Oil issue

[peeenl]

I just got my car shipped to me after two years of sitting. Once I got the car in it wouldn't start. After a carb rebuild I got it running. One day I pulled it out to just let it run and clear the pipes a bit. They were smoking pretty heavy, but I didn't think much of it with how long it had been since I worked on it. After about 10 minutes at idle it was still smoking about the same, but I noticed a little smoke under the hood as well.

I popped it open and there was a lot of smoke around the driver side header. It also appeared the the breather was spitting oil on the valve cover and down to the headers. I didn't see the oil coming out, but that's just what I thought from where I see the oil at. Had a small fire, but I turned the car off and haven't started it up yet.

I've drained the oil, and am about to change it out. I'm hoping it's as simple as clean it up and give it an oil change, but I just wanted to check. I'll admit I have not figured out a reason why oil would come out of the breather, or anywhere else to get it on top of the valve cover.

Anything else I should be checking?

 

[Kit Sullivan]

Oil coming out of your breather is a typical tell-tale sign of excessively worn valve guides.

 

[c9zx]

Excessive crankcase pressure caused by blow by (compressed mixture getting around the rings). If it didn't show these symptoms before being stored for two years, it may be the rings being "stuck" in the ring lands. The oil change may be enough to free up the rings after driving it a while. If not an engine flush treatment may do the job. Chuck

 

[piper62j]

Sitting for two years (if I understand it correctly) could cause the pcv valve to be stuck closed which would cause internal pressure build up. The valve seals may also have dried up and are not sealing the valve stems any more..

Keep in mind that the engine has to breathe internally or pressure will build up and cause oil to push out any way it can.. Hence out the valve cover..

I would pull the plugs and inspect for the condition.. If they are wet and oily, the cylinders are definitely drawing oil in thru the valves. Also, just for the heck of it, take a compression test. It will tell you a lot about the condition of the cylinders and rings. Sitting for a long time may cause the oil rings to be stuck and not sealing...IMHO

 

[Kit Sullivan]

After and oil change, I would just drive it for a few hundred miles and see if it clears up before doing anything else.

 

[will e]

My first thought was also PCV valve. I would swap that and then do what Kit said.

 

[peeenl]

There were a couple funny things that popped up when I got the car in. I was told by the guy who was storing it for me that he drove it on the trailer. When it came in, the battery was not mine...and dead. there was also a clamp missing on the PCV hose to the carb, and a little oil visible on the outside of the hose at the carb. I did swap the hose and get the clamp, but did not swap the PCV.

I'll try that with the oil change and let it run a bit. More to follow after that...

 

[RacerX]

Hope it's not like our convertible with 351C-2V we recently bought. The oil changes weren't done regularly and the return passages in the heads were blocked. The oil woulndn't drain back from the valve covers and it was going past the valve stems right out the exhaust pipe. The exhaust tip was dripping oil. A full rebuild has corrected the issue (along with we own the car now.)

 

[peeenl]

Thank you all for the help. I'll keep everyone up to date once I make more progress. I just haven't gone into town yet to get the pcv valve yet. I'll make the trip tomorrow or the day after. The car is also on jack stands in the rear while I solve a tire dilemma. I don't want to start it like that.

If anyone near middle Missouri has an extra roller wheel or a tire that will fit a 14x8; shoot me a message. Doesn't even need to be nice, just needs to hold air.

 

[peeenl]

Here is a picture of what I'm looking at if it helps identify anything. Should be getting the pcv valve this evening. If I can get the old oil filter off I might try and start her up again tonight or tomorrow.

 

[peeenl]

Well...something awful just happened. I did my oil change, replaced the PCV valve, and the old girl fired right up. Was sounding good, but had white smoke out the tail pipes. Again, didn't think too much of it since it had sit for such a while. Let it run for about 10 minutes, smoke actually was clearing down to almost nothing. Idle was really good too.

Then; I don't even know exactly what I heard or saw, maybe a small stutter and a slight rattle; but a quick small puff of smoke in the engine bay. I shut it off within like 2 or 3 seconds. I went to look it over, and a large pool of oil is forming and flowing past the driver side tire. It just dumped the oil out. It has to be at least 3 quarts if not more.

I've looked around and can't tell exactly what happened. Some of the oil pattern on hoses seems mysterious. I would have to say the epicenter of the leakage is somewhere around the fuel pump and what I believe was the oil temperature or pressure gauge. They are both totally soaked.

I'm still in shock.

 

[will e]

If it is a Cleveland the oil pressure gauge is in the back right behind the intake.

You might have had a oil filter burst (or did you forget to put it on?) On a Cleveland it would dump right by the front tire.

I don't know much about 302's so I have no advice.

 

[Go Time]

i've seen the oil sending units leak but not that much.

 

[peeenl]

Its a 351 Windsor. The oil filter is actually right there just below the fuel pump. I did jack the car up and pull the filter off after it some time for both the car and myself to cool off. It did seem tight enough to me, and I didn't see anything obviously wrong with the filter, although it was only hand tight and I didn't flashlight the inside of it.

I did not see any damage to the block. I did not see anything obviously wrong with the oil pan gasket. The drain plug is also present and fine. Oil also seems too high for that, although I guess anything could happen under pressure. The leak also just seamed too fast to be from the fuel pump gasket or the sensor that's right there.

I will also say the oil was already dark colored. I'm not entirely sure if that's odd or not, but I didn't think the oil would become that dark so quickly. I suppose it probably mixed with some residue of the last oil as though.

I would be the happiest man alive if it was just the filter, but I'm not sure. Can they burst with no visible damage to the exterior? If so, what am I looking for? I don't really want to trial and error start it again without confirming it isn't something worse.

 

[Mikes73]

Is the oil filter tight and not double o-ringed?

 

[Kit Sullivan]

My guess is a double-gasketed oil filter. Messy for sure, but no big deal.

 

[peeenl]

I did just read a little about filters bursting. It mentioned that cold weather can increase the pressure. It was around 35 degrees while I was running it, but it also ran for 10 minutes just fine.

I did also use 10w30. I know a lot of people like to run 5w30 in the winter, but I didn't think that would cause such a difference either.

My guess is a double-gasketed oil filter. Messy for sure, but no big deal.

I'm not sure what that is, but the filter did only have a single rubber ring. I've never seen anything other than that though. I'm going to go grab the filter and take some pictures of it to post.


I don't see anything wrong with the filter, but I've never had one fail. Anyone see anything I don't?

 

[Mikes73]

There isn't an o-ring (gasket) stuck to the block is there? I have had it happen with the same results you mentoned. Sometimes they stick when you remove the old oil filter.

 

[peeenl]

There isn't an o-ring (gasket) stuck to the block is there? I have had it happen with the same results you mentoned. Sometimes they stick when you remove the old oil filter.

I don't think there was. I'll double check tomorrow, but I think I would have seen it when I was under there trying to see what went actually wrong.