Stove Pipe Smoking

[marvinlvr]

Just got this truck. Don't know a lot about it. I replaced the fuel filter and a bunch of the vacuum hoses. Now when it gets warm smoke comes billowing out of the engine. It smells like burnt oil. I took it down to the car wash and cleaned off the engine as best I could. When I got home it was smoking again. I opened the hood, grabbed my camera and snapped these pics. You can see the smoke leaking out of the stove pipe, I reached in with a rag and pulled it off the filter housing so I could snap more pics with the smoke coming out. Hope you can make it out.

What's going on? And how do I fix it?

Thanks!

1982 1500 V8 with a 305 automatic, all stock, 113,000 miles.

Sherri

[marvinlvr]

Another view

[marvinlvr]

another view

[choptop]

Valve cover gaskets??

[Irish_Alley]

well that stove pipe is a heat riser pipe the smoke is prob something leaking or sitting on the manifold maybe a rats nest under the heat shield.

[oldwhity]

I would take the heat risor off (it's flexible) and look down inside. Something is obviosly burning off. I think it's oil from a leaky valve cover gasket like Chop said. Just take it off and see where the smoke comes from.

[VileZambonie]

The heat riser and stove pipe are two different things just to clarify. The stove pipe works with the thermostatic air cleaner and the heat riser is on the passenger side exhaust manifold. The heat riser closes forcing exhaust gas under the carburetor through the intake manifold.

Does your smoke smell like burning oil? If so it's probably a valve cover gasket. If not it's probably that mouse nest like said.

[marvinlvr]

yeah it smells like oil burning. I'll replace the gaskets. Not sure if that's something i can do myself, I'm a little intimidated with all the hoses and wires. I'm afraid I'll get them off and not be able to put them all back correctly! 

Thanks everyone for the advice, I feel stupid.

Sherri

[frogman68]

Take pictures before ya start tearing into it.. Digital cameras are better than sliced bread

[oldwhity]

Thanks everyone for the advice, I feel stupid.

Don't feel stupid. We all weren't born with this knowledge. Once you complete that task you'll build confidence for the next one. You'll be fine.

[rockable]

Having just gone through this, I can tell you that you will need to replace the valve cover gaskets.  The cork ones are best, IMO.  Take the covers off, clean them and get all the old gasket material off.  Take some lacquer thinner and clean the flange where the gasket seats really good.  Then put some contact cement on that surface and one side of the gasket.  Carefully, stick the gasket to the valve covers and install.  If you don't have those little t shaped thingys under each bolt, you might want to pick some up.  They help with the warping that the valve covers experience over time.   

I hope that fixes all your leaks. I had to do a pan gasket replacement and an intake manifold gasket set replacement too..  I didn't get finished this weekend.  If that sucker leaks oil after this, I may blow it up.   All those vacuum hoses are a real pain.

Good luck!

[marvinlvr]

Thanks! I am gonna give it a try next weekend. I'll report in how it went. I am guessing I will drop something important somewhere it shouldn't go, lose a part, or some other clutzy disaster, but I am gonna try dang it!

Thanks again for the help.

Sherri

[78 Chevyrado]

make sure when you pull your valve covers off you make sure the sealing flange is flat.  and don't tighten them too much or it will warp them.  good luck!

[Prong]

I would offer one piece of advice: hit up the parts store for a can of engine degreaser to get all that grease and dirt off there. You don't want that stuff going on the inside of the heads and possible into the engine when you pull the valve covers.

[oldwhity]

I would offer one piece of advice: hit up the parts store for a can of engine degreaser to get all that grease and dirt off there. You don't want that stuff going on the inside of the heads and possible into the engine when you pull the valve covers.

I'll second that. Clean as much of the engine off before you get started, that way you stay cleaner too.