So I replaced all the gaskets on my 351w, put it back together, now I finally got it running after the ignition timing gave me some problems. Only one problem. There is smoke that looks to be coming from around the passenger side exhaust manifold. What could this be?

 

Look for a valve cover leak, or maybe oil got on the manifold during work.

 

It should go away if it's just from the work you did. Greasy hand prints on the manifold is enough to cause smoke during the first run. It will finally burn off.

 

update: I ran it for awhile, smoked, then as I was pulling out of my driveway, it stalled out. I suspect it might be the ignition timing is off

 

I am sure it is if you didn't use a timing light. Harbor Freight has them cheap enough. You must be in the ballpark with the timing if it runs though.

 

Could be a valve cover leak, they are pretty common with cork gaskets which prompts people to apply a thick layer of silicone gasket maker to try and stop it. Could also be from the engine when it was taken apart to replace the gaskets oil could have gotten on the manifolds then as well.

Yep most common causes are hand prints and dripping oil from removal of valve covers for a gasket job that hits the manifolds. That stuff will burn for a good half hour before it quits smoking. It took a month after I replaced the valve cover gaskets on my '56 Fairlane before the smoking from the manifolds stopped cause they were so saturated with oil over the years up till the car was parked that it was faint traces of smoke for some 30 days before it was completely gone.

Be careful if your timing is off, if it is off enough it could put excessive heat into your exhaust and cause smoking where smoking normally wouldn't occur. I've seen timing so far off that thick cast iron manifolds would glow red and Ive seen so far off that header tubes were almost translucent from how hot they were. When you check the timing if its not EEC IV, make sure you pull the vacuum advance hose and plug it when setting timing. If it is EEC IV make sure to unplug the spout connector before setting timing to ensure the ECM is not trying to adjust timing on you.

 

I used a timing light on my engine to set it to 15 degrees when idiling. It does not smoke anymore although it has fluctuating rpm’s when parked and will sometimes stall out when I put it into drive

 

Adjust the mixture screws on the carb. Sounds like it is a little lean.