Motor problem
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 18
From: St. Louis MO
Motor problem
I have a new motor in my car. It has @2000 miles on it. It is burning a
lot of oil. I burned 2 quarts from St. louis to Springfield, mo. About
200 miles... I pulled the plugs and they are crispy white. No oil
leaking from motor on the car that i can see and my friend said it was
blowing blue smoke when I get on it. The question is WTF could be going
on. I had to put another couple quarts in it when i got home from the
trip...
car is a 1980 .30 over with flat top pistons and vortech heads.
lot of oil. I burned 2 quarts from St. louis to Springfield, mo. About
200 miles... I pulled the plugs and they are crispy white. No oil
leaking from motor on the car that i can see and my friend said it was
blowing blue smoke when I get on it. The question is WTF could be going
on. I had to put another couple quarts in it when i got home from the
trip...
car is a 1980 .30 over with flat top pistons and vortech heads.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 5
From: Paducah Ky
Tim, didn't you put some aftermarket chrome valve covers on when you did the swap? Check to make sure there is a baffle under the PCV valve. Pull the PCV out and look in the hole, if you can see a rocker arm this may be your problem. It could be something more serious but I would check this first. Years ago I had an engine apart three times looking for a problem and this is all it was. Did someone go through the heads for you and check the valve guides and replace seals?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,417
Likes: 336
From: Texas
i would say, its either dripping out, look underneath for the obvious signs. or its going down the valve guides, missing or improperly installed valve guide seals? someone else may have some better ideas.
i see someone did have better ideas!
i see someone did have better ideas!
Racer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 418
Likes: 0
From: destin fl
had the same deal years ago on a small block except it did not smoke at all. would drive it 100 miles a quart low. stock motor with 11500 miles. no leaks......... never did find out why! SOLD IT..... STILL DON'T KNOW TO THIS DAY. SORRY I COULD'NT HELP YOU. PEACE OUT LYNN
Instructor
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 187
Likes: 0
From: Fort Drum New York
Had the same issue with a 406 I had in my 81. Burned after a rebuild. Turns out the Nifty Moly rings I used never seated properly. Replaced them with Iron rings and now it works like a champ (in my dad's 68 Camaro)
-Bob
-Bob
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 18
From: St. Louis MO
checked the pvc filter and it is there.
if the rings had not seated right then would the plugs be "wet"?
Could it be just running too lean? burning the oil off the plugs? They have a little carbon on them, it is just burnt white...
if the rings had not seated right then would the plugs be "wet"?
Could it be just running too lean? burning the oil off the plugs? They have a little carbon on them, it is just burnt white...
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Yeah white is lean so at least you know your fuel condition.
Pull the covers and inspect all of the valve stems for worn or missing seals and guides, as mentioned.
Get under the car, and search everywhere for drips. If it really is leaking that much, you'll see evidence of it blown all over the undercarriage.
If you don't find any leaks I would suggest testing compression on each cylinder. Use a squirt of oil in any cylinders to see if the number changes.
Then do a leak down test per cylinder and compare with the results of the compression test.
Low numbers from both tests would indicate a problematic cylinder.
Can you describe how the engine was broken in starting from the first fire up?
Pull the covers and inspect all of the valve stems for worn or missing seals and guides, as mentioned.
Get under the car, and search everywhere for drips. If it really is leaking that much, you'll see evidence of it blown all over the undercarriage.
If you don't find any leaks I would suggest testing compression on each cylinder. Use a squirt of oil in any cylinders to see if the number changes.
Then do a leak down test per cylinder and compare with the results of the compression test.
Low numbers from both tests would indicate a problematic cylinder.
Can you describe how the engine was broken in starting from the first fire up?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 18
From: St. Louis MO
We started it on a stand and broke in the cam. Then installed it in the car and just drove it. No steady speed but not baby it.
The heads are new. No leaks under the car. I looked first.
The heads are new. No leaks under the car. I looked first.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
If you're sure there are no leaks on the outside, then it's for sure on the inside. I would think it's getting burned then, so your plug color may indicate it only burns at high RPMs with it being white like that.
The compression test and leak down test will point to either piston ring problems or valve train problems.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 5
From: Paducah Ky
I would suspect with all plugs looking the same that it is not a problem with an individual cylinder but something that is common to all. I would suspect a ring seating problem or valve guides. Pull out the PCV, cap it, start engine and rev it a little and see if you are venting any blow by. Another thing that you might check would be to pull the carb and check for oil in the intake runners. It might be an intake gasket problem.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 18
From: St. Louis MO
I was hoping that I could just do an adjustment and be fine. you guys want me to work!!! I will have a look tonight at the suggestions and report back. Anything else I should look for?
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
Did you build the engine, or was it done by someone else???
I have seen a few that came out of the builder with all good except maybe the ring gaps are not oriented right. Or standard rings on a .030 over piston.
I have seen a few that came out of the builder with all good except maybe the ring gaps are not oriented right. Or standard rings on a .030 over piston.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 119
From: St. Charles Mo
CI 5 & 8 Veteran
Bullshark
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Yep, Autozone should rent both the compression test kit and the leak down test kit. Both should also have instructions if you're unclear how to do it, and you can find lots of good info on how to do on this site and searching online.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 272
Likes: 3
From: Marion Ia
Do you have headers or stock ramhorns. I had a 78 pickup that was losing oil and I could not find a leak. When I pulled the intake there was burnt and crusty oil all under it. The heat riser valve was not put in correctly and it was pumping heat through the intake and burning the oil. Weirdest thing I had seen at the time, but easy to check.