#6 oil in plug tube (1 Viewer)

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So attempted to troubleshoot:
  • popped the vac lines off (that I messed with) and those are not clogged- the 2 on top of the TB
  • disconnected and reconnected the sensors (that I had removed prior to get wiggle room)
  • I've got the harness loom wrapped in gold heat tape- it's not exposed anywhere by feeling around
    • Also started up the car and wiggled it around in case something broke in the bundle)
    • I've been careful to not contort it much
  • popped off the valve cover vent lines- large and small
    • the small spun in place a little - PCV in the gasket (will need a new gasket there I'm sure) but tested the valving of it- blowing sealed it off and sucking lifted the ball (and gave me precious valve cover innard gasses..) - so seems functional and not leaking
    • no clogged hoses
  • checked oil cap again- milky residue is gone this morning- yay!
  • checked the dipstick- no trace of funk there either...measured about over half way on the mark- engine is super cold obvi
  • coolant looked good also- I did put in a little in the reso as it was lower than the "mark" on the bottle
  • I shook all plug wires at the plug side and at the distro- connections good
Started up again and immediate smoke. I let it idle while pluming...shook all the wires and hoses..no change. I cant tell what the smoke smells like...its not sweet like coolant and not oily-like...maybe a combo...but there's lots of it on start up and when adding throttle, theres lot more.

Car is still feeling lobe-ish on idle and on throttle like a misfire- I had cleared codes the other day and they havent presented themselves back yet- also havent run the car too long since. Idle isn't trying to die...its just really rough.

Drove out of my driveway and maybe 500ft down the road...leaving a plume trail...same stuttery idle and throttle sound as I reparked.

Aside from tearing back down the valve cover...anything else I should be paying attention to?

I'm leaving for HI on Saturday so this project may be sitting for a bit..
 
So attempted to troubleshoot:
  • popped the vac lines off (that I messed with) and those are not clogged- the 2 on top of the TB
  • disconnected and reconnected the sensors (that I had removed prior to get wiggle room)
  • I've got the harness loom wrapped in gold heat tape- it's not exposed anywhere by feeling around
    • Also started up the car and wiggled it around in case something broke in the bundle)
    • I've been careful to not contort it much
  • popped off the valve cover vent lines- large and small
    • the small spun in place a little - PCV in the gasket (will need a new gasket there I'm sure) but tested the valving of it- blowing sealed it off and sucking lifted the ball (and gave me precious valve cover innard gasses..) - so seems functional and not leaking
    • no clogged hoses
  • checked oil cap again- milky residue is gone this morning- yay!
  • checked the dipstick- no trace of funk there either...measured about over half way on the mark- engine is super cold obvi
  • coolant looked good also- I did put in a little in the reso as it was lower than the "mark" on the bottle
  • I shook all plug wires at the plug side and at the distro- connections good
Started up again and immediate smoke. I let it idle while pluming...shook all the wires and hoses..no change. I cant tell what the smoke smells like...its not sweet like coolant and not oily-like...maybe a combo...but there's lots of it on start up and when adding throttle, theres lot more.

Car is still feeling lobe-ish on idle and on throttle like a misfire- I had cleared codes the other day and they havent presented themselves back yet- also havent run the car too long since. Idle isn't trying to die...its just really rough.

Drove out of my driveway and maybe 500ft down the road...leaving a plume trail...same stuttery idle and throttle sound as I reparked.

Aside from tearing back down the valve cover...anything else I should be paying attention to?

I'm leaving for HI on Saturday so this project may be sitting for a bit..
I think autozone will rent out one of the radiator headgasket testing kits (when you get back from travels)
 
I think autozone will rent out one of the radiator headgasket testing kits (when you get back from travels)
Crap - I actually have one of those!! Forgot about that kit- thx for the reminder.

I was going to do a compression test when I got back. It just blows my mind that the car was fine (just a #6 misfire) prior..

Will test it out in a few...
 
Crap - I actually have one of those!! Forgot about that kit- thx for the reminder.

I was going to do a compression test when I got back. It just blows my mind that the car was fine (just a #6 misfire) prior..

Will test it out in a few...
I'm going to say inconclusive... but I can't rule it out...

I let it idle a minute and performed the test...directions say 3-5 bulb plumps... I did 5 squeezes- being careful not to introduce lower chamber fluid into upper.. no real change. so squeezed more (10 or so more)..noticed a very minor lightening of the color...so squeezed even more. But color seemed to stay just slightly lighter.

I used this kit on another vehicle before and the fluid turns piss yellow with a gasket failure- I've witnessed it..

I got this result:
PXL_20211110_152818093~2.jpg


So maybe there's a leak?? But it's definitely not bubbling my radiator and not a strong presence...
 
I’ve posted this pic about 6-9 times but here’s what mine looked like for reference.

38BC16D3-6D63-4144-8535-7698FB63AF99.jpeg
Yours looks yellowish to me. If you have time and a kit, send a sample off to blackstone and get your oil analyzed. They’ll be able to tell if there are any traces of coolant in your sample.
 
Finally got back to this...

Retraced all steps on the valve cover job ...there's definitely soup inside now.

Took it all apart, cleaned it all up. Notes a loose PCV gasket but functional valve.

Put it all back together, taking my time. Got to finish torquing the cover and decided to compression test. (Yes , engine was cold so not ideal). But I think I found the culprit...

Cyl#1- 160
Cyl#2- 160
Cyl#3- 145
Cyl#4- 150
Cyl#5- 150
Cyl#6- wouldn't hold pressure

By the time I got to the gauge in the engine bay I could see #6 rapidly dropping from 120... ( Assuming it was pegging 150~ also...

Sooo #6 is poopoo ...

So I guess prior to any of this, the intermittent #6 misfire wasnt fully due to oil in the plug galley...but potentially a slow onset of a hg failure.

Once everything was buttoned up, the hg gave away...

Engine runs fine on 5 cylinders just a little lobey and creates a sweet spy hunter smoke screen.

Temperature never over heats and oil pressure is steady... So must be a coolant galley breech.

Now where to find a shop nearby. On my 94, no one wanted to do the work because the truck would take up space for too long ..
 
Update. Under the knife at my local speed shop. We'll see what comes of this...fingers crossed I can rebuild. Otherwise I'll be in deep with a LS swap @_@...
 
Truck is back! New cylinder head.

Runs like a champ... but the oil level sensor and knock sensor crapped out (just extra dash illumination to me)...oh, did I mention the alternator is also going on the fritz- only pumpin out 12.2v...never ends. :rolleyes:
 

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