Help, I'm a dumb-a$$
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Help, I'm a dumb-a$$
Howdy, just wondering if maybe some of you more experienced mechs out there can confirm somthing for me. Just rebuilt a ford 390 fe. Went all the way from the crank out. Long story short, Fired it up, ran strong everything good but it was smoking. Checked everything from the carb down all seals, oil flow, fuel pressure, timing. ETC, ETC. SO....... I'm to the rings. The compression is awsome, 180lbs psi but here's the rub I think I may have mixed up the upper and lower compression rings as I was unaware that there was a difference. Does this make sense? SO runs great, smokes and is using oil. Am I looking at tearing her down snd re-doing the rings? Like the man says" THERE'S YER SIGHN"! Thanx guys
Tennessee Hillbilly
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 196
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From: East TN
Howdy, just wondering if maybe some of you more experienced mechs out there can confirm somthing for me. Just rebuilt a ford 390 fe. Went all the way from the crank out. Long story short, Fired it up, ran strong everything good but it was smoking. Checked everything from the carb down all seals, oil flow, fuel pressure, timing. ETC, ETC. SO....... I'm to the rings. The compression is awsome, 180lbs psi but here's the rub I think I may have mixed up the upper and lower compression rings as I was unaware that there was a difference. Does this make sense? SO runs great, smokes and is using oil. Am I looking at tearing her down snd re-doing the rings? Like the man says" THERE'S YER SIGHN"! Thanx guys
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 14,333
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From: Stanley, VA
Does it smoke only on start-up or while it's running?
Did you bore the cylinders, if not did you hone the cylinders?
Are the oil control rings the cast, one piece style or the steel rail and segmented steel center section?
If it smokes on start-up, probably valve guides.
If it smokes while running, probably ring/cylinder related.
Did you bore the cylinders, if not did you hone the cylinders?
Are the oil control rings the cast, one piece style or the steel rail and segmented steel center section?
If it smokes on start-up, probably valve guides.
If it smokes while running, probably ring/cylinder related.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: THIS IS SPARTA!, ...Mo.
If the rings never seated, it'll smoke also. Assuming the rings are in correctly, it wouldn't hurt to do an old man trick. With the engine running, trickle automatic transmission fluid in the carburetor. It'll smoke like a freight train, but the trans fluid helps cut the rings in. It should stop smoking after the trans fluid works out of the engine. ....plan on replacing the spark plugs. I've used this trick plenty on flooded engines, (Gas as well as water flooded) when rings lose their seal to the cylinder walls. It works better than you would think it would.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,069
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40 did you have the rocker shafts apart? check to see if the dime size plugs are still installed in each end i had that problem with a 390 i had rebuilt by a shop years ago smoked realy bad as 1 was missing and will puke oil into the valve seals/rocker area just a thought
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2010
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From: wichita ,kansas
did you file the rings to fit and did you offset set the top and bottom rings that will let oil by ,
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thanx fellas. let's see..... I had the machime work done by a VERY reputable machinist. had it taken .060 over was very careful with install of ringsvalve guides and seals done.I have pfr roller rockers installed the end plugs are in and I installed oil flow restrictors(.078) Also I noticed oil on top of all the pistons
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From: Northern Indiana
If you have oil on top of ALL the pistons I'm thinking you might have a different problem. Is your pvc valve going into a baffled valve cover? Trans modulator bad and got you sucking fluid? Intake gaskets sealing between intake ports and the lifter valley ok? I know the stock FE manifold is HEAVY and you could mess up gaskets if your not careful. Did it get hot during the initial run in?
Last edited by redsuperduty; Jan 10, 2012 at 11:04 PM. Reason: cant spell.
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