Finish new bulid ( 383 )together 2 weeks ago,started right up no issues ran for about 15-20 mins shut it down .Started it up after sitting for 2 weeks and it started to smoke driver side then about 5 mins later
pass .side.It has the speed pro h124cl.030 pistons. Any ideas why it would start to smoke? Its blue smoke.

Gary

 

The FIRST thing I would look at would be the intake-to-head joint on the side of the car that is smoking. It took me two years' worth of chasing this issue before I finally killed it on my C3; my machinist had inadvertently angle-milled my heads-grrrrr. Check the rate of consumption- if it's a lot (mine was using upwards of 1 quart in 100 miles) it's not your rings. Also check the PCV valve and hose; if it's pulling oil through there you'll see it in the hose but since it began smoking from one side only I'd bet it's your intake. You might be able to stop it by tightening the intake bolts but usually there's a mismatch issue causing the problem. I started by replacing the gaskets with more better glued-on ones but eventually had to concede that my heads needed re-machining which finally corrected the problem.... Good luck!

 

Until your rings are broken in, a whisp of blue smoke could just be oil getting around the new rings/ honing job. I wouldn't worry too much about it, unless we're talking thick clouds of it.

As for "what could cause oil to burn on a new build"... assuming no mistakes were made in the assembly, new rings, mostly, or missing a seal on one or more of the valves. (did you replace the guides or at least have them knurled?). A head gasket leak could also be causing it.

If the smoke is white, then it is sucking coolant, and THAT you want to investigate asap! But, again, on a new build, it is likely gasket or torquing issues.

Not much to go on. Again, if it is just a whisp of blue and not clouds, then I'd guess new rings and it will go away as the rings seat. Pull the plugs tho and see if you have a a cylinder or two that are showing more oil than the rest.

HTH,

P.

 

Have you taken it out and tried to seat the rings or just ran it in place once and thats it.

 

It could be a mis-aligned intake gasket. A vacuum test would tell that. All it takes is one leak and the oil will be pulled through the intake and available to all cylinders. Worn valve guides, bad or nor seals on the guides. As far as rings if they are bad or glazed a compression test and a leak down test won't always show the problem. Because the excess oil in the cylinders will seal the rings!!
What type of rings did you install?
I had an the same thing with my 383 with moly faced cast Hasting. These are tried and trusted rings. I swapped heads, bought another new intake, used a PCV valve and no PCV valve, milled the intake, to be sure, still smoked.
Had to yank it out. Builder took the long block apart. Checked heads pistons, cylinders and never did find anything. Re-honed and assembled with different rings, moly Total Seal.
Later I was told, by another engine builder, that Hastings were having their issues...off shore production, the rings were not 'honed" or honed correctly, resulting in out of tolerence sealing surfaces. I tried everything to get the Hasting to seal, spent a fortune chasing the probelm, untold hours here on the forum ....
All is good now. Best of luck

 

Tell it to cut down a little at a time

Seriously, you have to take it out and seat the rings

 

I will check out the manifold gaskets and such.I can't take the car out yet I have the front end off and interior out .I am just checking engine for any major issues.

thanks

 

I wouldn't start it up and run it too many times, you need to seat the rings properly or it will smoke forever

 

Also agree, rings need to seat.

Plus it couldn't hurt to retorque your heads, depending on the metal.

 

You have to run the engine under load to seat the rings - if you keep running it under a no-load condition, you will glaze the cylinder walls without the rings ever seating. You need to put a few hard wide open throttle runs on it through 1st and 2nd gear to get the cylinder pressure up enough to seat the rings correctly.

 

It will be 2-3 months before I will be able to put it under a load.
I know it will start right up and run . Do I need to do anything with motor in the mean time or leave well enough alone.

Thanks
Gary

 

Sorry to hi-jack your thread, but mine severly smokes and, like birdsmith said consumes about 1 qt every 100-200 miles, and also smokes on start-up. The smoke comes out of both cylinder banks and the motor has progressivly poorer performance since I put a new top end on. (AFR 180's with an edelbrock performer)
is it not possible for rings to be this shot?

 

I suppose it's possible for rings to be THAT worn, but I'd have to ask why anybody would spend all the $$$ necessary to purchase new heads and intake without spending a FEW more to recondition the bottom end.....one of the primary objectives that Chevy set out to achieve during design of the smallblock was LOW COST- they achieved this by reducing the number of parts to the absolute bare minimum. One of the casualties of this approach was the elimination of the valley pan which was commonplace in overhead valve V8's up to that point. It has been my firsthand experience that if there is any significant mismatch between the head-to-intake joint, thin, runny, hot oil that is splashing around in the valley will get sucked into the intake ports in copious quantities resulting in ridiculous rates of consumption. The first time I encountered this problem my machinist (who was a long-time established San Diego speed shop) acted completely puzzled. Not surprising since he had caused the problem, but still in my experience this condition along with the proverbial cracking between the two center exhaust ports are the Achilles' Heel of the good ol' SBC. There is a LOT of vacuum acting on that joint and if it's not COMPLETELY and THOROUGHLY sealed you're just asking for problems IMHO.