Cavu2u

I doubt I'd proceed with this 383 build had I known of the oil leak problems it bestowed on me.

Splash oil was still being sucked into the carburetor by way of the PCV Valve and it's tubing to the carb base. So, I replaced the PCV Valve with a new breather, which fit tight onto the gasket of the valve cover.

Drove 4 miles, and the engine starts smokin'! Smoke even spewed from the steering column into the interior! Scary Crap! Got home and found this:







Oil breather was dripping oil, and the filler cap showed pooled oil as well. Valve covers are tightly down on the cylinder head with new valve cover gaskets, so the leaks aren't from there.

My question is: Could the High Volume Oil Pump I installed 500 miles ago be causing all these oil leak problems? Would they go away with a standard volume Oil Pump? Anyone else have a similar problem?

Thanks,
Steve

My question

redvetracr

how tight are the breathers in the rubber grommets and are there baffles in the valve cover under the breather? past that I would do a leak down test.

Eddie 70

Looks like the dipstick is backed out some in one picture. Could be some of the cause of the oil on brake booster area. Could something be causing the oil pan/crankcase to be pressurized pushing oil back up the dipstick?

63mako

I am betting severe blowby, excessive crankcase pressure. Generally from bad rings, bad hone, improper cylinder finish, rings not seating, Rings installed upside down. Who built it?

Cavu2u

WOW! Thanks for all the responses.

Yeah redvetracr, baffled covers, and the gasket is tight around the breather.


The oil is being forced out thru the breather medium and onto the engine bay.


Eddie 70, I've noted that creeping dipstick too.

63 Mako, This engine only has about 500 miles and a month and a half in-service on it. This leak/pressurization problem is steadily getting worse and worse. There were no leaks the first 250 miles; then a small weeping of oil from the breathers started it all. Strange: Right valve cover/oil breather is now just a wee bit damp. This breather is now dryer than it was a few weeks ago.

Blowby makes sense, but how? I made damn sure the rings were installed correctly; Correct side up and staggered ends. The new Pistons/Rings were .03 over, the cylinders were bored .03 over. What else is there?
Leakdown test on a new 500 mile motor. How humiliating. But it looks like it's the next logical step.

Pressure's comin' from somewhere. And it's getting worse (on the left side anyway).

Steve

63mako

Was it torque plate honed to size with the correct finish for your rings?

Cavu2u

63mako,

"Torque plate honed"? I don't follow.

Here's the kit.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-CHEVY-383-STROKER-KIT-SCAT-CRANK-RODS-030-FORGED-FLAT-TOP-PISTONS-2PC-RMS-/331231662680?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d1ef21258
Here's the heads.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/327-350-CHEVY-ALUMINUM-CYLINDER-HEADS-SBC-2-02-STRAIGHT-PLUG-190CC-/361005673556?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item540d9d6c54
Block is from a '78 C-10, surfaced head area, bored to .030, and cleaned.

Steve

jkippin

how much end gap is on the rings? dumb question/comment but you are using a conventional oil right? rings don't like to seat using synthetics or other friction modifiers

cv67

Assuming theres no oil drainback issue Id get the motor warm then do your leakdown youl have your answer.

Oil pump has nothing to do with it rule that out of the equation
Hope its not a cranckcase issue

Cavu2u

jkippin,

I never checked the gap. I assumed them well within specification since pistons & rings were a matched set and new.

This is what the oil is:
http://www.royalpurpleconsumer.com/p...-break-in-oil/

Steve

Cavu2u

Thanks for the info. yes, it could be a growing crack somewhere I suppose; which I would be really pissed at the machinist who worked the case in the beginning and, if it was there, never found it.

Steve

63mako

You bore the engine leaving it a few thousandths undersize then bolt a torque plate to the block and hone the cylinder to finish size. The torque plate makes the cylinder round after honing mimicking what you have when the head is bolted on. You use a specific grit stone and speed to get the correct finish for your type of rings. If it was just bored .030 over and not torque plate honed to specific finish odds of seating the rings is slim to none.

Cavu2u

63mako,

That's a very interesting procedure. Very effective, I can see.

Seems odd that after hundreds of kits the stroker company has sold, this procedure has never been out there and in print for use by them.

I'll due the leakdown test when my new fistula scar heals up well enough, and I'll post the results.

Steve

Cavu2u

Here's a question that someone may have a different answer to:

On an engine case being abnormally pressurized, how can the problem be anything but bad piston ring sealing or damaged piston(s)?

Thanks.
Steve

jkippin

funny you should asked I was pondering the same thing. Digging deeper do you have the correct oil pan and dipstick? and do how about a windage tray depending on how hard you turn it

If the oil is too high ion the pan it will wrap around the crank cause cavitation and windage.
I don't believe this is your problem though.

I have seen rings mismarked before. Even pre fit rings should still be checked. I file mine for each cylinder so I can custom set mine for the intended application.

jkippin

at idle pull the breathers out and start the engine do you have puffs of smoke vapor coming out of the holes? jazz the throttle quickly any smoke/vapor?
That should tell you the problem.

Cavu2u

Steve

63mako

jkippin

Steve,
how did you stager the end gaps? did you stager them to the piston pin as a manual would state or did you just make sure the gaps didn't line up? Also are they done different for the left and right side banks?

I am not trying to insult you. I don't know your skill level so please don't take it as an insult.

Are you certain the rings didn't move as you installed them?

The rings should break in fairly quick after start up I say one guy one time that put Slick 50 in an engine during break in LOL Thing is it coated the walls and wouldn't let the rings seat.
Another funny one was bored an engine .030 guy did his own assembly and used std rings on it. didn't realize they came miss marked.

Cavu2u

About to go take it out of the garage to do the Oil Slinging Vapor Puffing Breather Hole Test.

Thanks for your time and help. Much appreciated.
Steve