Am I operating on a misunderstanding?

[ORCoaster]

Today I got the time to finally attempt to start the Pickup that has been out of commission since March.

I got to the point where it was running but pouring gray smoke out the tailpipe something fierce.

I was topping off the coolant tank when it started to run up the RPMs and so I hit the stop fuel lever on the IP.  It slowed then finally stopped.

I went to turn the key off and I noticed oil pouring out the tailpipe!   OH CRAP!!

I put a hydraulic head on that I got from Oblique here but it was missing the valves and the lifters.  So I thought I could use the ones out of my old solid lifter head.  Was that a WRONG IDEA? 

The only other source of oil would be from a blown seal on the turbo as far as I can understand.

Help me put this back on the road, I really want it back.  The Ford Ranger is nice but I was trying to get away from it and sell it to some friends that want it. 

So two questions, Do I need to buy hydraulic lifters and valves and new valve seals?

Should my next step be pulling the turbo and see if it sprays oil out of the exhaust manifold?

Bummed Big Time.

Further thoughts.  I may have a buggered-up oil seal on the head gasket.  So, I think next weekend I will pull the exhaust manifold off and see if all or only #3 and 4 cylinders have oil in them.  That might mean the head seal is Fubar.

[fatmobile]

I'm not sure if mechanical lifters will work on a hydro block,
 that doesn't mean they won't.

 I'm not sure how they would make oil come out the exhaust.

 Sounds more like a turbo oil seal.
 So I would pull the turbo, then I would have to pull the exhaust manifold to see if there was any on that side of the turbo.

 I doubt the turbo drain is plugged.
 Might be the turbo exhaust seal.
I know this has been a nightmare for you.

[oblique]

Dale, sorry to hear youre having troubles. I have tons of used hydro valves and lifters from heads ive stripped, they are yours for cost of shipping if you like. If you're interested i also have NOS 8mm valve guides.

[ORCoaster]

See your PM Oblique

[ORCoaster]

So today, a few hours to tear into the leaking engine.  What will I find?

Decided the turbo should come off and that would tell me if there was a bad seal there or be able to look down into the exhaust ports for evidence of oil from inside the engine.

I was in the process of removing the oil drain tube off the turbo when I got an armload of oil when I pulled the lower fitting loose.  What the heck?  All that should have been in the oil pan by now.  It had all week to drain there, why is it full to the top?

Well, when I took off the turbo in March I had oil dripping out the oil pan fitting as I have it slightly elevated on blocks in the level parking area.  What I didn't remember, sorry it was nearly 6 months ago, is that I put a small cap at the end of the fitting on the oil pan to stop it from dripping oil everywhere.  I did not pull that cap out when I put it all back together so when I fired it up all that oil going to the turbo had no place to drain to.  That blew the oil seal in the turbo and sent 1.5 qts into the exhaust system. 

That should be a fun thing to try and burn out of there.  Maybe a late-night drive on a deserted road somewhere and smoke the whole place up as I drive on. 

I did notice some oil in the #3 cylinder so I will clean that out and then turn the engine over some with the starter but not have the fuel solenoid open.  That might let me know if the gasket on the head for the oil port is bad or maybe the backpressure on the oil system pushed some in there but won't do that now that the plug in the drain hose is gone. 

More fun tomorrow.  Might even fire it up without the turbo or exhaust manifold on and see what happens. 

Wish me luck, break a leg eh?

[RustyCaddy]

Hang in there, sounds like you are getting close.  We have all probably done something like forgetting a plug being it open or closed

[ORCoaster]

Thanks for the encouragement.  I know most of the problem with this fix is the long timeframe between working on it.  I have been hung up because of rain initially, then parts, then time, then parts, then time... 

I have a volunteer weed of some sort growing behind the truck now it has been so long since I have been able to move it.  I normally run over them when they are small and that kills them.  Almost ashamed about it. 

But hey I have finished remodeling a bathroom for a client and the money I earned more than paid for the parts for the fix I am thinking.  Now that I have all that behind me I can focus on something else.  Like the engine fix. 

[ORCoaster]

So last weekend I was able to get the truck started and I took it out for a spin.  Hoo boy the oil burn off!!!  I decided I would bring it home and drill a small hole in the muffler and see IF that might do it quicker than getting my EGTs up to 800 or so. 

This weekend I did that and some other minor adjustments on the IP and it does run well at 40 mph but it is like on cruise control.  Taking my foot off the go pedal does not slow it down.  Some part of the system is hanging up, maybe the cable itself.  I say that because taking the cable off the IP seems to allow the speed to come down although not very quickly,  so maybe an internal spring adjustment on the inside of the throttle arm. 

Sounds very smooth.  I have the internals now for the head to become a true hydro head so I will work on that in the future.  Right now it is running and that is the important thing. 

Thanks to all who supported this work.  I now will start getting the paint secured where it is rusted so those spots, the few that there are painted, from getting worse over the winter. 

[fatmobile]

Good to hear.

[ORCoaster]

Ran it to work today and it runs well but....

The accelerator cable sticks some so I have to get under the pedal with my toe as I come up to a stop sign or the revs get crazy high.  Sounds real smooth and going up the long hill home I got to 800 on the EGT gauge and the guy behind me was the unfortunate recipient of a cloud of oil smoke.  That may happen until I get it all out of the muffler. 

I once was pulled over by the state boys in blue for a "visible plume"  So I know they can write a ticket for that.  But they don't write them for rolling coal,  hmmm, double standard there.

[fatmobile]

 I think my Golf finally got all the oil burnt out of the exhaust after a turbo leaked into the exhaust.
 It's been about 1000 miles or so of driving.

[ORCoaster]

I came up the same hill tonight and saw the 800 mark match the EGR needle and was looking out the sideview mirror waiting for the smoke to roll out but it never did.  At the light at the bottom of the hill, I let the police officer merge in front of me so I wouldn't smoke him out. 

So maybe it is all gone?  I will try a longer run at 55 this weekend and see how that goes.  First I fix the accelerator cable.