When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hi Guys,
I just installed my 400 E Block back in my 67 442 and it smokes pretty badly. It was bored out 60 over all new bearings cam crankshaft reground. Stock intake and heads. Heads were redone last year before a rod went through the pan, and factory white valve seals(umbrella type) .. Anyway what I found was that the pcv valve was sucking oil pretty good. I removed the carb and found oil soaked all underneath on the gasket and bottom of carb, even looked down into the intake and was oily. I have gone through 3 pcv valves and still sucking oil. I thought maybe the baffles in my aftermarket chrome valve covers were to small, so I put the stock one back on. It runs very good but this oil issue is kicking my butt.. I need your help and thoughts on this.. You know how it is to put all this money into it and took my time to make sure everything went ok...Ahhhh I feel like I missed something.. Could I have screwed up the intake gasket? Just does not make sense to me because it runs so well...
HMM I wonder if the drain holes on that head are partially blocked and there's excess oil ?? Thus oil is not draining down the pan sufficiently? I hooked my PVC valve up manifold vacuum in the front of the Q-jet. 67 400E in my 64 F-85. Oil pressure good?
My pcv hose is hooked up into the same port as yours.. Right in front of the Q-jet. The oil pressure actually is not as good as I would like it either.. drops to 20-25 hot at idle.. I will actually check the drain holes, but when I remove the valve covers it is spotless in there, no oil sitting anywhere other than on the tips of the rockers.. I will check thanks for your input... Love that neat plug wire routing look.. What kind of intake is that? Performer? with a Q-jet?
Performer with a Dean Oliver ( Deano's carbs) prepped Q-Jet. Maybe by the time you pull the passenger side valve cover the oil finally drains? Your oil pressure at Idle ( 750 RPM or so) is not bad when the engine is warm. If plans go right I'm going to build another engine and sell this one. I have a 425 block with a bunch of goodies on the shelf...
Stant makes crankcase breather caps. They make one you can use an inline pcv with (not the original intended purpose) to get it further away from the oil mist. You'll have change the rubber grommet.
That breather cap sounds like an interesting solution! Hey it can't hurt..... Thanks Eric for the information, I will look for one before I go too crazy, but I'm afraid being crazy is here to stay already.. Ha Ha!
Oh I know, I will dig deeper but it just doesn't make any sense to me.. the heads were redone last year and I hardly put any miles on it when the rod went through the pan and stopped against the crossmember.. So they are very clean.. It did not smoke like this on the original engine that it came with.. So theoretically, if I remove the PCV hose from the Carb and plug it off.. Should it stop smoking after a minute or so?
Performer with a Dean Oliver ( Deano's carbs) prepped Q-Jet. Maybe by the time you pull the passenger side valve cover the oil finally drains? Your oil pressure at Idle ( 750 RPM or so) is not bad when the engine is warm. If plans go right I'm going to build another engine and sell this one. I have a 425 block with a bunch of goodies on the shelf...
How is your engine breathing? You have a valve cover on the left side that has no provision for a breather.
My pcv hose is hooked up into the same port as yours.. Right in front of the Q-jet. The oil pressure actually is not as good as I would like it either.. drops to 20-25 hot at idle.. I will actually check the drain holes, but when I remove the valve covers it is spotless in there, no oil sitting anywhere other than on the tips of the rockers.. I will check thanks for your input... Love that neat plug wire routing look.. What kind of intake is that? Performer? with a Q-jet?
Are the lifters quite? There were some Chinese lifters that the holes too large in the plunger/bleed hole and metering plates and flooded the top side with oil. I know of several guys who had them and was having a similar issue.
Yes lifters are quiet... I never heard of this but after what I am experiencing, it could be as well. These lifters were supplied to me by the machine shop that did the lower end.. They were a different manufacturer from the previous ones I had in the other engine.. I do not remember the name, have to check the receipt.. Thanks for your input
Yes lifters are quiet... I never heard of this but after what I am experiencing, it could be as well. These lifters were supplied to me by the machine shop that did the lower end.. They were a different manufacturer from the previous ones I had in the other engine.. I do not remember the name, have to check the receipt.. Thanks for your input
Look for Falcon Global. Like I said,I know of several instances where the lifters were the problem. If I remember right,somebody measured them and the holes were 3X the OEM size.
I was thinking maybe your valve covers do not have the baffle plates on them but you said you went back to stock so that should not be the issue, have you run the engine momentarily without the valve cover on? Possibly you could see the amount of oil pumping up to the rockers, be careful though this could get messy!
Do you have another valve cover that you could cut around the sides of the top with a cutoff wheel? I Like Oldsmaniac's idea and at least this way it won't be a total mess. You could see if the valve cover is filling with oil or ?? U could source a cheap valve cover up your way.
