Post by: solve4x on November 03, 2015, 03:57:43 pm
So the old 87 r10 had been saved from the scrap heap by some You Tube video lessons on brake repair. With a little confidence and a few scraped knuckles, I started to research the “burning oil” issue. Now you have to understand, this wasn’t a little blue tinge in the exhaust. This truck left a blue-gray cloud of legendary proportions….a sort of industrial fog.
I just wanted to share some of the things I did to solve this common problem. I had spoken to several mechanics about it; lots of speculation, but no certainty about the solution. That’s where the 73-87 Chevy Trucks Forum comes in. This repair would not have been possible without the good advice I found here!
Step 1—Compression check, dry and wet. Good compression with oil in cylinders, 160-180 psi, with rental tool from Auto Zone. Ruled out major ring issues.
Step 2—Diagnosis--The blue grayness of the smoke meant maybe oil and antifreeze. Cylinders 6 and 8 near the EGR valve had fouled plugs. This clue led a poster to report that the EGR valve often burns the intake manifold gasket at cylinder 6 and 8.
Step 3—Replace the intake manifold gasket. Now wait one minute. I had just repaired brakes for the first time. Not sure I was ready to tear into the engine. Back to the videos…I felt sorry for the guy with the ’95 chevy, pollution junk in the way. Replaced the gasket, got it back together, ran good. The smoke was more blue than gray now with much less smoke at startup. Problem partially solved. I’m a gasket snob…Felpro all the way!
Step 4—Valve stem seals. If you want horror stories, tell guys you’re planning to change the valve seals. “Oh, my buddy tried that one time… bent a valve stem, dropped a valve into the cylinder, ruined the seats…” blah blah. Back to the forum for some moral support. Felpro Viton seals were the recommendation. Rented the compression set again and removed the “bike valve” inside it so I could fill the cylinders with air to hold the valves in place. Rented the OEM brand spring compression tool…total piece of junk, but I didn’t know any better. Got one cylinder done. NAPA had a better compression tool.
I learned lots of lessons along the way, and luckily had no catastrophies. Such as: 1) Take both rocker nuts off on a cylinder so that an open valve doesn’t let your air out. 2) Tap the spring with a socket to free the keepers from the spring before compressing. 3) Buy one of those “magnets on a telescoping stick” things to pluck out the keepers. 4) Put the little o-rings on after replacing the spring. Push it in place with a keeper. 5) Don’t leave the envelope with the little o-rings on the fender on a windy day…never did find those things! 6) When at the car parts store, look for the guy with the grayest hair. He’ll have the best advice, or at least admit that he doesn’t know the answer. 7) Talk it through with someone else…my son was my go to person for the “Does this make sense?” chats. 8) Don’t tell your mechanic what you have done. He’ll be jealous or feel threatened in some way?!? 9) Be sure to work your engine repair war stories into every conversation….”Well that can’t be any harder than replacing the valve stem seals on an ‘87 305 with TBI…Felpro seals of course!” 10) Go to Tim Horton’s drive through for a coffee without smoking out the poor followers in line!
So that’s my tale of a non-mechanics journey to the depths of the engine…the top end depths any way!
Thanks for all of the help and advice along the way!
Post by: zieg85 on November 03, 2015, 05:46:31 pm
Post by: philo_beddoe on November 03, 2015, 07:55:04 pm
Post by: Don5 on November 03, 2015, 11:03:00 pm
Post by: Stewart G Griffin on November 08, 2015, 10:20:51 am
Secondly, if i could add another tip---that it is to temporarily disconnect the vacuum modulator at the transmission if the engine is smoking---especially white puffy smoke. If it stops then you know the modulator needs to be replaced.
Post by: solve4x on November 09, 2015, 12:59:23 pm
Medina in WNY: where Tim's is king and DD's parking lot is empty!
Post by: Stewart G Griffin on November 10, 2015, 08:21:14 am