Engine Blew?

[HTX86chevy]

Hi guys I think I just killed my engine. I need your help. My 86 has a 305 that always ran super smooth . this past weekend i decided to install some nice chrome valve covers I had in storage for about six months. the 1st time I cranked her up I noticed alot of smoke coming from tail pipes but figured it was just trash that fell inside while i was scraping up the old gasket. Today I took her to the gas station and noticed a TICKING sound coming from engine. After fuel up, I had to turn the key for over a minute to get her to start. Drove home which is just around the corner and more smoke from tail pipes, plus a cup of oil leaking from engine. I cant find the oil leak , but everything up top is completely dry! did I just step into dog S**t with this? Please give me all advice .

I've been wanting to upgrade to a 350 anyway, but I havent saved up the $ yet so this may be bad timing .

[71swb4x4]

Did you change something when switching the valve covers PVC valve still installed?

[csb#356]

You must have plugged up the PCV circuit somehow and its not venting, causing oil leaks and oil past the rings.

[HTX86chevy]

Please excuse my ignorance, but can you guys explain what the pcv valve is? if its the small L shaped tube thingy on the passanger side valve cover that had a hose connected to it, yes I removed that but I installed a push in breather. is this not enough?

[stroker87]

the tick might be the rockers hitting the valve covers I had that happen with I installed some billet covers on my engine, start the truck and feel the valve covers it the rockers are hitting you will feel it and or the baffle for the breather in you stuck in

the leak might be from the back of the valve cover (fire wall side) use a mirror and look be hind the engine

[Dan1969]

There should be a hole on each one of your valve covers. One is for the breather element, just a small little looking filter and another one is the PCV valve, an "L" Shaped plastic/metal combination valve that creates suction and goes to your carbureator. If you plugged either one of this your engine has been struggling to keep ventilation and will sh*t out the oil through whatever other orifice and crevice it finds.

[HTX86chevy]

Yes there is one hole on each valve cover. One I put a push type oil cap, the other I put a Push type breather. should I remove the breather and try to put the L shaped valve back? I'll take pics and post them in an hour

[piecesparts]

All of this from just changing the valve covers. First recommendation---you must never touch your truck again---It hates you!

I would stick with the PCV valve --- just because it is a lot cleaner than what you presently have on your engine to vent the crankcase. #2 The oil on the ground may be coming from the back of your valve covers and you just can't see it #3 How many miles on this engine? This question is because if you have enough wear and tear on the cylinders, the lack of a negative pressure in your crankcase will make the engine pull the oil from the heads through the valve guides or up through the piston rings.

[HTX86chevy]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

All of this from just changing the valve covers. First recommendation---you must never touch your truck again---It hates you!

I would stick with the PCV valve --- just because it is a lot cleaner than what you presently have on your engine to vent the crankcase. #2 The oil on the ground may be coming from the back of your valve covers and you just can't see it #3 How many miles on this engine? This question is because if you have enough wear and tear on the cylinders, the lack of a negative pressure in your crankcase will make the engine pull the oil from the heads through the valve guides or up through the piston rings.

This is hilarious! Thanks man, I needed to laugh because I have been so upset about this. to answer your question I have owned it for 2 years and have put over 60,000- 80,000 miles I used it to work for the 1st year that required alot of travel. I will try my best to check the back of the valve covers. I removed the push in breather and she cranked with no problem now, but I still here the ticking.

[TexasDmax]

This is something simple I am sure. Nobody blows ther motor up changing valve covers. It may be like others have said and the valve covers are hitting the rockers, you can double the gaskets up to slove this sometimes. It oil smoke is either pressure related (breather or PCV)or a leak that is burning off on the exhaust. Just do some checking you will find it.

[HTX86chevy]

thanks guys. Ok so Once I removed the breather (push Type) it has stopped leaking oil. Guess as mentioned before that it couldnt breathe so the oil gets pushed out from where ever it could find a way out. I still cant find the TICKING though. I know its not from the valve covers beacause I feel nothing hitting,. not even slightly. could it be air escaping some how thru header gasket? I notice smoke seeping thru on passanger side? it speeds up slightly when I hit the accelerator but not nearly as fast enough to be a valve or piston. It actually sounds like a SUPER LOUD second hand of a CLOCK lol . Not sure if that makes sense. It just has a steady rhythm to it. TICK TICK TICK

[TexasDmax]

sounds like a header gasket to me. If you have headers its could also be the bolts are loose.

[HTX86chevy]

Ok fellas, I was able to get the motor to smooth out now. took the breather off. and noticed that the rubber gromet was "baffeled" and so Is the valve cover. Replaced rubber gromet with one that isnt "baffled" and now there is no more oil leaks..... the ticking and rough idle went away when I disconnected a vacuum line in the front of my carb. I have a 4brl quadrajet which has two large vacuum hoses in front of carb . the upper hose has small gas droplets coming out. the lower hose is sucking air . the lower one is the one i disconnected. as soon as it was disconnected my motor idled high and smooth. i put a cap on this line and the idle smoothed out and slowed to normal. she drives great now but I still see a little smoking from tail pipes . I got some new header bolts to see if this will eliminate the gasket leak.

Thanks for all your help guys..... I found this site to be very helpful so I will be upgrading my membership so that I could help even if it is only $25, anything is better than nothing right?

[stroker87]

Originally Posted by HTX86chevy

I got some new header bolts to see if this will eliminate the gasket leak.

I've been in your shoes my friend header leaks suck I had one thought I blew my engine too! after changing the gaskets a few time I bought some called (Percy's Seal-4-Good) never had a leak after that

install them let the engine get to operating temp then let it cool and re-tighten, tighten them again after 50 or so miles (thats what a few guys told me) works

[HTX86chevy]

Stroker, Where can I get Percey's seal for good?

