I Learned a Lesson…

[nonstop]

Hi all,

 

Just thought I might pass along a quick little lesson I learned yesterday as a PSA…

 

So my Royal with a Hemi has been blowing blue smoke after sustained highway runs, but not around town or in stop and go traffic.

 

Well through deduction (and because it already happened before), I concluded I had a plugged oil return hole.  After pulling off the valve cover on the side that was clogged last time, I was met with a head covered with sludge.  I proceeded to clean it off best I could and then blow any loose stuff off (mess in itself).  
 

So now comes the time to clean the oil returns.  I forgot there are only 2.  I take out the gun cleaning kit.  I run a .357 brush down the rear hole (like last time).  It works pretty well.  I move to the front.  It is met with some resistance.  After a little wiggling, it frees up and I pull the rod out - without the brush on the end.  I briefly panic thinking the worst and I might have to do major surgery to get the brush out of an oil return passage.  Long story short, I was able to get it pushed through and now have a barrel brush in the oil pan to be fished out at next oil change. 
 

Moral of the story - be careful what you shove down the oil holes!

Edited July 27, 2022 by nonstop

[Bryan]

4 hours ago, nonstop said:

Hi all,

 

Just thought I might pass along a quick little lesson I learned yesterday as a PSA…

 

So my Royal with a Hemi has been blowing blue smoke after sustained highway runs, but not around town or in stop and go traffic.

 

Well through deduction (and because it already happened before), I concluded I had a plugged oil return hole.  After pulling off the valve cover on the side that was clogged last time, I was met with a head covered with sludge.  I proceeded to clean it off best I could and then blow any loose stuff off (mess in itself).  
 

So now comes the time to clean the oil returns.  I forgot there are only 2.  I take out the gun cleaning kit.  I run a .357 brush down the rear hole (like last time).  It works pretty well.  I move to the front.  It is met with some resistance.  After a little wiggling, it frees up and I pull the rod out - without the brush on the end.  I briefly panic thinking the worst and I might have to do major surgery to get the brush out of an oil return passage.  Long story short, I was able to get it pushed through and now have a barrel brush in the oil pan to be fished out at next oil change. 
 

Moral of the story - be careful what you shove down the oil holes!

That's like me and the pressure washer sticking it in the core plug holes to clean the eater passages.  Pushing the colored heads back is how you remove them.  A quick bump and I was 15 minutes fishing out the yellow head from between 2 cylinders.