Hey all, I already posted this in the FE forum, but I want to get some info from people with old trucks like mine.

I found some sludge on my dipstick the other day, and assumed I had water in the oil from a blown head gasket, so I tore down my engine. I found no obvious breach area on the head gasket or on the intake gaskets, and when I drained my oil, I found no water at the bottom like I was expecting to. A fellow in the FE forum says that the white sludge that I found, mostly on the valve covers and on the bottom inside surface of the intake manifold is from condensation, because my PCV system is sucking in too much moisture and my engine is not getting up to operating temp quickly/often enough. I only drive my truck 2 miles each way to work each day, and while I let the engine warm up for around 5 minutes before starting to drive, it never even registers on my temperature gauge. I was thinking that my temp sensor was broken and/or my gauge was reading too low (constant voltage regulator adjustment), but when I drive the truck for a while, then stop to go into a store, then come back out after a few minutes, the temp. gauge is pegged at the highest reading until I start the engine for a few seconds, then it comes back down to middlish on the gauge, so I'm fairly certain that my gauge is operating correctly, and that it just takes an enormous amount of time for my truck to warm up to operating temp.

The suggested solution from the FE forum is to install an exhaust manifold heat riser, but from another thread in the 67-72 forum, this apparently was not an option for my truck originally, so this cannot be the cause for my problem. I did install an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold and an Edelbrock 750cfm carb about six months ago, and I'm not sure if my problems with condensation are due to the intake or what?

Any ideas?

Greg
67 F100 CCS 390 FMX

 

The Sludge stuff could also be from the type of Oil you're using. I had something like this with Pennzoil years ago, so I avoid that brand, and have never had problem since (using Halvoine/Valvoline now.

 

I use Mobil. Anyone have any bad experiences with that?

Greg

 

Iwould guess that you should al least drive it for some time and distance to remove the moisture from the valve covers. It will evaporate(cook) out. Then do a preasure check on the cooling system ..Just in case something is leaking Ever so slightly....

Ok the PVC letting in cool air that then condences is there to some degree but NORMAL driving should keep up with the condensation problem...I do have the `stock` aircleaner on mine and it does get some Warm Air in from there..

Hooop this helps

I hav`nt been here for a while ....Just geting going again!!

__JOHN__

 

Hi John! Glad to see you back!

Greg, I only drive 2 miles to work but my engine still barely gets into the normal zone. Sounds like your T-stat may be stuck open a little. How cold is it outside anyway?

Barry

 

I live in Chico, California. It's about 45-60 lately, but fairly humid.

Greg

 

My thermostat is brand new. I checked it's operation with the boiling water test before installation, and I believe it's operating normally.

Greg