This. Twice in 150000 miles on my 87.
New Corvette owner, have ????
Thread Starter
5th Gear
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Ringgold georgia
New Corvette owner, have ????
Hi y'all. We bought our 1st vette, 1987 C4 coupe, friday up in Pennsylvania, while visiting with the inlaws. Drove it home today, 846 miles. Half way home, smoke starts coming from underneath the car. We stopped and you could smell oil burning. But the oil was dripping down at the end of the transmission. Called the guy we bought it from and he said that it had a leaky valve cover on the pass side. How hard is it to change the valve cover gaskets????
It didn't smoke all the time, just for about 15-20 miles then it would quit smoking for 30-40 miles. I was in the Jeep following behind my wife in the Vette. She would call me, and say the oil temp was getting up around 220-225 and that is when it would start smoking. When the oil temp dropped, the smoking quit. Kinda wandering if I need to replace the PCV valve as well. In my mind, if the PCV valve is stopped up, it's not releaving pressure from inside the motor, pressure builds and the oil has togo somewhere....correct???? Dont know, have been driving for the last 13 hours and my mind is kinda numb.
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
Dave
It didn't smoke all the time, just for about 15-20 miles then it would quit smoking for 30-40 miles. I was in the Jeep following behind my wife in the Vette. She would call me, and say the oil temp was getting up around 220-225 and that is when it would start smoking. When the oil temp dropped, the smoking quit. Kinda wandering if I need to replace the PCV valve as well. In my mind, if the PCV valve is stopped up, it's not releaving pressure from inside the motor, pressure builds and the oil has togo somewhere....correct???? Dont know, have been driving for the last 13 hours and my mind is kinda numb.
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
Dave
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,006
Likes: 2
From: Spartanburg South Carolina
Hi y'all. We bought our 1st vette, 1987 C4 coupe, friday up in Pennsylvania, while visiting with the inlaws. Drove it home today, 846 miles. Half way home, smoke starts coming from underneath the car. We stopped and you could smell oil burning. But the oil was dripping down at the end of the transmission. Called the guy we bought it from and he said that it had a leaky valve cover on the pass side. How hard is it to change the valve cover gaskets????
It didn't smoke all the time, just for about 15-20 miles then it would quit smoking for 30-40 miles. I was in the Jeep following behind my wife in the Vette. She would call me, and say the oil temp was getting up around 220-225 and that is when it would start smoking. When the oil temp dropped, the smoking quit. Kinda wandering if I need to replace the PCV valve as well. In my mind, if the PCV valve is stopped up, it's not releaving pressure from inside the motor, pressure builds and the oil has togo somewhere....correct???? Dont know, have been driving for the last 13 hours and my mind is kinda numb.
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
Dave
It didn't smoke all the time, just for about 15-20 miles then it would quit smoking for 30-40 miles. I was in the Jeep following behind my wife in the Vette. She would call me, and say the oil temp was getting up around 220-225 and that is when it would start smoking. When the oil temp dropped, the smoking quit. Kinda wandering if I need to replace the PCV valve as well. In my mind, if the PCV valve is stopped up, it's not releaving pressure from inside the motor, pressure builds and the oil has togo somewhere....correct???? Dont know, have been driving for the last 13 hours and my mind is kinda numb.
Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.
Dave
Congrats on the new vette first off!
Have you done a visual inspection of the heads to see any oil that is burning on the headers or anything?Valve cover gaskets are not to bad to change. Shouldn't take you more than an hour to an hour 30 on a OEM setup. Pcv valve is also very very easy to replace and easy to visually inspect. I believe it's located on the drivers side valve cover if i remember correctly.
As far as oil temp goes i can't exactly remember if thats normal. Haven't had mine on the road for a few months! GL!
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Some like to degrease everything then start over looking for leaks some use a dye kit.
Could be valve cover, they are prone to leaking from the rear of the intake too. If it was the rear trans seal youd know, tons of white smoke and wouldnt smell like oil. Probably wouldnt have a trans either.
Sending unit behind the intake is prone to leak/fail also. Both will drip on the precat and smoke.
Clean it all up, get the bellhousing too or what you can of it and start from 0
Could be valve cover, they are prone to leaking from the rear of the intake too. If it was the rear trans seal youd know, tons of white smoke and wouldnt smell like oil. Probably wouldnt have a trans either.
Sending unit behind the intake is prone to leak/fail also. Both will drip on the precat and smoke.
Clean it all up, get the bellhousing too or what you can of it and start from 0
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,772
Likes: 64
From: Mystic CT
Mine is on jackstands right now so yes you can do it. Be sure to use the factory lifting points they are clearly marked on the lip of the rocker panel behind the front wheel and in front of the rearr wheel. Also be careful with both the jack and stands as there are all sorts of lines running past the jacking points and all over the frame in general.
Dave
Dave
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 7,999
Likes: 14
From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '12
I had the same issue with an 88. Valve cover gasket leak, just replace the gasket and clean things up.
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Drifting
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,647
Likes: 4
From: Argillite KY
Oil temp is OK at 220-230. The reason it smoked then is probably got thinner as it got hotter. Thinner oil leaks more. Change the gasket and you should be fine. I can change mine in about 2 Budweisers. Great looking Vette. I like the spoiler........wanna sell it? Just kidding.
Great looking Vette. I like the spoiler........wanna sell it? Just kidding.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,079
Likes: 1
From: Niagara Falls ON
If it is leaking on the passenger side you will have to take a few parts off to get the valve cover off. Most won't be a problem. The most difficulty people have on that side is the EGR pipe, that is unless someone has removed it and blocked off the EGR valve.
Let me know if you have any difficulties with this. I can send descriptions and photos if you need them.
Let me know if you have any difficulties with this. I can send descriptions and photos if you need them.
(i had to do it)
