Fresh motor?.....

[turboculosis]

Here's the deal.I just got the car back from Dynotech with a freshened motor.This is what I've paid for :Honed block,reringed JE pistons,new crank(balanced),front cover,all new bearings,and new exhaust guides in the heads.

The problem is that it still smokes .blueish white in color.Fred said it was normal,and that it would go away with some miles put on due to the forged pistons.It smokes mainly when fully warmed up.I'm really confused at this point.Is this truly normal?I just dished out $3000.WTF...?

 

[Carolinaturbot6]

I am certainly no expert on new engines my friend, but I do recall Louie L. saying that he had a new engine do the very same thing (oil smoke) for a couple hundred miles or so, & after that the smoke disappeared. Hopefully yours will do the same.

I'd like to hear from those who can verify a similiar situation. I'm sure you would too.

 

[dgreene]

Some types of rings take a while to "seat" correctly. Give it 500-700 miles. If it's still doing it then, then worry about it. Hope this eases your mind.

 

[Joe 1320]

I am not a fan of a hone and re-ring. Last time I went with that, I was told the same thing. The smoke never totally went away and consumption was higher than normal. It is true that sometimes it takes a little while for the rings to seat. I hope for your sake it does go away, but I will never do that hone and re-ring ever again. You also may not have a ring seating problem. It could be a valve guide problem.

 

[turboculosis]

Thanx for the replies.It does makes sense(about the rings not seating yet).I guess I'll have to wait and see.Hopefully it stops smoking.Thank again guys...I'll keep it posted

 

[dgreene]

It could be a valve guide problem.

This is true. It could be a valve guide problem. I've done many re-ring jobs on all sorts of motors and the only time that I have had any trouble with the rings never seating is on one that had to much piston to cylinder clearance. I have seen other people screw up the hone job and not have them seat though. It always seems that it takes a few hundred miles on a "hone and re-ring" to get them seated and broke in. That's why I said to wait and see if it clears. If it's not straightened out by the time you clock up 700 miles, then something is definately wrong.

How many miles have you put on it so far?

 

[turboculosis]

Originally posted by dgreene

.

How many miles have you put on it so far?

About 30 miles.

 

[dgreene]

Hey man, your just gettin started. It may seem like over kill, but I like to change the oil after the cam break in. Then run it around town till I get about 100 miles on it, then change the oil again. Run it some more till I get about 500 miles on it, then change one more time. After that I go to a regular oil change interval of around 3000 miles. After the 500 mile change it should have the rings seated and everything should be good to go. I've never had a problem doing my break in's this way. With only 30 miles on it, just take it around town(not a very busy town) or some back roads and run the engine at varying speeds till you rack up around 500 or so miles trying not to let it idle for extended perionds of time. Try to stay out of the gas to hard till you get past the break in period.

Good luck on your new engine!

 

[FJM568]

Find a road with some fairly decent hills and put the car in first gear and accelerate up the hill and coast down the other side(until the car slows down almost to an idle)...That loads the rings differently and helps them seat faster...

Heck, even if there isn't many hills, find a nice stretch of road that is deserted and leave the car in first gear and do the accel/decel thing over and over...We did this on my brother's truck and my 85 GN and haven't had any problems with smoking yet...

 

[Intercooler]

Sounds like a Jeopardy question.

What is seating rings?


I don't buy the 500 miles to seat rings suggestion. What was your piston to wall clearance pre and post re-ring? I still don't fully understand the definition of seating rings. I mean after they smash up and down on the cylinder walls, are expanded in place and get what coating is on there wore off what else is there? I fire mine up on a new build (never smoked, only for a second) break the cam in, change the oil then give it hell! Worked so far for me and plenty of racers out there.

 

[John Larkin]

How come new cars from the dealer don't smoke for the first 500 miles? If it's put together right, it shouldn't smoke. I've built engines that didn't smoke. I don't blame you for your concern.

 

[FJM568]

Well, new block, new rings will seat faster than used, honed block, new rings...

It is actually harder to get the used, rehoned block to seat the rings because the pores in the metal are closed up already...honing the cylinders just breaks the glaze that is there, but it doesn't make it any easier to seat the rings...

A new block with new rings will seat pretty fast as the walls are actually still pretty rough even though they have been honed out...

The engines are all broken in from the factory now...Gone are the days where you have to break them in off the showroom floor...The have less warranty work coming back in from people not breaking them in like they were told...People just want to get in and drive them and not have to worry about stuff like that anymore...

 

[dgreene]

Well, new block, new rings will seat faster than used, honed block, new rings...

This may be true as well. I don't have any problems with New blocks, pistons, and rings. I also haven't had any trouble with over bores with news pistons and rings, only the initial smoke that it puts out on the first start. The only time that I have the long ring seat times are on hone and re-ring jobs using the old pistons. This probaly has to do with Intercoolers question about piston to wall clearance. Normal wear will open it up some, and the hone job a little more.......

These are just observations from my own dealings. I guess results will vary.

 

[FJM568]

I meant to say that overbored, honed blocks shouldn't have a problem seating new rings...

It's just that the original question was a problem with the block rehoned and new rings not seating and blowing smoke and NOT a block that has been freshly bored and honed with new rings...

 

[Joe 1320]

It goes right back to my statement earlier.... I am not a fan of a re-hone and re-ring of existing pistons. I have never had a problem with an overbore with new pistons and rings. I have seen numerous problems with re-hone and re-ring jobs smoking and often this doesn't go away with mileage. IMHO, it is a waste of money to have pulled the motor apart and not do it properly with an overbore along with new pistons and rings. Granted, some people get sold on the cheaper route, thinking they are saving some money on a recommendation. Guess who will now have to pay additional labor to do it again?

 

[turboculosis]

Thank you

Once again, thanx for the replies guys.I don't know about the clearances it had before and after the job was done.I'll be talking to Fred on that tomorrow.Hopefully his engine builder did it right and took the clearances into consideration on whether to just rering or rebore.I never thought that this would be such a concern for me(still smoking) because I thought these guys knew their 5h1t from the door.My father had good service and results from Fred and recommended him to me.I'm just hoping everything works out for the money I spent but I guess time will tell........
Thanks again,
Alan

 

[turboculosis]

I now have about 80 miles.The thing I noticed is that the smoke is now less,but now I'm getting smoke out both breathers. Is this a sign that the rings won't ever seat?I haven't even gone into boost.0-vac. at the most.Plus I noticed a higher EGT than normal.Looks like the car is running much leaner than before.Any thoughts would very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Alan

 

[Joe 1320]

Smoke out of the breather is not a good sign. The PCV should be pulling any accumulating fumes back through the intake. Check for a clogged PCV valve. Is there any oil being blown out of the breather holes? If so, that is a definate problemo.

 

[turboculosis]

No ther isn't any oil being pushed through the breather holes.I'm not sure if my PCV valve is working properly though.I'll have to check into that.I'll swap it out with the one on my dad's GN,and see if that helps any.Thanks Joe1320.I'll let you know what happens.

 

[turboculosis]

I checked the pcv.It's a new one plus a check valve inline.I'm not sure now on whether I should bring the car back or to put miles on and see if the smoke goes away.I thought everything was fine up to now.... After seeing smoke out the breathers like I did is making me go nuts!!!!!