226 issues
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2014
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226 issues
Folks I have a 226 I rebuilt back LY. Doesn’t have many miles on it maybe 100 or so. The gas in it is probably a year old maybe a little less. Decided to drive it this weekend and it’s smoking, not all the time, but upon acceleration at a stop light. It’s grayish smoke. Would bad/old gas cause a smoke or do I have bigger issues with rings? I am on the verge of pulling that engine and reringing it with new rings.
JB
JB
Parts Nerd Extraordinaire
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Western NY
If you have only put 100 miles on it since a rebuild, the rings etc have probably not had a chance to break in. There should be no need to rebuild it again or change the rings at this juncture. However, darker colored smoke is usually fuel related, not oil. Oil is blue, coolant is white, and fuel is black. Fresh fuel is always best.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: NM
Has the truck been sitting for a long time? How is it running, smoothly? Do you smell gas? If it wasn't smoking before, then the rings have seated. Did you drive it enough to get it fully warmed up?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2014
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It’s a weird deal Ross. Crank it up and no smoke. Run it hard up hills and around the flats no smoke. But at speed and coasting down a hill in third, and then floor it in the flat and it smokes pretty bad. It’s a grayish smoke but I suppose it could have a bluish hue to it - hard to tell. The gas in has to be a year old and I still have half a tank to go through.
JB
JB
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Mid-Michigan
Kind of sounds like puttering around a lake for a while in an outboard, and then opening the throttle full bore. Maybe it's just accumulated fuel or crud from coasting that you blow out when you floor it on the flats?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2014
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JB
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 27,283
Likes: 1,046
From: NM
You could try adding some Techron to the bad gas, or just go fill it up with fresh. I wonder if the power valve is varnished?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2014
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I am sure that old fuel has evaporated in the bowl several times. And it does smell varnished. But the engine runs pretty good and doesn’t have any other symptoms?
JB
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Mid-Michigan
I guess I'd start by spraying the carb down really well with cleaner, and adjusting the air/fuel mixture so it runs leaner. As mentioned above, if you're still breaking it in, it may smoke a bit and do other funny things until it's worn in a bit more. Since this is an intermittent issue, it seems to not be something majorly wrong (hopefully). You'll just have to pay attention when it happens until you figure it out, or it goes away I guess!
Mountain Pass
Joined: Sep 2022
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From: Fort Collins, CO
I don't think 1 year old gas would do this, but it might be mixing with really old crap in the fuel tank. I had an engine once that had a very small head gasket leak and at idle, then starting from stop light, or backing off down hills would produce a cloud of grey smoke(steam). The high vacuum would pull a little coolant into the cylinder, then opening the throttle would allow higher volume flow and convert it to steam.
Another possible cause is thin oil that can get pulled into the cylinder during high vacuum. Past valve guides or rings. I would recommend 30 wt. Add a bottle of rislone no smoke to thicken it up, it works for me.
Looking at the spark plugs may show which cylinder has the steam cleaned look electrode.
Stop leak (yuk) might slow the coolant leak.
Good luck.
Another possible cause is thin oil that can get pulled into the cylinder during high vacuum. Past valve guides or rings. I would recommend 30 wt. Add a bottle of rislone no smoke to thicken it up, it works for me.
Looking at the spark plugs may show which cylinder has the steam cleaned look electrode.
Stop leak (yuk) might slow the coolant leak.
Good luck.
Parts Nerd Extraordinaire
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Western NY
I would argue that a fresh rebuild should not need any magic sauce and that any defect that the magic sauce would be compensating for should be covered under the rebuilders warranty.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2014
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Ross that is a good thought. I need to check that. The vacuum line is a hard line and I could have tweaked the connection points. The 226 has two points to clamp it and it’s possible in tightening those created a leak, so I will check that out. Thanks man
the fuel is old but I hate dumping out 8 gallons of gas on the ground. I am going to take it out this weekend into the mountains and really give it a good break in and burn that old fuel out and eliminate that possibility.
JB
the fuel is old but I hate dumping out 8 gallons of gas on the ground. I am going to take it out this weekend into the mountains and really give it a good break in and burn that old fuel out and eliminate that possibility.
JB