Roller cam/valve guide seals issue (pics)

[Alky V6]

I agree. Compression and leakdown tests should always been done first off to determine the integrity of each cylinder. Otherwise, you could easily end up chasing your tail. Cover the basics.

 

[Abomb]

Ok barely got to drive the car this weekend, had some bad weather and had to work. But I blocked off the PCV and for the couple times I did get to drive it I had no smoke, so maybe were onto something with the PCV. I am going to drive the car some more this week to be sure. If not I do have a leak down tester, and will start there. Those are good ideas thanks everyone for the input.

 

[Abomb]

I am curious to know if you have had this issue since the rebuild years ago?

Anyway, leak the motor and report back the findings.

Additionally if you still had the heads off the car I would disassemble the valve train and see if the valve guides are worn. This may also lead to your problem. Slide the valve up and down in the guide and see if there is any slight wobbling. The valve should locate itself in the guide and move without resistance but it should not have any play from side to side. If it does you have a worn guide.

Mad Trbo yes I have had this issue with the car since it was rebuilt years ago. I think it was masked for a while because it had a TE-44 that had a bad seal and smoked like crazy. Put a good turbo on and I thought it was fixed, but I still had the intermittent smoke at idle like I do now. It's kind of odd sometimes it won't smoke at all, but when it decides to it is alot of smoke out both pipes, only at idle or after a long decel.

When I put the valve springs on a few weeks ago I saw the broken stem seals and thought that was it for sure, so I didn't check all the valves for side to side play, just a couple and they seemed ok.

I am going to drive it the rest of the week with the PCV blocked, and if it still smokes I'll do the other tests like you said. Thanks for the help and advice.

 

[jpwalt1987]

What kind/size oil feed line to the turbo do you have?? If it is a big -6 line from a turbo saver I would restrict the size down to a -3 or -4 size line. I built a restrictor for mine and it helped a great deal with a smoking issue I had. check out this thread...http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/tu...ning-3an-feedline-instead-4an-discussion.html

 

[RmvBfrFlght]

Mad Trbo yes I have had this issue with the car since it was rebuilt years ago. I think it was masked for a while because it had a TE-44 that had a bad seal and smoked like crazy. Put a good turbo on and I thought it was fixed, but I still had the intermittent smoke at idle like I do now. It's kind of odd sometimes it won't smoke at all, but when it decides to it is alot of smoke out both pipes, only at idle or after a long decel.

When I put the valve springs on a few weeks ago I saw the broken stem seals and thought that was it for sure, so I didn't check all the valves for side to side play, just a couple and they seemed ok.

I am going to drive it the rest of the week with the PCV blocked, and if it still smokes I'll do the other tests like you said. Thanks for the help and advice.

The at idle and/or after long decel are the exact symptoms that my engine had. Which turned out to be the PCV pulling oil through. Took me years to figure it out.

If after the long decel I stopped on an uphill slope the smoking was worse. In this case the PCV hose had a lot of oil in it and the slope allowed it to quickly drain into the engine.

The fix was an oil/vapor separator. As a test the first was a baby food jar so I could see if any oil was collected (it did). Then made one from one of the carb style cannister fuel filters. Like the Holley ones that the two halves unscrewed. Soldered a line on to reach near the bottom, and loosely filled with the coarse pot scrubbing wool.

RemoveBeforeFlight

 

[Abomb]

OK blocked off PCV

Ok blocked off PCV and it still smokes. I am going to do leak down and compression tests this week. If those check out good I guess it has to be valve guide seals or turbo.

jpwalt my turbosaver is from '99 so I assume it probably has the larger line on it. I don't know how to tell without some 3 or 4 an line to compare it to. A few months back I put a .065 restrictor on the feed line right before it goes in the turbo. But maybe a seal has already been damaged?

Remvebeforeflight I did find some of oil in the PCV hose, so I am just going to leave it blocked until I get this solved. Then if it continues to be a problem I'll do something like you did or try a different gasket, thanks.

Thanks all for the advice. Hope to get it figured out soon.

 

[Mad_Trbo]

Some oil in that piping is normal. Since it is venting the crankcase there will be oil particles that will travel with the air it is venting.

I am curious does the oil burning become worse under load, under boost situations?

 

[Alky V6]

Ok blocked off PCV and it still smokes. I am going to do leak down and compression tests this week. If those check out good I guess it has to be valve guide seals or turbo.

jpwalt my turbosaver is from '99 so I assume it probably has the larger line on it. I don't know how to tell without some 3 or 4 an line to compare it to. A few months back I put a .065 restrictor on the feed line right before it goes in the turbo. But maybe a seal has already been damaged?

Remvebeforeflight I did find some of oil in the PCV hose, so I am just going to leave it blocked until I get this solved. Then if it continues to be a problem I'll do something like you did or try a different gasket, thanks.

Thanks all for the advice. Hope to get it figured out soon.

Give the car a good hard, long drive to heat the exhaust system up good. After I corrected the PCV intake, it took awhile for all the oil that had accumulated to burn off.

 

[Abomb]

Mad Turbo I haven't seen it smoke under boost or load, just at hot idle. It seems the hotter the coolant temps get the more it smokes.

DonWG I have taken it for a few hot laps and short trips, but maybe this weekend I can drive it some more. I kind of wish whatever is causing it would get worse to make it easier to pinpoint. Car does run really well when I get it dialed in, I am trying to get my maf pro dialed in a little better as well.

Hopefully this weekend I can have some better answers.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

" #29 (permalink) Today, 02:26 AM
Abomb
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"Mad Turbo I haven't seen it smoke under boost or load, just at hot idle. "
Too fat @ idle?

 

[GARY HARVEY]

Any chance you may have an oiled muffler(s).
Once they get that way they tend to puff oil forever.
Drill a hole and see if anything comes out, sheet metal screw will take care of the hole.