Some of you will remember from the other place last I posted I was having intermittent oil burning issues.
It's usually at or near startup. If it smokes, it smokes from the passenger bank, though driver seems to get some smoke once in a while to a lesser extent.
If I've driven the Monaco and gotten her hot and been out for a while it doesn't seem to do it when I startup and idle. Though if I leave it to idle for a minute or two in the driveway it will start to smoke. If I do short startup and move then shutdown, no time idling or time to get hot it'll smoke without fail at next startup.
I've been leaning towards seals and guides.
I did remove the PCV and run, no smoke. Though I did notice blow-by. I don't usually see any with PCV hooked up.
This morning I did a compression check cold all the cylinders except 2 and 4 read around 160. 2 and 4 were just under 150 but within 10% of the others. What was odd to me is those two cylinders read the exact same number. So now I'm thinking perhaps head gaskets as well.
Plugs look ok but smell of gas, on all cylinders. Nothing looks like it's been really burning oil. Unburnt fuel is the smoke perhaps?
I'll go out and get a leakdown tester sometime this week.
Joined: Thu Oct 13 2005, 05:11PM
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 124
czervika wrote ...
Everybody went back to FCBO eh?
Nope, there's so little here I rarely check in more than once a week. July 6th to the 14th, 12 posts.
Mine smokes too, low mileage, I'm sure the guide seals are just debris lying around the cylinder heads. I intend a top end rebuild, timing chain and camshaft, but it's one of those roundtuit projects.
If I determine it's the top end. Hoping it is anyway., I think it's gunna be aluminum heads. I dunno. Happy I'm getting back to a point t where I can start working on this again. To my younger forum mates, don't have a kid after 48. 😀
Joined: Thu Oct 14 2021, 11:37AM
Location: 93401
Posts: 72
Check the stem seals. If they are original they are probably hard as coal. The valves are 3/8" stem if big block, the guides to stem clearance is probably ok. You can check by feel by trying to rock stem side to side when the spring is off. You will feel any play if over .001". Those compression readings are fine, just shy of perfect. No need to pop the heads. You can change stem seals with the engine in place. Check PCV system, emissions, and all vacuum lines, make sure nothing is blocked. If you're still concerned, do a leak down test too.
