Leaking valves?
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From: Germantown, MD
Leaking valves?
I have an '86 F150 with a 302 EFI with a bunch of miles on it. I broke my filler cap on the driver's side valve cover, so I replaced it with this filler cap that didn't have a breather hose like the old one, it basically just sealed the valve cover. The result was a blown valve cover gasket. I changed the valve cover gasket and installed a breather cap. This new cap has an element inside and a hole in the top to relieve excessive pressure... With the engine running, I can see and smell oily smoke coming out of the breather opening. Could the cause be a burnt exhaust valve, or a bad valve seal?
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From: Germantown, MD
The truck ultimately came from my dead Uncle. I got the truck in August of 2007, only about 8 months ago. The odometer reads 96,000 miles; however, thats as many digits as the odometer will display... I suppose that could mean 96,000, or 196,000, 296,000..........396,000. Who knows.
Should I do a compression test?
Should I do a compression test?
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From: Germantown, MD
Assuming the rings are worn, which is the most likely cause. How long do you think it would take for a home mechanic to pull the engine out of the truck? If I decide to do it, should I replace the pistons or just the rings? And should I get different pistons to increase the compression ratio?
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From: Germantown, MD
Maybe it would be easier to buy a short block and build it using the parts off the current motor and new parts where needed. That way I would always have another block, because I don't plan on ever getting rid of the truck. Maybe it would even be worth the extra money to get a remanufactured motor. Does anyone have any experience with reman motors?
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Any short block or remanufactured engine you buy is only going to be as good as the machine work, parts, and labor that goes into it. You might call a couple of local auto shops you trust and ask them who they would recommend. As far as warranties go, you're probably safer buying from a Pep Boys or something you know will be around. eBay has some buyer's protection built in as well; I've seen a few engines being sold by folks with good feedback numbers.
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The PCV should be checked as Beans said. The Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve itself should be pulled out and checked to see that the internal parts still rattle around. If you put the wrong part on, you would just be seeing blowby that existed already, but had been handled by the system before. There may be no problem...
Clean air is drawn from the air cleaner, into one rocker arm, through the engine, and out through the PCV and then fed into the intake manifold to be burned. The crankcase vapors can be fed to a spacer mounted under the carburetor, or to the 'inside' of the air cleaner, directly leading into the carburetor or throttle body. If the PCV is plugged, you will get vapors and oil leaking out everywhere they can. If you have blowby, you will see vapors when the engine is idling.
Sometimes an engine will clear itself up of blowby if it has been sitting for a while, or not run frequently enough. Change the oil, drive it, maybe it will work itself out.
Re-mans are all over the map in quality. Nationwide brands are nice if you travel or will move while under warranty. Note, the warranty will NOT pay for installation if their short or long block fails in many cases. Local shops can do as well or better than the reman factories. Ask locally for recommended shops.
tom
Clean air is drawn from the air cleaner, into one rocker arm, through the engine, and out through the PCV and then fed into the intake manifold to be burned. The crankcase vapors can be fed to a spacer mounted under the carburetor, or to the 'inside' of the air cleaner, directly leading into the carburetor or throttle body. If the PCV is plugged, you will get vapors and oil leaking out everywhere they can. If you have blowby, you will see vapors when the engine is idling.
Sometimes an engine will clear itself up of blowby if it has been sitting for a while, or not run frequently enough. Change the oil, drive it, maybe it will work itself out.
Re-mans are all over the map in quality. Nationwide brands are nice if you travel or will move while under warranty. Note, the warranty will NOT pay for installation if their short or long block fails in many cases. Local shops can do as well or better than the reman factories. Ask locally for recommended shops.
tom
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From: Germantown, MD
The PCV should be checked as Beans said. The Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve itself should be pulled out and checked to see that the internal parts still rattle around. If you put the wrong part on, you would just be seeing blowby that existed already, but had been handled by the system before. There may be no problem...
Clean air is drawn from the air cleaner, into one rocker arm, through the engine, and out through the PCV and then fed into the intake manifold to be burned. The crankcase vapors can be fed to a spacer mounted under the carburetor, or to the 'inside' of the air cleaner, directly leading into the carburetor or throttle body. If the PCV is plugged, you will get vapors and oil leaking out everywhere they can. If you have blowby, you will see vapors when the engine is idling.
Sometimes an engine will clear itself up of blowby if it has been sitting for a while, or not run frequently enough. Change the oil, drive it, maybe it will work itself out.
Re-mans are all over the map in quality. Nationwide brands are nice if you travel or will move while under warranty. Note, the warranty will NOT pay for installation if their short or long block fails in many cases. Local shops can do as well or better than the reman factories. Ask locally for recommended shops.
tom
Clean air is drawn from the air cleaner, into one rocker arm, through the engine, and out through the PCV and then fed into the intake manifold to be burned. The crankcase vapors can be fed to a spacer mounted under the carburetor, or to the 'inside' of the air cleaner, directly leading into the carburetor or throttle body. If the PCV is plugged, you will get vapors and oil leaking out everywhere they can. If you have blowby, you will see vapors when the engine is idling.
Sometimes an engine will clear itself up of blowby if it has been sitting for a while, or not run frequently enough. Change the oil, drive it, maybe it will work itself out.
Re-mans are all over the map in quality. Nationwide brands are nice if you travel or will move while under warranty. Note, the warranty will NOT pay for installation if their short or long block fails in many cases. Local shops can do as well or better than the reman factories. Ask locally for recommended shops.
tom
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