Is my engine junk?

[Kris_77stepside]

So basically what happened is I replaced the driver side valve cover on my engine today.  When I pulled the cover off I noticed there was no oil at all on the top of the head.  Instead everything was coated in a black dry soot.  Haven't done the other cover but am going to assume it's the same.  When the motor is first started there is white smoke out the exhaust with oil droplets for about 5 minutes.  Also I noticed that the upper radiator hose never gets pressurized.  But back to the soot, is there something seriously wrong like oil pump or rings.  Maybe valve seals?  Right now I don't drive the truck at all but would like to use it during the winter but now I'm concerned that the engine is bad.  It's a 350 sbc by the way.

[bake74]

     Could be as simple as the oil galleys got plugged up. (though if the oil pump is working it should pressurize)  Or as you stated, oil pump (what is oil pressure when you do start it ? )  The white smoke and oil out the exhust probably is rings, did you do a compression check on each cylinder ?  I would start there and report back so we can help you from there.

[BANDOLERO Z-28]

If there is oil drops out the exhoust, that means theres a lot of oil, not good but if the smoke stops after a while I think it could be your valve seals Im no mechanic just my suggestion, and no your engine aint junk 

[Kris_77stepside]

Yeah I had a few people tell me it's probably just the valve seals.  But what really concerns me right now is that there is no oil getting to the top of the heads.

[Blazin]

I would say if there is no oil getting up there your pushrods are probably sludged up.

[kdime]

check your heads AS SOON AS YOU TURN IT OFF!! thats the only way to tell wether or not oil is een getting there. other than that sounds a lot like you seals. good luck

[Kris_77stepside]

Well I worried for nothing.  Changed the other valve cover gasket and had oil on the head.  Started it and ran it for a bit.  Looked down the oil fill cap and the head was now coated in oil.  Now that I think about it, it has been probably a month since I've started it.  Also it didn't really smoke that much when I started it like it used to.  I'm wondering if maybe the smoke was from it sitting for such a long time?  I've only started it about 4-5 times since I've owned it (about a year) and it sat for a long time before I bought it.  Idk just glad I know it's getting oil now.   Thanks though for the replies.

[diphthong]

Hate to be the one to piss in your Cheerios, but oil coming out the exhaust doesn't go away by changing valve cover gaskets. If it was truly oil, there is still a problem.  If it was just H20 mixed will exhaust soot that will clear up after the engine warms-up and, that's nothing to worry about.  Which, is the direction I would lean, oil usually doesn't drip for only a few minutes.  An internal combustion engine is a big pump, once they start pumping oil or water they don't stop on there own...

[Isaac3384]

For future reference, white smoke is usually just water. If it were oil, it would have a blue-ish tint to it. The smell is way different too. Black smoke is usually a sign of a 'rich' air/fuel ratio...

[diphthong]

Isaac your were all over that...
One more thing, ATF causes white smoke also.  I seen a engine torn apart once to find the source of the water leak.  You should seen their faces after I crawled out from under that truck and flicked the mastermind a dripping modulator.

[bobcooter]

Isaac your were all over that...
One more thing, ATF causes white smoke also.  I seen a engine torn apart once to find the source of the water leak.  You should seen their faces after I crawled out from under that truck and flicked the mastermind a dripping modulator.

Had the same thing happen to me. I thought my engine was fried but then I noticed I was using ATF and the smoking coninsided with when I would top off the trans. My bet is valves seals leaking on this one. If there was no oil going to the top of the heads that thing would clatter like an old 7.3 deisel.

[Isaac3384]

Thanks, diphthong, that was actually one of the first things I remember learning in my auto-tech class in high school. I forgot ATF would make white smoke.

[Kris_77stepside]

Hate to be the one to piss in your Cheerios, but oil coming out the exhaust doesn't go away by changing valve cover gaskets.

Yeah I know that and never said it did.  I was just saying that I noticed it wasn't smoking as much as it used to when I started it.  I know it has nothing to do with the valve cover gaskets.  Also when I started it there wasn't any oil coming out but now that I think about it, it was more like water mixed with exhaust soot.  Could that just be from it sitting? Also I rebuilt the quadrajet and never really figured out how to tune it probably so it more than likely is running rich.  I know it's not ATF as I rebuilt the trans myself and there are no leaks and if there were leaks they wouldn't be anywhere near the exhaust on my truck.

[Isaac3384]

You can always dab your finger in the liquid and taste it...it's not gonna kill ya...