Engine hesitation

[Groucho263]

Left the screen in place, cleaned the remainder and the needle valves. Reinstalled...and runs good again. Hopefully, this does it for a while.
@69FJ40HILIX ...thank you for helping.

 

[Groucho263]

Here is the next issue I've been working at the same time. Oil splatter out of the tail pipe on start and smoke while driving...with burning quite a bit of oil while driving. As a quick reminder of some of the things done...head gasket, took the head to a machine shop when I pulled it off for the head gasket. I am pretty sure he replaced the valve stem seals...but even if he didn't...I just did it again (that's a different thread and not a fun job to do with the head on). I thought the oil sputter was the valve stem seals...but it wasn't. Here is a picture. I do have white-ish smoke while driving (I mostly notice it at stop lights). I guess it could be running rich, but that doesn't explain the oil burn?

Any ideas as to what it could be...I'm getting pretty close to being done with this motor and mortgaging my house to put a 2.8L in it...

 

[middlecalf]

- When I had the head off to replace the head gasket, the rings were checked and were good.

How did they check these? Were the cylinders pulled?

 

[Chuckha62]

Are you using a dry air filter element or the old oil bath? Do you have a PCV valve? Is it working?

 

[Groucho263]

How did they check these? Were the cylinders pulled?

Sorry...meant to type valves...they didn't even see the cylinders. I'm dumb.

Are you using a dry air filter element or the old oil bath? Do you have a PCV valve? Is it working?

I think it's the dry air filter element (the motor is a 1980). I do have a PCV valve...but was wondering this myself. I have no idea how to tell if it's working? I do remember replacing the PCV a couple years ago (the truck really hasn't run that much) and believe I got an OEM. When I shake it, I can hear a bb in it.

 

[69FJ40HILIX]

Sorry...meant to type valves...they didn't even see the cylinders. I'm dumb.

I think it's the dry air filter element (the motor is a 1980). I do have a PCV valve...but was wondering this myself. I have no idea how to tell if it's working? I do remember replacing the PCV a couple years ago (the truck really hasn't run that much) and believe I got an OEM. When I shake it, I can hear a bb in it.

Did you do a compression check on the motor? That much oil would make me think It has a cracked head or rings. Did the machine shop magniflux the head when they had it ?? Is there a lot of compression in the bottom end? I've seen oil blowing out of the dip stick tube when it had a cracked heab or block. IS your tailpipe full of old oil ? I'd pull the exhaust pipe off the ex manifold and see if I had the same splatter. Many possibilities but process of eleimination will get you to the answer IMO. Do a compression test dry, record the results and then squirt oil in each cylinder and record it. If rings are bad you will see it on the wet test.

 

[Skreddy]

How much oil is it burning and how are you measuring it?
That spatter looks like rich, sooty moisture on a cold start. (Could just be the pic). But if it was spitting that much oil out of the exhaust, plugs should be way fouled to the point of not running maybe?

 

[Chuckha62]

A PCV valve should close when you pull vacuum from one end and open when you pull from the other. Conversely you can blow on it and see the same thing.

I agree with skreddy, that spatter looks like soot from a super rich mixture.

I can tell you from my personal experience with my '66 LV, these thing are SUPER sensitive to ignition voltage drops. Mine has done it three times and I always go after the carb. first even knowing the symptoms. When the wires on the back of my ignition switch get corroded, it starts sputtering and coughing. It acts just like it's running out of fuel. It's not. If I pull a little choke, it runs better BUT that's because a weak spark will ignite a richer mixture easier than a leaner mixture. When I'd go through this issue, the exhaust spatter on the floor of my garage (or the side of my wife's car, UGH!) looks a lot like what you're seeing.

Last week I took my ignition switch back out and cleaned all the terminations and retightened them. NIGHT and DAY difference in drivability.

 

[fjc-man]

Did you do a compression check on the motor? That much oil would make me think It has a cracked head or rings. Did the machine shop magniflux the head when they had it ?? Is there a lot of compression in the bottom end? I've seen oil blowing out of the dip stick tube when it had a cracked heab or block. IS your tailpipe full of old oil ? I'd pull the exhaust pipe off the ex manifold and see if I had the same splatter. Many possibilities but process of eleimination will get you to the answer IMO. Do a compression test dry, record the results and then squirt oil in each cylinder and record it. If rings are bad you will see it on the wet test.

A wet versus dry compression test won’t necessarily pick up compressed and stuck oil control rings.

 

[69FJ40HILIX]

A wet versus dry compression test won’t necessarily pick up compressed and stuck oil control rings.

That is how the EPA did their auto test standards for emissions, Scott Reasearch Labs in Atlanta Ga. late 70's. I was a tester at the time

 

[fjc-man]

Maybe for your next oil change use Mobil One synthetic and see if the smoking improves ( frees up your stuck oil control rings ) and throw in a zinc additive if that floats your boat.

 

[Groucho263]

Do a compression test dry, record the results and then squirt oil in each cylinder and record it. If rings are bad you will see it on the wet test.

When I did the compression test about 700-1000 miles ago, the wet test had all the cylinders between 125-130. I'm wondering if I need to do the compression test again. Since I did that original test (page 2 of this thread), I replaced the head gasket and dizzy, etc. (lots of things have changed and I have it running now). If the compression was good then, shouldn't it still be good since I haven't messed with anything below the head?

How much oil is it burning and how are you measuring it?
That spatter looks like rich, sooty moisture on a cold start. (Could just be the pic). But if it was spitting that much oil out of the exhaust, plugs should be way fouled to the point of not running maybe?

I will have to get scientific with the oil quantity...I am estimating about 1 qt every 200 miles. The spatter is rich sooty moisture on the cold start...I need to see if it's still there after I drive it a bit. If it's there after I drive it a while...is that an indicator?

