I think I'm done with this car

[obrut]

Ok i put seals on the exhaust valves, started it up, let it warm up and drove it around the block. It still has a steady stream of smoke at idle and i shut it off and restarted it 15 minutes later and it puff out a small cloud and then had the steady smoke at idle. this car f?*king sucks, back into the corner of the garage again probably for another 2 years, i might as well burn it.

 

[JToups386]

After thinking about this a little more, I remembered that I had a very similar situation with my T once. I kept pursuing things motor related, but finally thought about taking the turbo off, and looking at it closer. I had checked it on the car and was not able to determine any shaft play, but once I took it off the car and put it on the workbench, I discovered the center shaft and impellers were toast.
It had snapped a retaining clip inside, and therefore wore the impellers down on the housing, as the whole shaft moved back and forth. Bingo!!! My problem was found!
If you have checked the turbo with it still on the car, I would advise you to actually take it off the car, and even remove the housings if need be. If the seals are loose or damaged, it would explain the smoke.
Hope it works for ya'... I know it's gotta be frustrating!

 

[VuickB6]

The rings being put in upside down or perhaps whoever did the hone work did not get the crosshatch right would be my guess too. A friend of mine had a car that smoked all the time and it was the hone job.

The pressure does seem a bit high to me. Mine runs very low once it is warmed up. Perhaps the wrong spring was put in the pump.

Has the car done this all its life after the rebuild?


Always remember, a smoking TR is still better then a Ford.

Hope that info helps you out.

 

[ThikStik]

Come on guys , lets get tis car fixed! Like another said, revisit the turbo, and do it before doing the leak down rate test-its easier. Run it at idle with the turbo out ot the circuit.

 

[Eric Stage I]

obrut,
I've been there, it was the turbo. It was a BRAND NEW turbo, so I figured that couldn't be it. It was the exhaust side burning the oil. If you knew someone with a known good turbo, you could swap it.
Good luck!

Eric

 

[NJTurbo]

Obrut,

Were does the engine builder fit into all this. You are burning oil, no oil change or a small adjustment is going to fix this. It is either a head problem and or ring seat problem. Did you call him yet.

 

[obrut]

Thanks for the replys guys, I was thinking about removing the up pipe and starting it to see if the turbo is the problem. If i run it without the up pipe is this going to cause any problems? Also how can i lower the oil pressure?

 

[obrut]

I drove my T for the first time in a long time, had to take it to emissions. It ran good on the way there and i lowered the boost as much as i could and drop the fuel pressure down to about 33psi with the line on. Went through emissions and i got to sit in the car while the guy ran it on the rollers. I don't have a cat on it, CO level standard is 30 my test showed 10.8. Hydrocarbons standard is 2.00 my test was 5.53?!? how could it be so high? That was with the fuel pressure turned down too. Is it possible that i could have a injector that is sticking open sometimes? I'm going to order a new fuel injector wiring harness and try putting the stock fuel injectors in. Let me know what you guys think.

 

[FJM568]

I not an expert, but I think you're hydrocarbons are high because of no cat...Put a cat on it and it'll probably pass...

 

[FJM568]

I not an expert, but I think your hydrocarbons are high because of no cat...Put a cat on it and it'll probably pass...

 

[rk231]

I just had the same problem with my car. Take off the down pipe and reach in past the impeller with a Q-Tip and swab the inside wall. If you have oil residue on it, thats your problem. Have turbo re-sealed. I never found oil in my down pipe. It all burned off.

 

[obrut]

it doesn't seem to smoke while its at idle anymore but it still puffs out at start up. I pulled the dog house off the other day and there seemed to be a little oil residue in the intake. I checked the up pipe and the intercooler and they were dry. I changed back to stock injectors with the stock chip but it still does it. I think i'm going to try what rk231 did with the q-tip. I can't believe the turbo is bad, but i'll try anything at this point. Thanks for all of the help guys and gals keep the suggestions coming.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Smokin!

Haven't seen this mentioned yet..
If the heads are ported incorrectly, the gasket may not be sealing the ports, allowing a hi vacuum situation, [idle and steady state driving] to pull oil into the port. A common problem w/ heads that are ported clear out to the very edge of the gaskets.
Also; If the heads were ported, they were most likely surfaced too. Were they CC'd and cut to equalize them on all 6 holes??
If the above was done and the intake side of the head was not cut in proportion to the deck side, there can easily be a mis-match w/ the way the intake seals on the heads.[2 different angles]. This will cause the same failure as having the ports too big for the gaskets.

BTW! when you do the leakdown, DO NOT leave the wrench on the crank when you put air in a cyl!! enough PSI, and the engine WILL spin til the pressurized cyl is down! That doesn't make any difference in the leakdown test.. just a danger..
If the cyl leaks alot to begin with.. Rap the valves w/ a plastic hammer.. It will make a loud bang and will seat the valves..

I'd also pull the plenum. That way you can see if the ports are oily on the edges near the gasket.. a SURE sign the intake is leaking!!

 

[3.8Illusion]

have you done anything with the oil pressure. 35psi at idle warm with 10w 30 seems way too high. i have a hv front cover i use 20w 50 and warm at around 12psi. id check to see if the wrong spring was put in. even if it doesnt stop the smoking at least your oil pressure will be normal.

 

[gnsrule]

You said oil poured out the drivers side valve cover. Im to assume you ment w/ the engine off ?? If so, check the oil drain holes. Something dont sound right there. Old Fords would plug em up so bad theyd leak thru the intake seals big time. Maybe the head gasket is a defect w/o the holes ??
Also, you said you checked the exhaust guides. You need to check the intakes. How did you check the exhausts on the car ?? If you used air to hold em in place, you need to disconnect the air, drop the valve down a bit ...then check it, ie: wiggle test. Be carefull not to drop the valve obviously.
You can do a poor mans leak down w/ just a compresser and a compression guage and vise grips:
Take out the schrader valve in the end of the compression guage whip. Screw it in the plug you wanna check. Bump the motor over till you get that cylinder on tdc, valves closed or pull the rockers and it dont matter. Cut the air back w/ a pair of vise grips on the hose and plug in shop air to the compression whip hose. Listen for air leakage. You will get *some* leakage thru the rings on a good engine. Listen for *excessive* leakage thru the crankcase. If its *excessive*, go ahead and pull the head, if the gaskets not blown, pull the pistons and check the rings.
Good Luck
Craig S

 

[FJM568]

Originally posted by 3.8Illusion
have you done anything with the oil pressure. 35psi at idle warm with 10w 30 seems way too high. i have a hv front cover i use 20w 50 and warm at around 12psi. id check to see if the wrong spring was put in. even if it doesnt stop the smoking at least your oil pressure will be normal.

Sorry to change the subject of this topic, but...if you've got a HVOP and are using 20w50 and *only* have 12psi warm oil pressure, you have something amiss in your motor...It should be higher than that, IMO...How many miles on your motor???

 

[clean86]

If it were I would check the turbo. I hav had many turbo's have a bad carbon seal or the piston ring on the exaust side. There arn't many parts in a turbo. On the break in of the motor was that the first time the turbo had been started after being rebuilt? If so did you pack the turbo with STP or somthing to lube the turbo on the fireup? It takes little to hurt the piston ring that seals the center section and shaft to the exaust housing. And doing so will leak just enough enough oil to drive you nuts!!! Really, have it resealed, the kit is 40 to 60 $$$ for everything inside that pain in your a$$ turbo. It happens to me all the time I have a gift for breaking those little piston rings. I think a BOV will cure this problem by stopping compressor slam.


Good luck!!!