My'63, recently purchased, wants to blow some oil out of the dipstick under hard acceleration, and also the breather pipe. It runs and starts well and does not smoke or burn oil. The engine was rebuilt not too long ago before I bought it but dont know to what extent. I did a compression check and all of the cylinders come in at 120-130 psi, EXCEPT for #2, which reads 80 psi.. Could this be a bad piston ring that is causing the pressure in the crankcase ? Is the compression reading normal for a 394? Any suggestions would be helpful... thanks, Mark

 

Do a "leak test" on that cylinder. While it's under pressure, listen at the oil fill tube, carb inlet, and exhaust outlet, for the sound of an air leak.

If the sound is at the oil filler, it verifies that the piston/ring combo needs attention.

Norm

 

Thanks. Would I have to remove the valve cover in order to know
what the valves are doing, thus knowing when the piston is at TDC ?
Also,I was driving the car at highway speeds tonite and noticed ALOT of white smoke coming out the back of the car (at least it looked white). When I got to my destination, the engine was missing a little. When I removed the plugs to do the compression check, they all looked really good, with no noticeable oil or sludge, etc. Not sure what is going on at this point... Mark

 

Put it at #1 TDC, in the normal manner, then back the crank up 90°

Norm