Clueless on carb adjustment . . . .
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,674
Likes: 16
From: Ideeho
By breather filter I assume you mean the one mounted in the side of the air cleaner housing? If so, it sounds to me like you have blow-by. Which is caused by worn/broken rings or rings that have not seated or a hole in a piston or scored/worn cylinder(s) which is allowing combustion gasses to escape into the crankcase. One quick way you can check for blow-by is with the engine running at idle, remove the oil filler cap and watch for excessive smoke/vapor. If its excessive........you'll know. I would start this procedure with the engine cold and watch and see what happens as it warms up. But I hate to say it, its sounding like youve got some bad rings or something just by what youve told us. The wet/ dry compression tests will verify this. BTW, any idea how many miles are on the engine?
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
A soaked breather filter means the engine has excessive blowby - this means that the rings are letting an excessive amount of combustion mix escape into the crankcase, and the increased crankcase pressure is driving oil out of the PCV system. This coincides with the blue smoke you're seeing.
My '77 LTD I had in college did that - it couldn't keep a breather filter for more than a month. When I first bought it, the hose that ran from the valve cover to the breather filter was replaced with a long length of heater hose, down to the frame. Curious why this was the case, I re-connected it to the original confiuration. When it started throwing oil, I learned why the previous owner did that. I put it back to how it was. Probably not the most environmentally friendly solution, but it worked.
EDIT: Sorry PEB, I guess we posted at the same time.
My '77 LTD I had in college did that - it couldn't keep a breather filter for more than a month. When I first bought it, the hose that ran from the valve cover to the breather filter was replaced with a long length of heater hose, down to the frame. Curious why this was the case, I re-connected it to the original confiuration. When it started throwing oil, I learned why the previous owner did that. I put it back to how it was. Probably not the most environmentally friendly solution, but it worked.
EDIT: Sorry PEB, I guess we posted at the same time.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,674
Likes: 16
From: Ideeho
I put a supossedly "rebuilt" engine in an '86 Lynx one time. It had so much blow-by that I couldnt keep oil in it. It would blow out 1 1/2 quarts driving 30 miles one way to work. I tried venting it every way I could think of to no avail. Even ran a vent hose up the A pillar to the roofline but it would still blow oil out and slime up the roof and rear window. It had good compression when you tested it wet and dry so all I could figure is whoever "rebuilt" it put the rings on upside down. Not sure because I never tore it down to find out. I just ended up taking the "Exxon Valdez" to the local auto auction. Had about $400 in the "rebuilt" motor and got $50 out of the whole car.............LOL
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 184
Likes: 1
From: Strasburg, Va.
hey DCFord, whereabouts in VA do you live? I'm just off the junction of I66 and I81 myself. I'm by no means a mechanical wiz, but I've been doing my own troubleshooting on my own truck and on my wifes with some success, or luck.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 131
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97,848 original miles. I have all paperwork (inspections, oil changes, general maintenance, new tires, etc. from the original owner). Any guidance on how to do the proper carb adjustment on this motor? Also, anyone have any knowledge of or experience with "Bar's Leaks" products? Do they work or are they just gimmicks in a bottle? guindian28, I'm just a ways from the King's Dominion area if that helps.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
bar's leak does work- for a while. will plug what you want as well as what you don't want like the heater core, etc. good short tem fix though
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
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Well, my frustration got the better of me. Already poured it in there, so I guess I'll either be happy or screwed at this point. I guess I'll let you guys know how it works out....though I fear that I may have just screwed my motor up even worse than it was before. nothing I can do about it now though I guess.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
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Thanks for all the input and responses, It has been very helpful since my last post .....(just a tad of sarcasm there). The rear main leak appears to be so bad that most anything I put in there pours out within 30 or so miles....so Maybe I can be just a bit relieved from putting in the Bar's Leaks. Guess I'll just have to suck it up and try to get the rear main replaced on my own as soon as I can afford the price of the seal and personal labor, I'm sure it's gonna take me quite awhile. Anyway, take care guys and keep on rolling.
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Senior User
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Still pouring out like Niagra Falls when I shut off the motor. Hopefully the Bar's Leaks didn't even stay in there long enough to do any damage to anything else. Just curious, how difficult is the job of replacing rings, seals, etc.? Since I'll have to replace the rear main, I may as well do those as well and learn a bit in the process.
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Senior User
Joined: Jun 2005
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Look guys, I know that posts and replies go up on the site constantly, but seriously....I have put up posts on this thread for over three days now hoping for some input, feedback, suggestions, whatever and nothing....at all. If i'm on my own for some reason to figure this all out on my own as some type of learning process, then tell me that. Otherwise, being as ignorant as i am to engines and what not.... i need some help and i know you guys know what you are talking about, so give me something so i can try to get this thing rolling. My truck means alot to me and i feel like the longer i wait the more chance i have of crap getting even more screwed up bad. I don't have the time or finances to put this off much longer.
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1. Setting Idle Mixture The Right Way
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As far as the rear main seal goes, you will have to pull the tranny to get at it.. Big job for a cheap seal....
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 241
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From: Canada
Did you ever pull the spark plugs to check for deposits? If your engine is orginal, with the age it is, good chance once you open it up you'll find it needs a complete overhaul. You appear to be short on cash, but there may not be a cheap quick solution. The rear main can be replaced in the truck by removing the pan. It is a 2 piece seal. Later years used a 1 piece seal, in those years you remove the transmission. It's not a simple task, just removing the pan is a project in itself.
You know you need to pull the pan to replace the seal, you know you have a blue cloud and their is lots of blowby. I think you should pull the plugs, Check them for fouling, keep track of which cylinder they came from. If there is a large buildup on any of them, likely that cylinder has either a guide or ring issue. The compression test as outlined previously will confirm rings or guides. However it is silly to do one without the other in this age of truck. You would be throwing good money after bad. Probably not what you want to hear, but sometimes there is no quick easy fix.
You know you need to pull the pan to replace the seal, you know you have a blue cloud and their is lots of blowby. I think you should pull the plugs, Check them for fouling, keep track of which cylinder they came from. If there is a large buildup on any of them, likely that cylinder has either a guide or ring issue. The compression test as outlined previously will confirm rings or guides. However it is silly to do one without the other in this age of truck. You would be throwing good money after bad. Probably not what you want to hear, but sometimes there is no quick easy fix.
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Senior User
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$$ wise, what would I likely be looking at to do rings, pistons, gaskets, seals, etc. for my motor? $500 - $1,000 ? I'm sure it's not cheap, but I would like to have some idea in advance. A buddy of mine who has his own shop told me he would do my rear main job for $400, which is beginning to sound "not so bad" now that I'm getting an idea of the nature of what is involved. I'm sure he would have no issues with me being there to help out and learn a few things, but his labor would still be a factor that I would have to consider. Would it be best to do the whole shebang while doing the rear main, or can this all be done in phases at different times?