Burning Oil!

[lukecp]

Okay, when i put my truck to the floor, and it gets up to around 4000 rpm, i can smell burning oil in the cab. If the windows are up, i can't smell it. I have a 10xxx mile rebuilt 350, that runs very strong, dosen't smoke at start up, or at any other time. I figured that it can't be coming out of my exhaust, because then i wouldn't be able to smell it in the cab (i have turndowns that end above the rear axle). If i put the truck in park, with the windows down and rev it that high, no oil smell at all. However, i do have a leak somewhere near the back of the engine (valve cover, or oil pressure sender, i haven't looked yet). Could the high load on the engine cause oil to squirt onto my headers? Someone told me it might be blow-by coming out of my air cleaner, but like i said this engine is pretty new, and very strong (90mph in a makeshift 1/4 mile).

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Lucas

drop_shift@hotmail.com

My Daily-Driver: '72 Chevy LWB Custom/10. Rebuilt 350, 300 HP thanks to a few go-fast goodies. Ochre with a white top. Future plans include a frame off restoration, and maybe a blown 383.

[lukecp]

ttt

[67Fleetsidedream]

It may be your valve covers. Get some engine degreaser and wash your engine. Make sure you get the back real good and clean.
Once it is clean, get it as dry as possible. Then take it for a spin until you smell burning oil. Once you smell it, stop and check for leaks.
67
Ben

[Gordo]

Are you running stock valve covers and air breather, if so, is the crankcase breather tube in place? If they are after market valve covers, do they have a baffles inside for the breather and PCV opening? Do you have a crankcase breather and PCV valve installed?

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1971 C10 swb stepside 350/700R4/3.73posi
Killingworth, Connecticut

[kurts72]

My guess you are smelling blow by.

[lukecp]

I have stock v/c's, and the PVC is attached. I really dont think it could be blow-by, the engine is really strong, has good compression, and has low miles. Before it got rebuilt, i didn't smell blow-by even though it smoked like a chimney. I am starting to think it may be power steering fluid, my pump leaks alot and maybe at high RPM's it squirts out, and blows back onto my headers. That would explain why it dosen't do it in Park. I guess i will go down to the carwash and spray everything off and go from there.....

[Joe1]

My guess is valve covers or/and breather cap...
Joe.

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(Canadian that got lost in Europe)
1971 GMC custom 350ci
1967 Pontiac Firebird 326ci
1989 Beretta GT
1966 Mustang (yes,I know)



[This message has been edited by Joe1 (edited March 25, 2002).]

[704x4]

have you made sure your tranny isnt losing fluid out of the overflow

most of the time it will splatter all over the exhaust and it will smell like burnt oil

just a guess

[ColinOpseth]

loose oil sender maybe?

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Webmaster: www.GMPerformance.org

[ZZ502]

Just keep the windows rolled up : )

[lukecp]

Well, i did a few more test runs, and the smell comes after i rev the engine to 4k in gear, then i let off the gas and coast down to speed, and the smell appears for a few seconds. I don't see any smoke coming from my exhasut or anywhere else. Tomorrow i will put a new PVC valve in it (who knows, its cheap and may be the problem). I washed off the engine today, and i found some oil coming from the fuel pump gasket, and somewhere on the back of the motor. I am thinking it is the oil pressure sender, but im not sure. Will buring fluids (oil, PS, or tranny) leave any kind of a mark on my headers of exhaust system?

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Lucas

drop_shift@hotmail.com

My Daily-Driver: '72 Chevy LWB Custom/10. Rebuilt 350, 300 HP thanks to a few go-fast goodies. Ochre with a white top. Future plans include a frame off restoration, and maybe a blown 383.

[ColinOpseth]

yeah, it will but not much.. most of it will burn off before it collects dust..

another bad spot on Chevy engines is the rear seal on the back of the intake manifold and the distributor gasket..

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Webmaster: www.GMPerformance.org

[lukecp]

I put a new PCV valve in it, and it helped a little bit. The smell dosen't linger around quite so long. I tracked down the oil leak the the back corner of the valve cover, and within 100 or so miles since i washed my engine, it gave the back of my block a nice coating. So, i will just put some new VC gaskets on (for the SECOND time this year!), and see if that does it. Also, when i put new gaskets on in January, i used blue permatex for gasket dressing. Should i use this again, or install the gaskets dry? Maybe i will get some chrome VC's...my stock ones are proably warped....

[704x4]

buy a bottle of what is called "the right stuff"
comes in a easy cheese like container
ive found this works alot better than silicon

[lukecp]

It is definetly the VC gaskets, and it was the fuel pump gaskets too. I replaced both fuel pump gaskets, and i ordered some new chrome VC's, because my old ones were warped from being overtightned. I crawled underneath, and could see where oil had dripped down and hit my exhaust.

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Lucas

"Another proud owner of one of the coolest trucks ever built"

drop_shift@hotmail.com

My Daily-Driver: '72 Chevy LWB Custom/10. Rebuilt 350, 300 HP thanks to a few go-fast goodies. Ochre with a white top. Future plans include a frame off restoration, and maybe a blown 383.

[Gordo]

Install the gaskets dry, Silicone is used to make gaskets, don't need both! If you need to hold gasket in place, use a contact adhesive like "Hi-Tack".

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1971 C10 swb stepside 350/700R4/3.73posi
Killingworth, Connecticut

[704x4]

if you put a motor together using only dry gaskets it will leak!!!!!!!!

silicone or the right stuff should be used on almost every gasket except for the head gaskets and distributor

front & back of the intake
water jackets on the intake
fuel pump
vlave covers
oil pan
timing chain cover

if you have aluminum valve covers you might get by without it but other wise it will eventually leak because if you overtighten them they leak and if you don't overtighten them they work themselves loose

experience will prove it

[Gordo]

With all due respect, I beg to differ my friend,,good gaskets installed correctly, will not leak. That's what gaskets are for. The only spot I may use a touch of silicone is at the corners of the intake where the intake gaskets meet the rubber end seals. People over use that stuff with false belief that you can't do without it. Thirty five years of experience proves it for me.

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1971 C10 swb stepside 350/700R4/3.73posi
Killingworth, Connecticut

[704x4]

35 years of experience should have told you that the oil pan (front)where rubber meets cork and where rear main seal meets cork will leak with out it

and most flimsy valve covers like stock ones will too

id rather use some silicone or the right stuff rather than doing it twice

as long as it is a thin coat it won't squeeze out and end up in engine

[Gordo]

You can come look at my garage floor anytime, you won't find a drop from my vehicles,,and while your there we can pop a couple cold ones.

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1971 C10 swb stepside 350/700R4/3.73posi
Killingworth, Connecticut