New engine, rings not sealing up..advice..

[streetknight]

Can't seem to get the rings to seal up on this engine. I let it get to about 220 degrees and then cooled it back down. I've driven it about 100 miles today running around 60 for a while and backing back down to 30 and back to 60 and so forth.

It isn't smoking at idle anymore, but if you rev it up it still rolls some white smoke out. I noticed it's used almost a quart in this first hundred miles

Any pointers?

 

[Lee Thompson]

smoke

Isn't white smoke water and blue smoke oil?

 

[streetknight]

Don't think so. I thought white smoke was oil and dark was fuel.

 

[QUIP'6']

better do a leak down sound like a head gasket not sealed . did you resurface heads? did you use copper gasket or rjc could be nothing at all but white smoke is water. black is fuel. blue is oil.

 

[lynch crew]

Can't seem to get the rings to seal up on this engine. I let it get to about 220 degrees and then cooled it back down. I've driven it about 100 miles today running around 60 for a while and backing back down to 30 and back to 60 and so forth.

It isn't smoking at idle anymore, but if you rev it up it still rolls some white smoke out. I noticed it's used almost a quart in this first hundred miles

Any pointers?

I have heard some old time mechanics talk about using baking soda to help with sealing the rings.

 

[Hacksaw]

Lee is right, white is moisture, and blue is oil. It may take 500 miles to seat the rings. Yes, do keep an eye on the oil level. Temperature cycling will help; Warm the engine normally, drive for a while, then shut it down for a few hours, then repeat. Stay away from any WOT blasts until the rings seat.

-Mike H.

 

[streetknight]

I used fel pro 9441 head gaskets, new champion irons, and ARP head bolts.

Also, the car is not running warm at all. No water in the oil. and the radiator is still full.

PS- What and how do you do a leak down test?

 

[Squid4life]

To help seat the rings on my old diesel truck with a new motor they said to be in a lower gear, run it up in RPM a bit, then let off the gas and let the motor slow the car down. (kind of like downshifting to slow the car) I guess the pressure in the cylinder pushes the rings out and helps to seat them.

???

Squid

 

[BadAssGN]

One other note....

Make sure your not running too rich and washing the cylinders down,

once the cylinder is glased (crosshatch worn off) the rings will never seal

it took a few weeks for mine to stop smoking, I just kept driving it ....

 

[VadersV6]

White is coolant. Blue is oil. Black is fuel.You didnt fill the motor up with synthetic oil for break in did you? What lube did the builders use in the cylinders? I would call the shop and ask them what lube/grease they used in the cylinders, but DONT tell them you're having a hard time breaking in. They'll change their story 50 different ways depending on what you tell them, to keep their butts out of trouble. We used to have this guy working at my old job who used some synthetic grease in the cylinders. The rings couldnt break in. Motor had to be torn down and rings replaced/block hot tanked. He didnt learn his lesson the first time, and used some thick oil additive to lube the rings and cylinders. Same thing happened again. There was another time he balanced a crank, while having a flexplate attached. It was a manual trans car. Needless to say he didnt last. You should go by the shop- and watch them asseble a motor. Just tell them you'd like to learn. Pay close attention to what they put in those cylinders. Anything thicker than regular motor oil will make break in impossible. We used to use a special penetrant spray, actually thinner than WD-40 on the cylinders and rings. With some special machining/assembly procedures, we could get the rings to break in right away.

 

[49-blues]

White smoke could also be turbo bearings-it happened to mine- changed the turbo -smoking stopped 100%.

 

[Robert Walton]

I have heard some old time mechanics talk about using baking soda to help with sealing the rings.

OMG NO !!!!!!! Do that only if you want to score up the cylinder walls. These old time mechanics need to shut up !!!

 

[VadersV6]

I have heard some old time mechanics talk about using baking soda to help with sealing the rings.

Yeah, it also helps the rod bearings seal to the crank, the crank to the mains, the impellar shaft to the impellar bearings, and the oil pump gears to the pump housing, the lifters to the cam, the cam to the cam bearings, reduces weight in the pushrods by plugging the oil passages, and simulates a long duration cam by sticking the valves in the guides.
:runs to the store to buy some Bon Ami:
Anyway, if you have synthetic oil in there, remove it asap. Cheap, straight weight dino oil is best for break in. Use lightweight oil to help with the break in, but dont rev it up or go WOT. Keep rpms down and dont do any engine braking. It may take a couple oil changes before things improve. First thing to do would be a compression test. If numbers are all over the place, you can be more sure that its the rings.

 

[JeffG]

Interesting comments on this thread. I will toss in another opinion for what it's worth. Go out and beat it. Rings need cyl pressure to seal. For the most part, if they don't seal up right away they aren't going to get a whole lot better over time. They may clear up, but you're going to need to apply a healty does of cyl pressure to press those rings against the cyl's. Good luck.

PS,
Never listen to anyone that wants to put abrasives in your motor

 

[BOOSTEDGNs]

I dont remember where I read this but there was a thread regarding this subject in terms of not taking it easy and in fact getting on it so that the rings will seat under force


I will search for the thread

if anyone else finds it before me please chime

 

[streetknight]

Ok to clarify a few things. I built the engine myself. I used 30w dino oil on the piston skirts and WD40 on the rings. I did a pressure test on the radiator today and found the water pump bad, not that that was causing my issue,but now with 20 # of pressure to the cooling system it held just fine. I hope this rules out water or a head gasket seaping.

I will start driving it some more tomorrow. I'm going to fill the oil and coolant up in the morning and drive it when I get home from work. I'll keep a close eye on both levels.

I was told by someone else it could be the turbo seal. the turbo is only 6 mos. old, but has sat for the last 2 or 3 while the engine was down.

PS- When I rev the engine now and the little smoke that does come out, it looks white to me, BUT it smells like oil and the smoke lingers around a minute or two. It doesn't just disappear like I think steam would do.

Thanks again

 

[SPOOLN]

You need to run that motor for at least 500 miles at a modulating speed. Also try to maintain a consistant water temprature 180-200. Those rings will seat.

When i built my motor, i ran for 4 hours straight, road trip stopped a few times to check for leaks and oil consumption. All was good and sealed up. When i got home i changed to oil and filter. Oil was 10w30 castrol. Motor now is nice and tight and does not consume any oil.

 

[Silver 'T' Top]

Isn't white smoke water and blue smoke oil?

Thats what I've always thought !

 

[Benched]

If you are still curious about a leak down tester...


http://www.xs11.com/tips/misc/misc3.shtml

 

[TURBOTIMMER]

Interesting comments on this thread. I will toss in another opinion for what it's worth. Go out and beat it. Rings need cyl pressure to seal. For the most part, if they don't seal up right away they aren't going to get a whole lot better over time. They may clear up, but you're going to need to apply a healty does of cyl pressure to press those rings against the cyl's. Good luck.

I agree. I was told by Red Armstrong, after initial break-in, to take the car out and run it up to about 15-17lbs of boost. He says the rings seat almost instantly.