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I'm at the point now where my truck starts without any issues, and it seems to be idling fine. But whenever it runs there's so much smoke coming out that it sets off the fire alarm in our garage. It's blue smoke, so it's burning oil correct? I tried some marvel mystery oil down the cylinders and let it sit for a couple days, did not make a difference. So if oil is burning then I probably have bad rings, which would mean I need to rebuild the whole engine? Or does anyone have any other suggestions?
Sometimes it takes very little to set off a smoke alarm. A compression test may tell you something but some long drives where the engine works may or may not help. Does it foul the plugs? Years ago it was common practice to run them till you could not keep the plugs from fouling. Edit: Then an overhaul was considered.
Make certain the breather and road draft tube are clean.
Edit: OH, crap, I just saw you're in CA. Governor moombeam and his minions will be after you if it smokes.
Mine smoked bad when I first got it. It had a couple slightly low cylinders when I checked compression. I put some MMO down in the cylinders before I went on a two week vacation.
When I got back I dropped the oil pan, took off the intake and cleaned the sludge out of it. Rebuilt the carb and gave it a tune up.
Still smoked but ran good and had good oil pressure. Drove it around and opened it up on the frontage road. The more I drove it the less it smoked. Compression came up too. It takes a while to burn the MMO out of the exhaust too.
I've been driving it a lot and no noticeable smoke anymore. You can smell it but, no more blue cloud. I'm sure it could use some fresh bearings, rings and a valve grind but, I'm leaving it as is for now.
Just my story. I got lucky for now. Maybe yours will clean up with use.
Try an oil change and running it a while. Make sure you have good thermostats and that your motor is getting up to temperature. It is common for an engine that hasn't been run in a long time to have gummed up rings.
Try exactly what Scotty's 52 53 and 38 coupe said. If the engine runs ok, good oil pressure, no knocks and not running hot, take it out and work it, burn the crud out of it.
A compression test tells you what the compression is right nowonly, crud, gum, stuck rings, and anything else will affect compression. Have you cleaned the pan and screen?
I had some blow by and smoke issues because my road draft tube was plugged and consisted of the top half only, causing increased pressure in the lower crankcase.
Since I didn't have the bottom half to fix the tube and facilitate the venturi effect, I removed it and turned a piece of aluminum to fit in the road draft tube hole in the intake that held a PCV Valve. It was turned to fit snug within the hole with and had a groove for an o-ring and a shoulder to sit against the intake. A threaded pcv valve was placed into a center bore that was tapped to match the threads and a hose was run to a vacuum port in the intake manifold below the carb.
Here is mine in the intake (not pressed all the way in)...I might be able to find some better pictures if you are interested. I sold the motor, so I don't have access to the actual plug.
When I checked the plugs 2 of them were saturated in oil. Also I've never cleaned the pan and screen. The only issue I'm having about just going out and driving it to burn all the crud is that it can't get up our steep driveway. All the other times I've driven it it's been able to get up but since I fixed the idle speed now it can't get up, but the smoking is worse than it ever has been. So if I do a compression test and have low compression, how do I fix that?
It IS a 1952 so it probably does need a rebuild. But, after reading posts here and on Ford Barn I'm always surprised at the "resurrections" of some locked up neglected Flatheads.
Mine was definitely FOGGING the neighborhood with a blue cloud but, cleaned up nicely. I drive it a lot. Maybe I was just lucky.
Its still worth cleaning up and trying. You may be lucky too. If not, you need to clean it up for rebuild anyway. Good luck!
When I checked the plugs 2 of them were saturated in oil. Also I've never cleaned the pan and screen. The only issue I'm having about just going out and driving it to burn all the crud is that it can't get up our steep driveway. All the other times I've driven it it's been able to get up but since I fixed the idle speed now it can't get up, but the smoking is worse than it ever has been. So if I do a compression test and have low compression, how do I fix that?
Try replacing those oily plugs. You may get it firing on all cylinders and get the power back.
I had some blow by and smoke issues because my road draft tube was plugged and consisted of the top half only, causing increased pressure in the lower crankcase.
Since I didn't have the bottom half to fix the tube and facilitate the venturi effect, I removed it and turned a piece of aluminum to fit in the road draft tube hole in the intake that held a PCV Valve. It was turned to fit snug within the hole with and had a groove for an o-ring and a shoulder to sit against the intake. A threaded pcv valve was placed into a center bore that was tapped to match the threads and a hose was run to a vacuum port in the intake manifold below the carb.
Here is mine in the intake (not pressed all the way in)...I might be able to find some better pictures if you are interested. I sold the motor, so I don't have access to the actual plug.
Good information OK F1. Thanks. I was going to make one but this is better.
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