All plugs look good...had them out just to make sure I had the pistons in the right orientation when I did the valve stem seals.

By the way...I looked back at earlier posts in this thread and hoped I wouldn't have to do the valve stem seals. I think when I took the head off to do the head gasket, I'm 99% sure the machine shop replaced those seals. Well...I just did them and although it was kind of a pain, it goes to show how far and how much better at this you get by just getting in there and doing it. Thanks for the guidance from all of you guys.

I can tell you from my personal experience with my '66 LV, these thing are SUPER sensitive to ignition voltage drops. Mine has done it three times and I always go after the carb. first even knowing the symptoms. When the wires on the back of my ignition switch get corroded, it starts sputtering and coughing. It acts just like it's running out of fuel. It's not. If I pull a little choke, it runs better BUT that's because a weak spark will ignite a richer mixture easier than a leaner mixture. When I'd go through this issue, the exhaust spatter on the floor of my garage (or the side of my wife's car, UGH!) looks a lot like what you're seeing.

Per our PM's...ignition is no longer a problem...I am pretty sure I solved that problem since it doesn't hesitate any longer...it just burns the oil and spits the watery soot.

Maybe for your next oil change use Mobil One synthetic and see if the smoking improves ( frees up your stuck oil control rings ) and throw in a zinc additive if that floats your boat.

So, if I have a stuck ring, is Mobile One synthetic the way to free it up. Is there a detergent for this also? If I run synthetic, can I go back to normal oil? How do I know if that ring is stuck? I would assume I would know it's unstuck if it doesn't spit the soot on start.

 

[69FJ40HILIX]

When I did the compression test about 700-1000 miles ago, the wet test had all the cylinders between 125-130. I'm wondering if I need to do the compression test again. Since I did that original test (page 2 of this thread), I replaced the head gasket and dizzy, etc. (lots of things have changed and I have it running now). If the compression was good then, shouldn't it still be good since I haven't messed with anything below the head?

I will have to get scientific with the oil quantity...I am estimating about 1 qt every 200 miles. The spatter is rich sooty moisture on the cold start...I need to see if it's still there after I drive it a bit. If it's there after I drive it a while...is that an indicator?

All plugs look good...had them out just to make sure I had the pistons in the right orientation when I did the valve stem seals.

By the way...I looked back at earlier posts in this thread and hoped I wouldn't have to do the valve stem seals. I think when I took the head off to do the head gasket, I'm 99% sure the machine shop replaced those seals. Well...I just did them and although it was kind of a pain, it goes to show how far and how much better at this you get by just getting in there and doing it. Thanks for the guidance from all of you guys.

Per our PM's...ignition is no longer a problem...I am pretty sure I solved that problem since it doesn't hesitate any longer...it just burns the oil and spits the watery soot.

So, if I have a stuck ring, is Mobile One synthetic the way to free it up. Is there a detergent for this also? If I run synthetic, can I go back to normal oil? How do I know if that ring is stuck? I would assume I would know it's unstuck if it doesn't spit the soot on start.

Do the compression test at a minimum, if the head gasket failed you may have water/oil mix into the exhaust port via the valve. Water will not compress and if it goes into the cylinder you can pop the top of a piston or worse.

 

[fjc-man]

When I did the compression test about 700-1000 miles ago, the wet test had all the cylinders between 125-130. I'm wondering if I need to do the compression test again. Since I did that original test (page 2 of this thread), I replaced the head gasket and dizzy, etc. (lots of things have changed and I have it running now). If the compression was good then, shouldn't it still be good since I haven't messed with anything below the head?

I will have to get scientific with the oil quantity...I am estimating about 1 qt every 200 miles. The spatter is rich sooty moisture on the cold start...I need to see if it's still there after I drive it a bit. If it's there after I drive it a while...is that an indicator?

All plugs look good...had them out just to make sure I had the pistons in the right orientation when I did the valve stem seals.

By the way...I looked back at earlier posts in this thread and hoped I wouldn't have to do the valve stem seals. I think when I took the head off to do the head gasket, I'm 99% sure the machine shop replaced those seals. Well...I just did them and although it was kind of a pain, it goes to show how far and how much better at this you get by just getting in there and doing it. Thanks for the guidance from all of you guys.

Per our PM's...ignition is no longer a problem...I am pretty sure I solved that problem since it doesn't hesitate any longer...it just burns the oil and spits the watery soot.

So, if I have a stuck ring, is Mobile One synthetic the way to free it up. Is there a detergent for this also? If I run synthetic, can I go back to normal oil? How do I know if that ring is stuck? I would assume I would know it's unstuck if it doesn't spit the soot on start.

The Mobil One attempt could be beneficial. For what’s involved, it’s worth a try. If the head gasket was replaced, did you get a chance to visually inspect the cylinder walls?

 

[Chuckha62]

If you're running rich, your cylinder walls could be washed down and your compression will look lower than it actually is. Have you pulled a plug or two to look at them? Are they black and soot fouled too. What heat range are you running? A step or two hotter can help.

 

[Groucho263]

I'll send a picture of the plugs this weekend. Going to do the compression test...and maybe retune the carb.
Question...I have read a couple different threads about using diesel oil because of the higher detergent levels in the diesel oil. Should I drain what's in there and run diesel fuel for a bit...then drain and run more as a sort of flush? I heard using synthetic...once you use it...you have to stay with it?

 

[Ry24000]

Well I read the whole thread and what an ordeal! I am having hesitation with my 2F also and have started going down the list of possible culprits. Thanks for sharing your experience! Reading this thread gives me some motivation and areas to look.