The valve cover idea sounds good too.. probably something I should keep around for diagnostics.... Hey Robski, what is the deal with your driver's side valve cover.. no breather on it? Just a pcv on the right? Just wondering... Thanks
Plug the holes on both valve covers with your thumbs at idle if vacuum builds up under your thumbs you have a vacuum leak on the bottom of the intake gaskets. Also if it is an auto trans the oil could be trans fluid being sucked in from a blown vacuum modulator.
You guys keep asking about the breather that is missing... This is not my engine, that is another member's picture he sent to show me the pcv set up....I also questioned the missing breather... This is my engine..
I know many of you do not like using the OE Turkey Pan gasket, the Composition Gaskets look fine but I do not see a port for the exhaust crossover? Is this normal for these? Or do they make one with exhaust ports? Or am I stuck using the OE Turkey Pan?
I had this same problem on a fresh E block rebuild. Two things to consider. 1- yes you need to vent it for the pcv to work correctly. If you want to keep the 65 no vent look to the valve cover you can get an oil fill cap that is vented. You are running the 68 up style oil fill tube and they do make a twist in cap with a filter in it for that. 2 the other issue and what was wrong with mine. I used new lifters and they were of a batch that was incorrect. the .921 lifters is the same size used by some engines back in the 50's and are not correct for your engine. They fit and work except they over pump oil to the valve covers. I replaced the lifters and the smoking stopped. I was told by the cam builder it was ok to put new lifters on the cam as it only had about 100 miles on it. It fixed the issue and never had a problem again.
I had this same problem on a fresh E block rebuild. Two things to consider. 1- yes you need to vent it for the pcv to work correctly. If you want to keep the 65 no vent look to the valve cover you can get an oil fill cap that is vented. You are running the 68 up style oil fill tube and they do make a twist in cap with a filter in it for that. 2 the other issue and what was wrong with mine. I used new lifters and they were of a batch that was incorrect. the .921 lifters is the same size used by some engines back in the 50's and are not correct for your engine. They fit and work except they over pump oil to the valve covers. I replaced the lifters and the smoking stopped. I was told by the cam builder it was ok to put new lifters on the cam as it only had about 100 miles on it. It fixed the issue and never had a problem again.
My car is a 1967 442 with a 400 E Block.. The 65 you see pictured with no breather is not mine. That is from another member that was showing me his PCV going to the carb. I posted a picture of my engine above.
Okay so your car is the one with the chrome valve covers. I still want to point out what cured mine was the lifters. I see you have chrome aftermarket valve covers is there a baffle in the valve cover to stop oil from being sucked into the PCV valve? If not that is a common issue as well.
GM Muscle, as far as I know this is the correct way to route your PVC system on these early engines and have no issues. Although, I do like Lemoldsnut about getting a twist in cap with a filter for the oil fill tube. Where can you buy one that will will fit properly?
I had this same problem on a fresh E block rebuild. Two things to consider. 1- yes you need to vent it for the pcv to work correctly. If you want to keep the 65 no vent look to the valve cover you can get an oil fill cap that is vented. You are running the 68 up style oil fill tube and they do make a twist in cap with a filter in it for that. 2 the other issue and what was wrong with mine. I used new lifters and they were of a batch that was incorrect. the .921 lifters is the same size used by some engines back in the 50's and are not correct for your engine. They fit and work except they over pump oil to the valve covers. I replaced the lifters and the smoking stopped. I was told by the cam builder it was ok to put new lifters on the cam as it only had about 100 miles on it. It fixed the issue and never had a problem again.
Okay so your car is the one with the chrome valve covers. I still want to point out what cured mine was the lifters. I see you have chrome aftermarket valve covers is there a baffle in the valve cover to stop oil from being sucked into the PCV valve? If not that is a common issue as well.
I have baffles in the chrome set, but I installed the factory valve covers just to see and still smoking and sucking oil... could be the lifters.. What if the intake was leaking from the bottom? Would that give me the same 2 issues? Smoking and sucking oil through the pcv?
Sounds good, I found that same breather at Summitt Racing in stock. They have a HUGE warehouse in the Dallas area. I'm going to run out there today and pick it up along with some other goodies....
I know many of you do not like using the OE Turkey Pan gasket, the Composition Gaskets look fine but I do not see a port for the exhaust crossover? Is this normal for these? Or do they make one with exhaust ports? Or am I stuck using the OE Turkey Pan?
The composition gaskets are easily cut out for the heat crossover if you can't find any already open.
GM Muscle, as far as I know this is the correct way to route your PVC system on these early engines and have no issues. Although, I do like Lemoldsnut about getting a twist in cap with a filter for the oil fill tube. Where can you buy one that will will fit properly?
The early systems use a vent pipe going to the cleaner for breathing. If a PCV valve is used,there always has to be a way for air to enter the the engine.
October 30th, 2018 | 01:51 PM
Fresh Rebuild 67 442 PCV Sucking Oil
