Smoking Oil at the Right Manifold

[Jer4sports]

When I bought my '78 Chieftain (Dodge 440), the P.O. said that the engine "uses oil". I continually checked it for the first half of my trip from Colorado to Arkansas and the oil level wasn't budging at all from full.  I was checking with the dip stick since my dashboard oil gauge isn't currently working. Since it wasn't budging, my oil PSI was holding, and my engine temperature was normal, I stopped paying as close attention to it (AKA stopped checking it at all).


Today I started it after it has sat for a couple days and after about 5 minutes, it started smoking and something starting popping like loud Pop Rocks. I quickly turned off the engine and checked the oil and the dip stick wasn't even reading anything at all.  Uh oh. So I went to O'Reilly's and got some 10w-30 oil and a new filter and filled her back up to full. Took about 3.5 quarts. I started it up and once things warmed up again, it starting smoking.  Thankfully, no popping sound though.  I drove it and ran it for almost an hour and the smoking continued.  It looks like it is burning oil. It is not super heavy. It is coming from the back inside part of the right manifold.  It seems as if the oil hose above is leaking a little onto the manifold but it doesn't seem to be leaking super fast to cause a constant smoke.  I'm attaching a picture of where it's smoking from.


Thoughts? Thanks guys.
-Jeremy

[Oz]

So, what thoughts are you looking for?    What is your question?

[Jer4sports]

Sorry. I am new to mechanics and new to the forum. A couple questions...
1. What was that popping sound?
2. What's the best way to fix this and stop the smoking?


Thanks, Jeremy

[LJ-TJ]

   
• Well my suggestion would be to pull the valve covers and clean them up. Buy new valve cover gaskets. Take the hose's off and clean them up and replace them if needed. Oil may be seeping from the valve cover and landing on the exhaust manifold.  Climb under neath and clean the oil pan and if needed replace the oil pan gasket. Cleaning these parts up goes a long way in helping you locate the problem. It seems strange to me you would travel all that way with out burning old and then boom all of a sudden it starts burning oil. It seems to me that if it went down that fast after you got home that you have a leek some were. If you were burning that kind of oil you'd look like a Battleship laying down a smoke screen going down the road. Hm?

[TerryH]

As per LJ-TJ, what you described doesn't sound like the engine burning oil. Sounds more like an oil leak burning off the exhaust manifold etc. Locate the leak and deal with that and hopefully you will have dealt with your problem. Valve cover leak will leak down to the manifold, pan gasket leak will be blown/drawn up to the exhaust system.

[Rickf1985]

3 1/2 quarts low on an engine that holds five quarts with one of those quarts in the oil filter leaves 1/2 quart in the oil pan. Not good. I am thinking you are going to have troubles not far down the road. The popping sound is usually water mixed with oil burning off of the manifold. If it was a cool damp morning then there would have been condensation mixed in with the oil and hence the popping. I agree with the valve cover gaskets and replace the breather hose. GET THE GAUGE OR LIGHT WORKING!!!!!

[LJ-TJ]

 Hm? If I might be so bold as to suggest. Once you finish up with your gaskets and hose. Check out Craigs list and pick yourself a Autometer Sport Comp oil pressure gauge, water temp gauge and Volt gauge and if possible a tach. There worth there weight in gold.

[LJ-TJ]

Just for future reference your 440 holds 6 U.S. quarts and if you put a filter on it uses 7 U.S. quarts. Also your minimum oil pressure at idle is 8 psi. Pressure at 2000 RPM should be between 30 and 80 psi.

[Rickf1985]

LJ, Look at those specs and tell me you would be comfortable with those numbers if that were in your engine. Would you really be comfortable with 8lbs. of oil pressure? Not me, that would mean the top end is not getting anywhere near enough oil. That would tell me the bearings have too much clearance. I don't care what the book says. I have rebuilt enough engines to see what low oil pressure does. As far as pressure at 2000 rpm 30 lbs. is all right, 80 lbs. is going to cause problems with swelled oil filters and leaking seals, you should only see that when it is cold, and you shouldn't be pushing it to high rpms until it warms up.

