My Z needs 2 quit smoking!

[wrightz28]

Need some opinions here before the I-EPA yanks my tags and makes me park my car (85 Z28, 305 TPI vin F).

In the last couple of weekends I've tied up a few issues that have hampered driveability issues with the car, mostly cooling issues. I was extremely concerned that it had a blown head gasket, but compression test came out fairly even at 141 PSI avg. accross all 8, leak down held as well (89IROC&RS, you thought changing the plugs with TES headers was fun, try this! I think I invented more cuss words than don vito)

Anyway, ever since I bought the car it always blew a little oil @ start up, "no big deal just old valve guides" is what I used to say.

Now that the cooling system is up to par, it is smoking pretty bad at all times after warmed up. Now smoke at all time would say rings, but the compression and leak down say no way jose?

So, I'm thinking either there's some wild intake manifold leak that I'm missing and can't confirm (had the intake apart as 1/2 the cooling probs were there, no visable traces of oil?) OR and more probable in my opinion, the oil return gallies in the cylinder head are clogged and the intake valve guides (stem seals)which were leaking before are weak enough to suck in a substantial amount of oil?

I will be exploring these possibilites this weekend, (89, I let now how much fun the old rope in the plug hole trick to hold the valves up is, I will probably end up taking the headers off) but anyone out there think of anything else I may be missing? Will also try a heavier oil.

Oh, base timing is @ 8 over, only place it would run somewhat clean and have power.
Oil pressure is 30-35 @ idle, 50 area @ cruise.

[FireFox05]

Well, I hope it's something relativly easy and simple, I don't have any experiance in problem solving, sorry.

[wrightz28]

Yeah, it s/b somewhat simple definatley in the top end. I have my ideas but just looking for that 'second set of eyes' that always notices one thing you overlooked.

[FireFox05]

I know what you mean. Theres nothing worse than doign something hard, and time consuming, and putting it all back to gether taking hours, and then someone walks about and "Hey, what about ______".

And then you kinda just sit there silently for a few seconds..... lol.

[wrightz28]

43 lookers and no opinions?

[FireFox05]

Aparrently.

Well something just came to me, is it oil smoke or coolant smoke?

[wrightz28]

Oil...(blue)

other possibility I thought of is the vacuum modulator on the trans, so I'll check that as well, however that usually burns white like coolant.

[FireFox05]

Yeah. I'm bummed then. 89IROC will have something to say, he's probably at work....

[89IROC&RS]

lol, work, what work, im a bum living at home makin no money, dont work at the dealership anymore, got tired of the bullshit (old guys dont like being showed up by 21 year olds)

anway, from what you are describing, it does sound like bad valve seals. not a hard thing to do. but thats were the rope trip comes into play to take the springs and rocker arms off remove the valve seals and install new ones. put it all together, and you should be fine.

[FireFox05]

Ta-da!! Told you so. I was only wrong about him having a job, that's all

[wrightz28]

Originally Posted by 89IROC&RS

lol, work, what work, im a bum living at home makin no money, dont work at the dealership anymore, got tired of the bullshit (old guys dont like being showed up by 21 year olds)

anway, from what you are describing, it does sound like bad valve seals. not a hard thing to do. but thats were the rope trip comes into play to take the springs and rocker arms off remove the valve seals and install new ones. put it all together, and you should be fine.

I hear ya, still paying off my tuition and hold useless certs, well atleast for side jobs. My only prob, I switched careers too late, too many responsibilities to live off of table scraps with.

Anyway on the car, magically, it didn't puff one ounce last night?

Still, I'm going into the vavle train this weekend just to get some clarity as to what's going on in there, still think the gallies are clogged, before I got the coolant leaks situatated the motor got pretty toasty, and that was in 30 degree weather, would hit 220 just going around the block, now dosen't even break over 220 (moving) in 80 degrees, much f'n better, damn elec. fans.

Rope, got it and know it. A rookie can go and spend an easy $30K on a snap-on set. A real engine mechanics toolbox consists of rope, a peice of 5/8 hose, elec. tape, zip ties, along with a standard set of decent quality tools he don't care about. Definately rope is the way to go, comp. air is a little un reliable.

[Pewter'01SS]

Originally Posted by wrightz28

A real engine mechanics toolbox consists of rope, a peice of 5/8 hose, elec. tape, zip ties, along with a standard set of decent quality tools he don't care about.

duct tape...don't forget duct tape!! I once had an F150 the had body part held on with duct tape and zip ties.

[wrightz28]

Originally Posted by Pewter'01SS

duct tape...don't forget duct tape!! I once had an F150 the had body part held on with duct tape and zip ties.

All to true, but once I got rid of my F250, not much need for it, only GM's left.

[89IROC&RS]

an empty gatoraid bottle, bubblegum, duct tape, and aluminium foil.............. it was in all the mechanics toolboxes i saw

[Pewter'01SS]

lol...and I thought I was bad.