to? Then the answer is no.

Hank

Yes Hank, you need a gasket between the carb and the air cleaner. This will help keep it tight and also keep dust from being drawn through that area.

Merle

[Merle Coggins]

Another question that came up is regarding orientation of the pistons. Does it matter which side of the block the expansion slit faces? Or, do pistons from these flatties have an offset pivot point?

Do you mean this slot?

When I disassembled my engine I made sure to take pictures of this when I noticed the slot on only one side. This slot faced the non numbered side of the rod. This would also be the side away from the oil hole that would face the camshaft.

However, my replacement pistons didn't have that and appeared to be symetrical so it didn't matter. The pistons are all the same... no offset. The rods, however, do have an offset and won't go in wrong. I found this out when assembling my engine and accidently grabbed #6 and tried to put it into #1 hole. The rod wouldn't line up with the crank journal and it took be a while to figure out what I did wrong. That's when I discovered the offset. Get 'em all in the right holes and they fit fine.

Merle

[HanksB3B]

Yes Hank, you need a gasket between the carb and the air cleaner. This will help keep it tight and also keep dust from being drawn through that area.

Merle

I don't ever remember seeing a gasket between the air horn and the air filter. A picture (is it a large o-ring?) or a part number and a source would be outstanding.

Thanks,

Hank

[Reg Evans]

I have made several out of the thin cardboard found on the back of a note pad for some of my aircleaners that wouldn't quite tighten u. Solved the loosness problem.

[HanksB3B]

Yesterday I pumped gear oil into the differential and the transmission. I decided to use it in the air filter, thinking 1. It's considerably heavier than any of the oils I currently have available in onesy, twosey quart bottles I have laying around and 2. It's most likely non-detergent. Happy so far, it should work just fine, it's not a critical, high spec item, just a dirt and dust catch-all. When I looked at the plastic tube, it had crushed and formed into what I would gess is the configuration of the gasket that should be there. I't's holding tight and not rattling around. But I am Curious what Merle has.

Hank

Edited March 29, 2010 by HanksB3B

[JBNeal]

if ya look close at the pic of the tipped-over air filter housing, the carb.mounting gasket is directly below it on the fuel pump splash guard. This gasket is found in a Fel-Pro gasket set, probably 3/32" thk rubber or thereabouts. Your plastic 'crush' gasket sounds just as good, if it doesn't deteriorate from heat+vibration.

[John-T-53]

Do you mean this slot?

When I disassembled my engine I made sure to take pictures of this when I noticed the slot on only one side. This slot faced the non numbered side of the rod. This would also be the side away from the oil hole that would face the camshaft.

However, my replacement pistons didn't have that and appeared to be symetrical so it didn't matter. The pistons are all the same... no offset. The rods, however, do have an offset and won't go in wrong. I found this out when assembling my engine and accidently grabbed #6 and tried to put it into #1 hole. The rod wouldn't line up with the crank journal and it took be a while to figure out what I did wrong. That's when I discovered the offset. Get 'em all in the right holes and they fit fine.

Merle

Yep that's the one! I believe the slot on mine was facing the valves, like the oil squirt hole in the rods. Looks like your engine was running on fruit cake before the rebuild!

I checked the #6 crank journal again to make sure it was within specs and it's round to .0002". #1 is within .0001".

[MBF]

I made a gasket out of the top of a laundry detergent bottle (big neck type) from right under the cap. The tapered area matched perfectly. It eliminates the rattles, and seals it up nicely. Mike

[John-T-53]

Truck is still on lockdown, and I'm sad I had to miss the bbq and great weather last weekend in the valley....but I'm coming along with the repair.

The rods are reconditioned and I have a nice set of new bearings. The rods were bell mouthed .002". I'm working on getting a refund through Egge for the parts and labor.

In addition to all that, #1 exhaust valve was loose (valve guide already worn!), so I took it out and noticed the guide installed upside down and 1/8" too low in the block. (The shop manual and tech page on this site say to install exhaust guides w/ counterbore up, 7/8" below top of block.

I removed all the other exhaust valves and ordered new guides. The remaining guides are about 15/16" from the deck. I'm getting the truck towed to a local machine shop to get new guides installed and valve seats recut next week. Then, I can proceed with the bottom end reassembly. Ugh!

The machinist who did this motor for me originally said it doesn't matter what direction the guides are installed. He put them all in from the bottom with the tapered end up. From what I read on here, it DOES matter, and could this be the reason why I had excessive guide wear at 3,000 miles and smoking?? I found lots of carbon in the tappet chamber! What do you think?

Edited April 21, 2010 by John-T-53

[MBF]

I just did a valve job on my 230 this past Winter. All of the guides had the beveled end up. I pulled apart what was a running 230 for a parts source and all of those we bevel up too. That parts motor had been rebuilt years ago by a very competent and fussy mechanic and ran for many years as a daily driver-he took it off the road when a tree fell across the hood. I replaced the guides that needed replacing in the same orientation that they came out. Only 2 out of 12 were worn-#3 intake, and #6 exhaust. Mike