Thank you: This website has helped me a lot gather information prior to my 22r rebuild. This is my first post, would like to thank the community for doing such a great job in sharing knowledge.

What we're working with:
I bought a 1985 pickup with the 22r Motor (carbed, no A/C, no power steering).
I replaced the head gasket with OEM.
The timing chain kit (guides too) from EngnBldr.
New camshaft from EngnBldr 268C.
Had the head machined and had a valve job done from a reputable local shop. They said they put new valve guide seals.
Re-manufactured factory carburetor.
Engine starts up and runs. I set the timing to ZERO with the distributor vacuum lines disconnected.
Compression is 160-165 across all four cylinders. I thought about doing rings but since the compression is strong, decided not to. I purchased the vehicle with a blown head gasket.

Problem: Smoke comes out the tailpipe. Sometimes it difficult to tell between white or blue (water or oil) and others its clearly blue (oil). When I FLOOR the gas pedal for an instant it smokes black (fuel, rich).

My Question: Could the smoke be caused by improperly installed valve guide seals? Has this happened to anyone else before? Since the compression is strong and doesn't increase more than 8 psi between DRY and WET compression test I doubt piston rings are causing oil to sneak into the cylinders. Since compression is strong and steady, it cannot be water leaking between head gasket smoking, correct?

A friend told me it could be oil from my oily hands from the head gasket replacement and it would burn off in a while and stop smoking. I've left it idling in my backyard for over 30 minutes and hasn't stopped smoking. Perhaps its too soon and it will take several days of driving for all of the oil in the cylinder from installation to burn off. At this point I need experienced wise words. Thank you.

 

The head is torqued down properly to specs, right ?, then its either going to be a bad valve guide or a valve guide seal. Don`t let your friend work on your truck, he doesn`t know what he is talking about.

 

Sounds like you have a leak "somewhere", best of luck.

Burning the oil out should be a rather quick thing????

Repo

 

I agree, if your friend knew how to rebuild a motor and how much oil is usually put on pistons to install them, he would know how long oil takes to burn off a fresh motor.

does it smoke if you put your foot on the gas ie 1/2 throttle or more when driving? If not does it then smoke if you take your foot off the gas rapidly from 1/2 to full throttle?

 

Did you adjust the valves?

Warm up the engine before starting, then remove the valve cover. Set it to TDC and adjust the first set of valves. Then turn the crank one full turn, lining up the zereo timing mark. The timing mark on the cam should be around 6 oclock now. Adjust the second set of valves, and put it back together.

Intake __ Exhaust
0.008" __ 0.012"
2 ______ 2
2 ______ 1
1 ______ 2
1 ______ 1

 

I'm just guessing/ asking....

The RV cam I recieved cam w/ it's own valve adjustment #'s 8 and 10...

would it matter so much if his numbers were custome and were off 1 or 2???

Repo

 

the difference in your cam's (EB 268 ??) lash settings I believe is because of the difference in profile from stock. What exactly I am not sure. However I don't believe the lash being slightly off would create a burning oil problem.

 

Right

I knew they were ground differently giving greater length of time and how far open each valve is.

I also don't think a few hundredths matter.... BUT I'm not "that" guy so what do I know

best of luck, may be a simple as taking off valve cover and looking??

Repo

 

I would still check the valves, and set then to the specs you were given.

 

I have not moved it from my backyard since teardown so I don't know how it reacts in driving conditions. I started it up this morning and let it idle for 5 minutes. It was barely smoking if at all. I will be driving it to emissions shortly and post back. At half throttle parked it increases smoke.

Yes, I did adjust the valves after installing cam.

 

Ok. Drove it around town a bit and smokes blue oil for sure. And lots of it. Did a dry and wet compression test after the drive and here ar the results dry/wet:
150/160
150/160
150/160
158/153

I'm starting to pull off the head again now. And would like to know if I should do rings aswell based on the new compression #'s

 

If your pulling the head off again, you might as well replace the rings and bearings while you have it torn down.

 

Ok head is out. Gasket was oily. Can oil seep through the gasket and into the cylinder and cause it to smoke ? Or is that impossible. I'm trying to rule out rings and valves for the cause of oil getting into the cylinders. I would rather not pull the block. Also in a week I lost 10 psi compression across the board just sitting in my yard

 

Oil can`t seep through the head gasket, that`s impossible unless the head gasket is defective or the sealing surface was warped or not properly cleaned before the engine was reassembled.

 

When I first installed the head with new head gasket I did not ensure all oil from the head bolt holes was removed. Now with the head off 2nd time I used Q-tips to get ALL the oil out of the holes. I think maybe when I installed the head the head bolts must have pushed the oil up and out onto the gasket causing it to NOT seal properly. This is the first head gasket I have ever replaced, so I think it was more related to my fault with the oil in the head bolt holes more so than the machine shop improperly seating valve guide seals or the pistons smoking with 150psi compression. Thank you everyone for helping me out with this issue.

 

when you take the head off, water can get in the head bolt holes.
You have to take compressed air with a long nozzle and blow out all the water in the holes. If you do not do this your head bolts will not go down all the way. so it would be hard to torque your head down. just a thought.

 

Well the head is back on for the 2nd time. Reused the new OEM head gasket I had purchased for it a month ago and now have a small oil leak from the front, leaking down over the water pump. Adjusted the valves. Started the engine up, timed it to ZERO with distributor vacuums unplugged. Still smokes blue JUST as much as before. Compression tested again (all dry): 165, 160, 155, 165.

Just to be sure i'm adjusting the valves correctly I put piston #1 at TDC on compression stroke. Adjusted Intake Valve #1 & #2 and Exhaust #1 & #3. Rotate crankshaft 360 Degrees then adjust Intake #3 & #4 and Exhaust #2 & #4.
Is this correct?

Perhaps my head gasket installation procedure is faulty: I scraped off any old gasket residue. Then thouroughly clean the area with a towel and brake cleaner. Applied very little RTV copper sealent ONLY to the front end corners of the block where the timing chain more or less is. Placed head and torqued in order in 3 steps until reaching 58 ft/tq. Is this correct?

Could the rings really be leaking that much oil with such high compression #'s?
If so, I'm going to get the block resurfaced and honed by a local machine shop. Balance the crankshaft. Replace crankshaft bearings (Please confirm: there are rod bearings which connect the rod & crank, as well as main bearings which connect the crank and block?) Replace piston rings. Order a new OEM Head Gasket. I'll have the machine shop check their valve job to ensure the seals are properly seated. Am I missing something?

Here is a picture of the block the first time I removed the head for head gasket replacement. I know it not the best picture, but can you tell if the cylinders are in good enough condition to just hone and not have to bore or machine the block?

 

Just by looking at the above picture, if your rings are as bad as you think they are, there would be more baked on oil at the top of your pistons. Also, it's hard to tell, but it appears all your pistons have build up in the center only. How does the exhaust ports on the head look? Are they all black and oily?

If it was me, I would investigate a little more before you come to some conclusion. Check your valves a little closer to make sure there sealing in there seat. I think it's your valve's with that high of compression numbers.

 

Thanks for your input. Good idea. I'm not sure how to check the valves and their seats. I had the head performed a valve job by a local shop. Can I inspect the valve seats without taking out the valve springs and valves themselves? Or do I need to go get a valve spring compressor and remove them from the head to inspect? Since it just got a valve job, I think it'll be best to take the head back to the shop and have them inspect the valves with me there.

 

how about doing a leakdown test.