Straight Six Engine Smoke
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 224
Likes: 62
Straight Six Engine Smoke
Been running my 254 six flathead and it has started to smoke on the exhaust manifold. I also notice that I have lost oil pressure (had oil pressure before this weekend) along with oil below the exhaust manifold around the valve covers on the side of the engine. Would this be caused by bad valve cover gaskets or should I be checking something else on my engine more serious?
Any advice appreciated, thanks!!
Sam
Any advice appreciated, thanks!!
Sam
Believe Nothing
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,514
Likes: 398
From: W. Central FL.
Lack of oil pressure is major concern. I would not run the engine at all 'till I determine if I had oil pressure or none.
Edit: If the engine is throwing oil out the valve cover, it is most likely throwing oil onto the manifold and there is the smoke.
Did it throw all the oil out of the engine?
Mechanical gauge or the original? Or other?
Edit: If the engine is throwing oil out the valve cover, it is most likely throwing oil onto the manifold and there is the smoke.
Did it throw all the oil out of the engine?
Mechanical gauge or the original? Or other?
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 224
Likes: 62
Lack of oil pressure is major concern. I would not run the engine at all 'till I determine if I had oil pressure or none.
Edit: If the engine is throwing oil out the valve cover, it is most likely throwing oil onto the manifold and there is the smoke.
Did it throw all the oil out of the engine?
Mechanical gauge or the original? Or other?
Edit: If the engine is throwing oil out the valve cover, it is most likely throwing oil onto the manifold and there is the smoke.
Did it throw all the oil out of the engine?
Mechanical gauge or the original? Or other?
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,920
Likes: 21
From: Bothell & Silverdale, WA
Trending Topics
Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,685
Likes: 80
From: Northville, MI
I assume that you have never had this engine apart? I agree with Mark, if you drop the pan you will probably find the pickup screen covered in sludge. As Ray says, I would not run this engine until you find the root cause and correct it.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,920
Likes: 21
From: Bothell & Silverdale, WA
No coolant circulation = thermostat stuck closed = high engine temp = low oil pressure (engine running hotter than normal) = exhaust manifold exterior smoking (no OHV valve cover). Suggest checking/replacing thermostat. Worst case scenario is that you have spun a bearing, but that wouldn't explain the high engine temp.
Just my 2 cents.
Just my 2 cents.
Believe Nothing
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,514
Likes: 398
From: W. Central FL.
As more information becomes known : Sudden temp rise with no coolant circulation, T stat stuck like Bob suggests. Other possibility water pump impeller sudden failure, If I remember right, the impeller is stamped metal. I took the initial report of "lost oil pressure" to mean no oil pressure and with the manifold smoking I had to wonder how long the engine had been running. Long enough to throw all the oil out of the valve cover, (right behind the manifold)
Logistics Pro
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,920
Likes: 21
From: Bothell & Silverdale, WA
I don't discount the idea of dropping the pan, but I would check the simplest/easiest things first. Oil should not be coming from around the valve covers unless the gaskets have failed or the covers are loose. There are large oil drain holes in the block but they could be sludged up. When I lit off my 254 for the first time in decades it smoked like crazy. Smoke was coming from everywhere boiling off the moisture that had collected on the engine over the years, plus a bit of penetrating oil.
Thread Starter
|
Mountain Pass
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 224
Likes: 62
Thanks for the input guys. I will drop the pan tonight and let you know what I find. I’ve been running this engine for a month now just letting it idle as it hasn’t been ran since the 80’s. I did do an oil pan job with new gasket etc so I will drop the lower. Before this weekend the engine ran with oil pressure, good temp, and stopped smoking a few weeks ago. I will not run till I sort this out.
Sam
Sam
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 2,594
Likes: 72
From: North Central Arkansas
Mark