Filled with zero ethanol gas and. . . SMOKE!!!!

[seis]

I have a '76 FJ40. I had an unfortunate incident where I almost ran out of gas and the nearest station is an ethanol free station, which at the time just meant that it was going to be ridiculously expensive. I had an appointment to take my car in for state emissions and inspection. It would generally smoke a bit when starting up in the morning, but it was done by the time I pulled out of the driveway. A bit of smoke, not plumes.

Well, the mechanics said they had to fail the car (passed emissions) due to excessive visible smoke. It filled their garage. I thought, sure but let it run and it's crystal clear. They talked me in to a valve cover gasket replacement and valve adjusting. $600 later. Still smokes like crazy. I even add NoSmoke into the oil and it still smokes.

I'm wondering if this is due to pure gas cleaning all of the grime from E85. Possibly clearing enough gunk to worsen the ring gap and allowing more oil in.

Kind of at a loss here. Wondering if I should go through the whole engine but I'm expecting a kid in a few months and realize that the result will be a nonfunctional car with parts scattered everywhere.

I'm open to suggestions,

Seis

 

[White Stripe]

Rebuild the motor now before you have the kid, don't mess around with additives and stuff. Your gonna have to do it sooner or later. If you wait until the kid comes, you will have zero time. Do it now and you will be glad you did. And while the motor is out you might as well paint the engine compartment. At least the firewall. Unless you had it painted recently. Then if you do body work in the future you are ahead of the game a little.

 

[emac]

Be careful, sometimes a motor rebuild can turn into a full body off restoration!

 

[Fast Eddy]

They talked me in to a valve cover gasket replacement and valve adjusting. $600 later. Still smokes like crazy.

I hope you didn't pay them.

Do a compression check. It's cheap and will tell you a lot.

 

[shawnfj40]

^What they said LoL. You might get lucky and find that your valve seals need replaced. Adjusting your valves is probably not going to help. It won't hurt either though. Alcohol in the fuel makes it worse and worse on a smoke problem. The ethanol has no lubricating qualities like petroleum products do. It will destroy rubber seals and gaskets that are not specifically designed to resist alcohol.

 

[rkymtnflyfisher]

Be careful, sometimes a motor rebuild can turn into a full body off restoration!

No doubt about that!

 

[GA Architect]

Be careful, sometimes a motor rebuild can turn into a full body off restoration!

If the initial shop that was to install my new rebuilt 2F hadn't of put me off for a couple of weeks, mine would have been a frame off job......

Instead, just an engine install by ACC. I'm doing a "frame on" resto, as best I can...

 

[Fast Eddy]

The ethanol has no lubricating qualities like petroleum products do. It will destroy rubber seals and gaskets that are not specifically designed to resist alcohol.

All the gas I run in my two very original 2f motors is e15. They show zero ill effects from it after 10 years.

 

[seis]

I never had much of a problem with smoke before the zero-ethanol gas. Just a puff of smoke here and there in the morning. I'm considering siphoning off the remaining pure gas and refilling with E85 to see if that helps.
Body has already been resto'd so no worries about a frame off resto. I just have never done something as intense as a full engine rebuild. I wouldn't even know where to start. Probably by purchasing an engine rebuild kit.
It's my daily driver and has never given me engine trouble before.
Bummer.

 

[honk]

I don't think that changing the gas would cause an engine to smoke. I think you were completely ripped off if you paid that $600. for a valve cover gasket and valve adjustment and should never take our truck to that place again. You've already given them about $500. too much so they'll be hollering "Fish On!" to each other every time they see you roll up.

Has anyone suggested to you that changing the gas might have affected the fuel mixture enough to bring the black smoke of a very rich running engine? Well, someone just did. Find a way to look into how your carburetor is working before thinking of siphoning off good gas or rebuilding your good running engine.

Sheesh.

 

[Tools R Us]

I don't think that changing the gas would cause an engine to smoke.

Agree, but alcohol burns much cleaner than gas, so? No need to remove the fuel, head to the hardware store, get some denatured alcohol, add to the fuel enough to make the desired mix.

I think you were completely ripped off if you paid that $600. for a valve cover gasket and valve adjustment and should never take our truck to that place again. You've already given them about $500. too much so they'll be hollering "Fish On!" to each other every time they see you roll up.
...

I guess it depends on the local labor rate? For someone who knows what they are doing, it is a what a hour of labor and a gasket?

 

[Delancy]

Rebuild the motor now before you have the kid

Bad advice.

Have kid.

Sell kid on eBay, to partially fund the rebuild.

And while the motor is out you might as well paint the engine compartment.

Might as well paint firewall, too.
Under hood.....tub......hell, while you're in there, might as well pull the body off the frame.

Gonna git it, git it right.....while you're in there!!

 

[GA Architect]

All the advice above (basically a frame off nut & bolt restoration?) because of a few gallons of ethanol free gas?.........Damn, since having my rebuilt 2F installed last year, I've been running nothing but ethanol free gas. I was told it would run better than with the Corn enhanced petrol.?.?.?

But what do I know, I'z a lowly Architect...........My information on the ethanol free gas use, came from a reputable source.

FWIW - I'm going to be a rebel and keep running the ethanol free gas.

 

[JohnnyC]

You keep using that work e85... I don't think you know what that means

Are you actually using e85 or are you using 10% or 15% ethanol gas ... E85 is 85% ethanol

 

[73FJ40]

It would seem to me that if you were running a 2F engine on E85 (33% less energy per gallon than gasoline) with a stock carb wouldn't you need much larger jets to get enough fuel?

If so, switching back to gasoline would likely smoke pretty bad, like a stuck choke.

 

[Fast Eddy]

I didn't see that you mentioned e85. WTH? That would be a special carb setup indeed.

I used e85 to pass smog once. I ran my rig down to empty, and put in most of one gallon for the test. Afterwards, I beat feet to the gas station and filled up. I put the remainder of the gallon into my lawn mower. It died peacefully.

 

[bikersmurf]

Personally I'd look for a 2F out of a newer 60 series rust bucket. That way your DD will only be down for a day or less.

Later you can rebuild your original motor in time... But run a compression test first to rule out something simple.

 

[Output Shaft]

Sounds to me like you got a tank of crap gasoline. Drain the tank and put some good gas in it.

 

[terrx]

...
Well, the mechanics said they had to fail the car (passed emissions) due to excessive visible smoke.
...

Something odd about this. What state are you in? Did they give you the emissions test report? Would be interesting to see the results.

1. Find a new shop/mechanic.
2. Do a compression check.

 

[thebigredrocker]

@seis did you take it to Barrett's Automotive?

Call @cruiseroutfit and ask them who to take your rig to.