The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 216 questions

I asked before and you guys said it was just condensation in the crank case but I got a couple more questions, I've been driving it everyday for the past four or five days, and still every time I start up some black water blows out the tail pipe for a couple minutes. Also oil still drips out the breather when I stop which I guess isn't bad
But a new thing started. Normally my oil gauge rides either a bit above or below 15 , but yesterday if it's a cold start the gauge needle shoots all the way over to 30 the relaxes back to 15 when warmed up. I can't tell that it's running any different, just that gauge worried me

I might just be parrinoid but I wanted to ask the experts and make sure weather I have an issue or not

Yup, young man, you are paranoid, but, that is sometimes a good thing. All is well unless you start hearing a knocking, then you might want to shut it down. Drive it with a smile on your face and a song in your heart and enjoy!

Ok Martin thanks that makes me feel better

I miss the day when my oil gauge would peg at nearly 30psi when cold started....

Now I get around 14psi (just below 15) and it settles down to around 7 or so when warmed up.

I was told back when I was getting used to the 49 216 that any oil pressure reading on a 216 was good. seems that is pretty accurate info LOL.

btw, I run 15w40 oil in mine. Whatever oil viscosity your running should be GTG since your getting such a high reading. You may even step it down in weight alittle if you want to experiment.

I don't have the answer for you, but I can tell you that my truck does the same thing. On cold mornings my oil gauge will read between 20 and 30 at start up but drops to about 5 when warm. At cruising speed I'm lucky to get 10 psi. So I'd say you're doing pretty good.

I also get black water out the tailpipe until it's warmed up. The black water is because she's running rich. She's running rich because the choke is pulled out, which is necessary until she warms up. Once she's warm and you push the choke in, it returns to a 'clean burn' condition and the exhaust clears up. It used to bother me at first, but my truck hasn't gotten any worse over the past 9 or 10 years as my daily driver. If I start getting excessive black water at start-up I know it's time to adjust the valves and carburetor and change the plugs, which is about once a year.

You're doing the right thing to notice and pay attention to the things your truck does. But don't let it stress you, she's almost 80 years old. Only start worrying if she starts doing something different or unusual.

Ok so that pressure is a good thing, cool!
I run straight non detergent 30w in mine right now
I usually run 13 psi after I'm warmed up at low rpm and then running at like 50 mph I'm getting about 16 or 17 psi

Ok thanks! I didn't know all that with the the water and running rich, that's good to hear!

I'll try to stop letting it stress me.

Good. And like I said, if things become noticeably different, let us know. That's what we're here for.

Awesome thank you

I don't recall if you said but with readings like that with 30w oil I'd suspect that engine has been recently rebuilt as your getting great oil pressure readings.

How loud are the valves? 216's are notoriously loud in the top end but can be quieted down quite a bit with proper valve adjustment. If you aren't hearing loud valve tapping do not be concerned. If you hear an intermittent tap that comes and goes I wouldn't be too concerned about that either as the clearance can and will change with temperature, both engine temp and outside temp.
Also the rockers can get worn some at the tips and if so theres an easy fix for that too. But again, don't over sweat the sounds it makes, just learn them. Keep in mind once our E TN weather warms up you'll probably not get any more noticeable condensation and engine warm up will be much quicker which will change the sounds your hearing now.

Just keep monitoring the gauges and listen to what the engine is telling you. These old 216s have been around quite awhile and have powered everything from light cars to heavy tandem wheeled trucks and did so for yrs. If your 216 doesn't sound like it's about to fly apart at 50mph and your gearing is still stock, you've got a very good truck, enjoy.

Burning any hydrocarbon fuel, gasoline, Diesel, LP gas, or even alcohol produces two basic byproducts- - - -Carbon Dioxide and water vapor. A perfectly-tuned engine produces ONLY those two byproducts, which is what the tree-huggers are demanding and the auto manufacturers are desperately trying to accomplish with all their fancy computers, fuel injection, variable valve timing, catalytic converters, etc. I was pulling wrenches trying to keep from starving to death back in the late 60's/early 70's when all that bovine scatology got started!

Your engine produces LOTS of water vapor as a normal byproduct of combustion- - - -there's no way to avoid it. Some of that vapor condenses, and ends up dribbling out of the tailpipe on a cold start. Get used to it- - - - -nothing you, nor anyone else can do is going to repeal the laws of chemistry and physics!
Jerry