Blue Smoke

[flyin ryan]

The exhaust valve seal on or off debate is long & old. I see a lot of engines still today (performace mills) that don't have exhaust valve seals. I don't get it, myself. I always use them on Intake & Exhaust. I understand 'Why' some choose to 'Not' use any, I just don't agree with those trains of thought. You 'Can' put Exhaust valve seals on 90's with out machining. I can provide a seal part number to anybody that would like, just send me a PM.

[scottfab]

Originally Posted by flyin ryan

The exhaust valve seal on or off debate is long & old. I see a lot of engines still today (performace mills) that don't have exhaust valve seals. I don't get it, myself. I always use them on Intake & Exhaust. I understand 'Why' some choose to 'Not' use any, I just don't agree with those trains of thought. You 'Can' put Exhaust valve seals on 90's with out machining. I can provide a seal part number to anybody that would like, just send me a PM.

I was unaware of any debate. I don't know of anyone that thinks it's a bad idea. I could be wrong.
Me I don't have seals cause there's been no compelling reason to rip into the engine for just that. But........... now I may have another unrelated issue so maybe I'll get the seals in.
What's that part # and how do they hold down if there is no machined grove?

[FULLPWR]

our work network, phones, email were down today I couldnt get on internet. just got home and going to pull couple plugs, i had replaced everything under the plenum in 2006 and it wasnt on the road until this past saturday, I did make sure i let it run at least every week or so, only had to recharge the battery maybe three times or so. even when on stands idling it would smoke but i just figured it just needed a good running on the ground. the seal leak is a pin hole in the seal i must of hit or something, i didnt get to change it yesterday(go to work @ 4:30a.m. get home @ 6pmish, I did the clutch change out myself with a buddy, 37ftlb was what i ended up with on the tailshaft and i did that in small increments of 2-5ftlbs starting at 20 cuz it just didnt feel right when it was tighting up it just kept going i also put beam plates so iwas taking it easy after reading other threads about over tightening it. I took it to Corvettes of houston with the intent to just get the tires balanced, they did & told me one of my rears was lumpy prob from sitting prior to having it on stands, they used a borescope to look at the seal, I could see the seal bleeding at the top, oil every where but not soaked, since it was on the rack vs my stands i wanted to get as much done as i could honestly i want to do as much as i can myself to make sure its right, but man ive been waiting too *&%$ long to get her running & they let me hang with them so i also changed the oil thats when they had to send out for a oil filter PF970C 25014155,and my gut was twisting i failed to geta find out from u guys what filter, last nite i had asked is it the right one in another thread thinkng its what was causing the excessive blue smoke, changed out the diff oil added the gm additive too. the guys are great there, also where i bought my 99 coupe from.
sounds great GL i dont want to throw any more $ than i have too either.

i need to get outside and pull plugs...
what the best way to fix that grummet pipe i mentioned without silicone, it had silicone in 2006 when i chuncked it and put the new evidently its moved with the heat i guess and deformed a lil i will take some pics
gotta go....................

thanks!!!!

[FULLPWR]

ok, pulled all but #8 my sidewinder & my lil shorty are at work, get it out later and camera wont focus right in macro for pics

#3,5,7 & #2,4,6 insulator is yellowish brown #1 insulator is off white
all of them have very small white deposits between the side & center electrode (the gap) as if it was building up between them to close if i explained that right.

looking down inside each of them its black but not oily.
anti-siege has a numbing effect when taste tested...dont ask how i did that.

[FULLPWR]

Originally Posted by tomtom72

FULLPWR, when was the last time the PCV's were changed out?

Not trying to be a wise guy, but I notice on mine that after about a summer's worth of use they are pretty much gummed up. If I try to shake them the check ball is not moving freely. Our 90 motors pass a ton of oil fumes thru the PCV system and I change my PCV's every winter.

I'd just pull the PCV's and give them a shake to see if they make a good clean metallic sounding rattle....after 5k mine usually have a very muffled sound to the rattle, not metallic sounding at all. JMHO


Tom

great idea thanks gonna change them both out just to make sure, i wonder if those oil fumes would generate enough to cause the smoke im getting, i gotta get camera smart quick so i can upload a video of it.
thanks!!

