Oily plugs...1 side only ?

[clemsgn]

I moved this from the PCV thread to check response.
I now seem to have a problem again with my current ride (87 Turbo T) The longer it runs, it smokes blue at idle and sometimes at cruise. Leakdown is good at 4 % in all cylinders and I have my "trap door" breather on drivers valve cover. Funny thing is, all 3 spark plugs on pass side are a bit wet looking and oil on threads, but the drivers side were quite dry in comparison. These are M&A heads. The valve covers are definately not leaking down to the plugs. After valve cover removal, I noticed 4 of 6 valve seals on both sides had come off the guide and were going up and down with the valve. Funny thing was 2 were intakes and 2 exhaust on each side, so why are the plugs somewhat wet on the pass side only ? Anyone else experience this B-4 ? I removed the seals (they're new w/less than 500 miles) and compressed the metal ring tighter that holds them to the guide, and reinstalled them again...hopefully they will stay put ! This may have been my "blue smoke problem, but I still don't know why just the pass side plugs were a bit wet ? Anyone have any ideas ? I suspect the turbo could be a source of the smoke also, so I will eliminate it as a possibility if the valve seals don't do the trick.
Thanks for any comments ! Clem

 

[Ormand]

There are many valve seals that go up and down with the valves. GM used little "rubber band" type seals on lots of engines. They stop the oil from running down the valve stem, but it sure seems like the umbrella type would work better. At least if they go up and down, the oil will run off of them out past the valve guide.

 

[turbobose13]

I Had the same thing happen and it turned out to be a blown Head Gasket, I even did a compression test and had 150psi. I hope this help's.

 

[clemsgn]

I Had the same thing happen and it turned out to be a blown Head Gasket, I even did a compression test and had 150psi. I hope this help's.

I hope not....I've got Fel Pro 1007 wire loc gaskets, but I hope I'm not suckin oil from the valley. I wouldn't think all 3 holes on one side would be drinkin ??

 

[fuzzyGN]

A slight possibility the oil could be sucking past the intake gasket. I have never had it happen on a Buick V6 but my SBC after a rebuild would suck oil and almost completely foul the plugs if I let the intake get even slightly loose. May be a shot in the dark but check the torque on the intake bolts to see if they loosened up a bit.

 

[clemsgn]

A slight possibility the oil could be sucking past the intake gasket.

Thanks for the comments Fuzzy, but the intake is tight....I just put the engine together not too long ago and what baffles me is its all three on the pass side only. I will pull the plugs again after I drive her a couple times and check again. The first time I noticed it was after a 110 mile ride home from the track...that usually cleans the plugs right up compared to multiple short trips. Plugs are 2 steps colder due to 25+ psi boost at the track, so they really never get white white.

 

[wbrophy]

Look's like it could be an intake to head seal problem, maybe the intake was cocked a little to one side during installation? If you do take the intake off, check closely for oil at the bottom of the intake gasket/runner and the wet look starting at the intake end/head beginning down. You could also just take the dog house off and check for the wetness from the head down with a light and maybe a mirror too.
PS: compare the look's of the one side to the other.
Are these the SI or SE heads?

 

[turbobose13]

let us know if the intake Gasket was the problem, thank you bose.

 

[don86T]

Not to highjack your post, but I found the same problem with one plug. I noticed a slight miss while going through the traps last weekend. I haven't done a compression test yet. The plug was not as dark as Clem's but darker than the rest.

Could this be a head gasket or a ring problem?

Thanks,
Don

 

[JDEstill]

to check and see if it's an intake sealing problem, you could probably just take off the doghouse and run a clean cloth on the end of a stick (or something similar ) down into each port. See if one bank comes back oily and one doesn't.

John

 

[VadersV6]

You're not running those white teflon perfect circle style seals are you? Those things are crap no matter what anyone says.

 

[clemsgn]

You're not running those white teflon perfect circle style seals are you? Those things are crap no matter what anyone says.

I agree, but unfortunatly they're on the exhaust side only...I have the better type without the ring on the intake side. Investigation continues
Thanks, Clem

 

[wbrophy]

I agree, but unfortunatly they're on the exhaust side only...I have the better type without the ring on the intake side. Investigation continues
Thanks, Clem

I would really like to know if they are the SI or SE heads? TA bought the M&A molds I believe, so some people call the new TA heads M&A or are they the old M&A?

 

[clemsgn]

I would really like to know if they are the SI or SE heads? TA bought the M&A molds I believe, so some people call the new TA heads M&A or are they the old M&A?

These are the older M&A's and have stage III cast into them, but I've never had coolant problems :biggrin: What is the "SI or SE" your refering to ?
Clem

 

[wbrophy]

These are the older M&A's and have stage III cast into them, but I've never had coolant problems :biggrin: What is the "SI or SE" your refering to ?
Clem

TA Performance makes the "Street Intimidator" (SI) & the "Street Eliminator" (SE) aluminum heads, same casting for both but with drifferent machineing.