The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop blow by maybe?

i was doing some cheking on my motor and noticed some slight smoke coming from the black tube on the pass side (blow by tube ) is this normal? and how can i fix it , its a new rebuild motor

Thanks

1958 235 car engine?

That would be the road draft tube.

How long a time had you been driving/running the engine before you observed the "smoke"?

well hard to say ,, my wife has always told that she smelt something i just blew it off ,,i'd say about couple weeks ?

thanks

If it was my car I'd fill the gas tank up and plan a road trip. Take a route that will allow you to vary your speed and if a hill or two is available that will help "work" the engine some. You have mentioned that your temp gauge shows 200 after running your car. This should be ok and actually having a good warm engine for break in will help. Do this a few times and then see what your blow by situation is. You need to get your rings seated.

ohh on a new rebuild motor ??? the longest i drove it was about 25 miles 1 way ,, it was rebuild last fall ( oct -nov )

but a road trip is always a good idea

thanks

Short trips kill fresh motors.

lilrobo,

I should have explicitly asked how long a trip-time was it. Did you run it for 30 minutes after warm up? If not, run until the temperature stabilizes and then another 30 minutes. See if you are still getting vapors out the road-draft tube.

It would be best to drive it for 30 minutes after warmup, so that you can create a road-draft to draw vapors out of the block.

Do you have a vented cap on the oil fill. You must have a place for the fresh air to enter.

If we are talking about some fumes coming out of the tube while the car is sitting still, that is what the tube is for. There will be some blowby and it should come out of the tube. When you drive down the road it gets swept away and fresh air is drawn in the breather on top. However, I would not be satisfied with your 200 deg F temperature. I would say that is a little on the high side. If it doesn't go any higher than you are probably good. I am not a believer in the new tight motor runs hotter theory.

thanks guys ,, i might be need of new rad , the last time i took it in they told me they got it to 80% here is what i had
on the temp part here what i have
car at idle for 30 min in drive way gauge is 200
bottom stat-176
top rad -170
bottom rad hose-159
top rad hose- 169
intake carb side -187
top of head- 209
top of head at gauge port-190
bottom block 200
side head at spark plugs 203
water pump heater hose 182
exhaust 356

sounds about normal, so you can figure your gauge at 200 is telling you everything is fine, seeing it get higher suddenly, or run consistently lower tells you things need checking, like water is low or stat went bad .... the old gauges are not scientific grade instruments, they're to show changes from "normal"

Bill

went driving today and seems like i am smelling the oil smell more than i did befor,, i will check if i added too much oil , i did a oil change and added a bottle of zddp, but i didnt put the full last qt in ,,, so that might be it ????

just check the oil and its above the full mark ,, so thats the reason i am smelling oil i hope ???

thanks

A little vapor "smoke" is normal when idling after start up. Oil vapor/mist will be present at temp. The temps you call out don't seem bad to me. Modern cars recycle all that vapor so you never see it. You will also get the hot oil vapor smell coming from the engine compartment, where on modern cars it all gets recycled. If it looks like a coal train in a black and white movie I would be concerned, if it looks like a hot cup of Jo on a cool day I would call it normal.

A long test drive is not a bad idea because you can listen to it over time and observe when it has been running at temp for awhile. Plus any excuse for a drive works for me.

No strange noises or loss of power?

I had a guy looking at it and was interested in buying it until he smelled oil i told him it was coming from the road tube,, so i dont know what to do now, ,i am going to change to rotella with out the zddp and take it out on the interstate and give it a go, , anything else i can do?
Thanks

How many miles on it total since the rebuild?
How far/long is it's average trip?
How far is a 'drive'?
Have you considered switching to PCV instead of down draft?

Please answer CASO's questions (at least the first 3) before asking for other advice.

Rotella is one of the stinkier oils. I know because I use it!

I say about 500 on rebuild,,,
The other night was the lonest it was 30 miles each way
Normal is about 15 miles on a fri night and same for sat night

I just putt around i am not a hot rodder lol
Thanks

A 60 mile trip should be enough to have the road draft tube clear gases from the engine.

Went to get some rotella 30w and cant fine any would 10w 30 be ok? i want to do this right
Thanks

10W30 will be OK.

Autozone, Advance Auto, O'Reilly, and probably NAPA list/carry Rotella T 30W, if that is what you want.

So my next question is for the pro's...
How long does it take for rings to seal after a rebuild?

good question,

well i just got back i went interstate i hit 80 by the speedo i say maybe 70 really ,, anyway did great i went to river climb the hill back i stopped and took off i dont know ,, after i got back i took a video of road tube , i could see something like smoke , steam like coming off coffee i will try post it
thanks

[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g407/robbie1965/th_blowby_zps8cfad4b2.jpg[/IMG]

it does get quite hot inside an engine .... hotter air holds more moisture .... warm, moist air flowing out to cooler, drier ambient air makes for visible vapor, kinda like "steam coming off coffee"

as someone suggested above, converting to a PCV system [available in 58, may even have been common on car engines, check your shop manual] will eliminate any combustion vapors out the draft tube, other than that there is no way to prevent these old-tech engines from 'smelling like oil'

Bill

can someone get me in the right direction on maybe doing this ?? i'll google it too

thanks

There was a 1958 car factory option 417 "Engine Positive Ventilation" for models 1100, 1500, and 1700 (Station Wagons). The Specifications Manual does not indicate what engines it was available on.

that option was found on b0th the 235 & 283, the same parts I think, and the details are in the shop manuals from 55.2 onward .... it appears Keiths site is currently being moved to a new place and is unavailable

Bill

Bill,

Are you referring to the truck PCVs? Would those air cleaners fit under the hood of a car (I have no first-hand experience with 1958 vehicles).

I added a PCV system to my 216. I popped off the cap on the draft tube. I then pressed a short length of pipe into the hole to block the small holes that allow gases to escape to the outer lower pipe. I drilled the cap to take the rubber grommet of a PCV valve. Installed the valve and ran a hose up over to where the vacuum fitting is for the wipers. I installed a Tee to accomodate the hose. Lastly I sealed the vents in my valve cover and installed a vented filler cap with mesh in it. The PCV valve I bought off the shelf at FLAPS and picked one that fits a similar size engine.

truckernix could you send me some pics please
thanks

I will need an Email address. You could PM me.