Hey all. Finally got my Z28 running and on the road, and now it smokes. It only has like 30 minutes break in time then the 12 mile trip to the house. Will this correct after the rings seat better? What gives? I checked all the gaps and tollerances like 3 times. A local machine shop did the heads and they do real good work. Let me know what you think. Blueish smoke is light at normal idle and highway speeds, but gets real noticeable when you get on it. Let me know. Thanks....

 

What procedure was used to break in the fresh engine?

 

check your plugs. it might be running rich

 

also might want to be sure that your intake is sealed properly, it can be sucking oil in from the lifter valley...

 

I started the engine and ran it for 20 minutes at 2k then spent between 20 and 30 more minutes on day two and readjustedthe valves and set the timing and mixture and such. Also where would the intake be leaking? How would I check it? Thanks!!

 

it would actually be pulling the oil through the bottom of the intake gasket, around the runners...the only way we discovered it was by removing the intake. we yanked the carb once and you could see the oil laying in the bottom of the runners. were your heads milled at all? that was our trouble, they were angle milled and the intake wouldn't seal after that.

 

Oil being suck up from the bottom of the intake ports is a likely place to look. Another source is oil being sucked into the PCV on the valve cover. Can happen with some aftermarket valve covers that do not have PCV baffles and the PCV hole positioned in the wrong spot on the covers.
Another possibility is the valve seals are the wrong ones
for your motor or were installed wrong.

Second ring on the pistons may be installed wrong too.

 

Well, I am going to run a compression test this week. I will check out the intake after that. I dont think its the PCV because I can disconnect it and it still smokes. How do I check to see if the wrong valve stem seals were used? I have the part numbers for all the parts they used on the heads.. We shall see what happens.... Thanks for the help guys I will keep you posted...

 

Well, did some tinkering today... Got the smoke to completely stop at idle and cruising. I had one bad spark plug wire and the choke was way out of adjustment. Now she only smokes when you rev it up then let off. It is also more pronounced when it is fully warmed up. I have not run a compression test yet as I need to go buy a new gauge. I removed the carb and I did not see any oil in the manifold. LEt me know what you guys and gals think.

 

If the manifold gasket is leaking at the head and sucking oil into the intake port, you won't likely see any oil by looking down the carb plenum.
Pull the plug wires off one at a time and find the oily cylinder.

 

I will be pulling the manifold to regasket it this weekend hopefully. Any recomendations on good gaskets? Does percy's make intake gaskets? Let me know..

 

fel pro or victor