[flyin ryan]

Originally Posted by scottfab

I was unaware of any debate. I don't know of anyone that thinks it's a bad idea. I could be wrong.

I don't mean in the LT-5 world, to be clear, I mean the engine world in general. I think it was mentioned on here already, some high RPM guys like to run tight clearances for a number of reasons & keep the seal off to compensate. Most guys though just think they don't help. All I know is of all the engines I take apart, the ones with seal's (Exh.) have way cleaner combustion chambers & Exhaust ports than the ones that run 'No' seals. Oil don't make power in the comb. chamber, last time I checked...

[FULLPWR]

plugs

in 2006 i pulled out AC Delco 41-602's
for some reason i put in AC Delco 41-913's

since the 41-602 is a metal washer flt and the 41-913's are tapered....

what do i put in now ??????

also I just found a blown 25a fuse in my A.I.R pump.....

anybody please chime in...the only reason i went looking for it cuz went page by page in the service manual looking for anything i could ck.

do you think that is the culprit to my smoking problem????????

[FULLPWR]

ttt

Originally Posted by FULLPWR

plugs

in 2006 i pulled out AC Delco 41-602's
for some reason i put in AC Delco 41-913's

since the 41-602 is a metal washer flt and the 41-913's are tapered....

what do i put in now ??????

also I just found a blown 25a fuse in my A.I.R pump.....

anybody please chime in...the only reason i went looking for it cuz went page by page in the service manual looking for anything i could ck.

do you think that is the culprit to my smoking problem????????

[tomtom72]

I doubt that the plug seat change is the root of the smoking issues. We can change to using tapered seat plugs. There is a T/Q'ing procedure that I don't remember that reforms the flat head seat into a tapered seat. I just don't know the particulars as I use the flat seat plugs in my 90. The only way oil gets in thru the plug holes is if the O-rings in the cam covers fail, I think that's right?...maybe also if the anaerobic sealer fails too......sorry this is where my knowledge base gets a bit thin. I've been under the plenum 4 times, but that's as far into the motor that I've been.

The fuse for the AIR system being blown so the system is down I can't see causing excessive blow by either. That AIR system usually is most active upon a cold start up, sometimes upon a semi-warm restart it comes on also. Otherwise after the motor is at normal temp, it just takes up space.

I am loath to bring this up....as it is distasteful but I see a leak down test and a compression test in order to check further into this situation. The only thing I can suggest before those tests is get a good vacuum gauge with a large dial head and connect it an take a vacuum reading at idle, hot coolant. Back in the stone age, I was taught that a vac gauge can tell you quite a bit about things like worn valve guides, bad cam timing, late ignition timing, worn rings, bad valve seals, weak valve springs, lean mixture, timing is off. I mean not like a scanner tells you stuff but it kind of gives which direction you could be looking.

I keep this link in my favorites: http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/186.cfm so I don't forget how to use one...

Plug chart link: http://www.4secondsflat.com/plug_chart.html I keep this stuff so I don't mess up! What are your plugs saying?

Soooooo, the PCV's were okay? And, don't take this the wrong way, you're sure the smoke is blue? You sniffed it & actually stood behind at the tail pipes and sampled it? I hate to be old school about 'puter controlled cars, but when my injectors started to go south I used my nose as a diagnostic tool. I stood behind my car and smelled the exhaust. When the injector coils started to short, the lean smell would make your eyes water it got so bad!


Tom

[FULLPWR]

Tom, link on plugs was just what i was trying to find..

1 plug is identical to #19
6 plugs look like #19 but the insulators are yellowish brown like #12
I didnt get #8 plug out yet...i know it's incomplete diagnosis if i dont get that one and look at , up against the clock on so much crap.
but there are no oil deposits....what you think now?

to take out the pcv's today.

I'm 90% sure it is blue, but your right i need to be 100% sure i'll do like you said today.

I put RC 210's injectors in 2006 (motor just doesnt have run time maybe they are lil lazy).

no oil deposits, clean plugs so far, maybe i am smoke colored blind?!

what im going to do by the end of weekend is:
change plugs, fix smog pump, change pcvs, fix vac leak at rubber block,
change fuel filter, replace the trans seal, try to check codes(havent seen the ses light at all) then try that vacuum test as you described.

thank you Tom!
thanks GUYS
i will report back status......
Luis