Burning Oil At Start Ups

[Craig Nedrow]

Rick is right post#2. Hot engine shutoff, oil seeps past the seals, and follows the valve stem, pooling on the valve. Next startup, sucks oil into cylinders, where it is burned, (blue smoke). Guides are also suspect, may be loose.

 

[Trucksareforwork]

I did get this job done today. Did all the seals exhaust and intake. This has to be the highest labor to parts ratio in existence. I started just before 8 this morning and finished a 20 min test drive around 2pm.

My existing seals were umbrella style. I don’t know if these are oem or not. This truck is an 85 with a 305.

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The plastic/rubber o rings were mostly “intact” but shattered with fingernail pressure. I replaced those too.

I took pics of what I thought would be the hardest one (#7) because of the brake booster, etc. Here’s the bare stem.

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Here’s the new intake seal and o ring installed.

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Here’s an exhaust one.

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Overall I had a learning curve. The first (#1) one took me a long time because I was trying to get it right and learning. I figure I ran about 20-30 mins a cylinder after that between pulling the plug, running air pressure. Removing rockers, pulling the spring, replacing the seal, re-setting the spring and keepers (the highest variable for me…some took 30 seconds, some a LOT longer due to dropping two of them and having to search), and putting everything back. I did one seal at a time, so 2x per cylinder.

Number 6 was my most difficult. I have headers and access to that plug is already tough. Getting the air hose there was a cus fest.

I also lost some time by not adjusting my driver side valves well before buttoning up. I had some valve train clatter and pulled the valve cover and adjusted while running, but that was probably a 30 min penalty. My truck is a stock setup and has a bunch of stuff like vac tubes and wiring on the valve covers.

The truck didn’t smoke on startup or a few warm startups. So maybe it’s fixed. I was always embarrassed when this great looking truck would spew smoke once in every 7-8 warm startups.

People say this is a relatively easy job but I found it nerve wracking due to dealing with small parts like the spring locks. I thought I was sunk when I picked up my magnetic screwdriver and didn’t realize one lock half was on it. I slung it and that probably cost me 30 mins alone. But that’s how I learn. The hard way.

I also found it labor intensive. My truck’s underhood is nice but perhaps not as easy to get at as some others. A stripped down motor would be quicker.

 

[JBswth]

Worn out motor. Time for a rebuild. Pull it out, have the heads rebuilt, put in new rings and bearings, gaskets of course, freeze plugs, timing chain. and then wear it out for another 50 to 100k miles, running like a new motor. Much better than working on the heads in the truck. Lots of work, and you will still have a worn out motor when you are done.

If he is not using more than a quart every 700 miles, he doesn't need to rebuild the engine, just maybe the heads. Might only need new valve guide seals.

J.B.