[stroker87]

I got them locally from autozone, but jegs and summit carry them too if you cant fine them at any of the local parts stores

[Corts60]

Originally Posted by HTX86chevy

Ok fellas, I was able to get the motor to smooth out now. took the breather off. and noticed that the rubber gromet was "baffeled" and so Is the valve cover. Replaced rubber gromet with one that isnt "baffled" and now there is no more oil leaks..... the ticking and rough idle went away when I disconnected a vacuum line in the front of my carb. I have a 4brl quadrajet which has two large vacuum hoses in front of carb . the upper hose has small gas droplets coming out. the lower hose is sucking air . the lower one is the one i disconnected. as soon as it was disconnected my motor idled high and smooth. i put a cap on this line and the idle smoothed out and slowed to normal. she drives great now but I still see a little smoking from tail pipes . I got some new header bolts to see if this will eliminate the gasket leak.

Thanks for all your help guys..... I found this site to be very helpful so I will be upgrading my membership so that I could help even if it is only $25, anything is better than nothing right?

OK, if you pulled off a large vacuum hose and your engine idle went higher and smoother, that means your engine is starving for air. When you pull a big vacuum hose off, the engine should want to die because it should be getting too much air. So I think maybe you should see what kind of restrictions you have in your air cleaner set up and possibly make some carb adjustments.

[jdheff1982]

Dude, I had this same problem when I bought my truck. I'd floor it and then a huge cloud of brown smoke would billow out from the passenger side. I had 1 breather cap and 1 oil plug cap. Once I swapped the oil plug cap for a breather, the brown cloud never presented itself again.

[Project77]

could it possibly be the valves sticking?

[piecesparts]

This is a lesson that I learned from reading Hot Rod Magazine a few years ago. Take you header bolts and clean the threads really good, then wrap teflon tape around the threads, just like you would for a pipe joint. Now put a good set of header gaskets on the engine. I personally prefer the Fel-Pro line of gaskets, but am learning that the new aluminum and copper ones are an excellent gasket, also. Put the headers back up to the heads and use the header bolts with the teflon tape to install them. The tape will keep the bolts from backing out of the heads and also will let you pull the bolts later without any binding or galling issues. I have found that once you set the headers and then after the first heat up and run, go back in and do a final check on tightness, the bolts and gaskets will last for years, without coming loose. My 84 truck with a 383 stroker engine has had the headers on it for 5 years without a leak. I just did the headers on my new 2011 GMC DD and used the tape on them also. The next time you pull the bolts, just clean and put new teflon tape on again.

You do know that the lifter tick that you have may be just a little POS that allowed the lifter to stick inside itself. I would recommend a little lubricative valve job with a can of Rislone or Sea Foam to ensure that you did not get something real nasty in your oil galley to the lifters.

Are you sure the valve covers are clearing the lifters where the oil hole baffles are inside them? Not knowing the quality of product that you purchased, there is a chance that the metal is coming in contact with a rocker arm.

[HTX86chevy]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

This is a lesson that I learned from reading Hot Rod Magazine a few years ago. Take you header bolts and clean the threads really good, then wrap teflon tape around the threads, just like you would for a pipe joint. Now put a good set of header gaskets on the engine. I personally prefer the Fel-Pro line of gaskets, but am learning that the new aluminum and copper ones are an excellent gasket, also. Put the headers back up to the heads and use the header bolts with the teflon tape to install them. The tape will keep the bolts from backing out of the heads and also will let you pull the bolts later without any binding or galling issues. I have found that once you set the headers and then after the first heat up and run, go back in and do a final check on tightness, the bolts and gaskets will last for years, without coming loose. My 84 truck with a 383 stroker engine has had the headers on it for 5 years without a leak. I just did the headers on my new 2011 GMC DD and used the tape on them also. The next time you pull the bolts, just clean and put new teflon tape on again.

You do know that the lifter tick that you have may be just a little POS that allowed the lifter to stick inside itself. I would recommend a little lubricative valve job with a can of Rislone or Sea Foam to ensure that you did not get something real nasty in your oil galley to the lifters.

Are you sure the valve covers are clearing the lifters where the oil hole baffles are inside them? Not knowing the quality of product that you purchased, there is a chance that the metal is coming in contact with a rocker arm.

Lots of great advice, thanks! I will add teflon to the header bolts. I will check valves for inside clearance and I need to add that I still see a few teaspoons of oil leak out after each trip.. I just did an oil change today so I will keep a close eye on the oil level these next few days. Oil is leaking from the rear of the motor but I cannot for the life of me pin point the location. It is not the valve covers because I checked with a mirror and also rubbed my hand across the back and they were dry? Any ideas?

[stroker87]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

Not knowing the quality of product that you purchased, there is a chance that the metal is coming in contact with a rocker arm.

its not the quality its just some parts dont like others my valve covers are from Billet specialties and they did not like my roller rockers I had to grind down the inner walls of the covers to make them work with Harland Sharp rockers

[dmwphoto]

sorry man, it HAS to be the valve covers. think back, what did you mess with???

[piecesparts]

That has some truth to it, but there are many cheap products on the market that you can find on Evil-Bay and at swap meets.

For the oil leak, look at the rear of the intake manifold, you may have pushed some sealant out of the joint. If so, the to really stop it, you may have to pull the intake and redo it. I would seriously think about an aluminum upgrade, if this happens.

NAPA sells a sealant that is called "The Right Stuff". It comes in many tube sizes and this stuff will stick to oily metal and seal if no other stuff does.

[HTX86chevy]

The only thing that I removed other than the pcv valve was the Egr Valve. I put a new gasket and a block off plate there the egr valve went. I believe that I capped off the vac lines that ran to the egr so this shouldnt cause a problem should it?