[LJ-TJ]

Yep! I agree. I think the 8 is minimum and yes if I was only getting 8 I'd be real concerned. I usually get between 65 and 70 on mine 70 when she's cold and then she usually drops back to around 60-65. I guess now I got the new gauges all hooked up and running I'll have to do a check on temps to see just what my normal running temps are. For now everything runs in the green but I really should take the time to figure out just what my regular operating temps are. Hm?

[Jer4sports]

Thanks guys for your help on this. I think I'll start with cleaning it all up and to make sure it's coming for valve cover and then I'll replace the gasket if that's the case. I don't believe it's the pan because I've never seen oil drip onto the ground so I suspect it's all getting burnt off before that happens.


I actually have an aftermarket oil pressure gauge which has typically read between 20-30 at idle once it warm and 60-70 when giving it gas. I have all the other gauges mentioned but they decide when to work which is rarely. Pretty annoying. Sounds like my next project is figuring out the electrical short! Learning more everyday.

[Jer4sports]

About to change out the valve cover gasket.  What method do you recommend to clean the surface and should I use a type of glue/sealant to keep it in place? And how much torque should I use on the valve cover bolts when I'm done?
Thanks, Jeremy

[LJ-TJ]

Well in my opinion you should change out both gaskets at the same time. Then it's done. I used a razor blade to clean off the old gasket and junk off the head and a wire brush to clean off the crap off the valve cover. Once I cleaned off the valve cover I found very flat spot and carefully made sure the valve covers were flat. People have a tendency to over tighten the valve cover bolts and warp the the valve covers. In the majority of cases that's why they leek. My preference is to use cork gaskets and I us  a little vaseline to keep the gasket in place while I put the valve cover in place . I believe the torque speck for the valve cover bolts or screws is 40 INCH lbs. I think you should be Golden. Hm?

[cosmic]

I have had the best luck with the rubber gaskets. and you may have to take a ball peen hammer and bang the valve cover straight on a vise or something flat and hard. around the bolt holes.
I have had no luck with the fiber covered in rubber type.

use the orange high heat rtf gasket maker..

[Rickf1985]

Cork gaskets and Permatex Aviation sealant. I use that stuff on all paper and cork gaskets and also on all hoses. On hoses it is great because it prevents the corrosion that always forms on the aluminum water housings and it also makes it easier to get the hoses off when needed. On gaskets you do not need to saturate them, just a thin coat. Since it is a liquid it s easy to apply. It will however find it's way onto every wrench you own and once on your skin the only way to get it off is carb cleaner or let it wear off. :)rotflmao :)rotflmao

[TerryH]

Gasket composition and sealant use yes/no and sealant type yes/no - we all do what works and has worked in the past for each of us.
As for the valve covers themselves, I would suggest:
Place the cover to head fastening portion on a flat surface - anvil end of a vice is great.
Flatten every valve cover fastening hole to eliminate dimples - I use the butt end of a cold chisel. You have to eliminate the dimple.
Use the gasket and or sealant you have decided on, but
                     DO NOT OVER TORQUE!
Personally, for valve cover and pan bolts I go by feel, but I wouldn't recommend it. A lower value (inch pound) torque wrench may be worth while.

A higher value (foot pound ) is extremely valuable - wheels, shocks, heads, manifolds, etc., etc.


In my experience, and as others have said, the most common cause of an oil leak from gasket replacements to  valve covers and oil pans is over tightening.
I also agree that it's better to do both valve covers - not just the one.
As an aside, if you are cleaning old material from the head, scrape away from the head, and also clean all debris that falls into the head.
Hope this helps.

[Rickf1985]

I get those blue paper rags on a roll from most parts stores and roll them up tight in the head area behind the cover rail so that anything you scrape that goes into the top of the head is caught by the towels and when you careful pull them out all of the crap will come out with them.

[Oz]

Torque is 40 INCH pounds.