Wierd smoke at start up

Just built a 557 stroker with new Ford motorsport SCJ heads. Right bank smokes on start up after it sits a few days. It is oil smoke. Zero smoke at all other times but quite a bit when it does. Only startup and after a few days sitting. Everything new. Where is that oil dripping from on the piston? I am baffled. Thanks for help

Vac leak on the intake?

I think I would pull the plugs on the right bank, and see what they look like.

dfree383 wrote:Vac leak on the intake?

Intake gasket may be leaking pulling oil in cold then when the temp comes up it seals off

Valve guide seals.

It's not a chebby, just kidding. Intake bolts all tight or re-torqued?

Everything is new. Nitrile valve seals, brand new Ford motorsport Aluminum SCJ heads. Does not do it unless it sits for several days. One day does nothing. You would think that it would have dripped all it could drip over night but that is not the case. Plugs look perfect. Intake bolts tight. Like I said, it is weird.

Well just because everything is new.... Doesn't mean it's right..... You wouldn't have a smoking engine if nothing was wrong.

Their are 3 ways oil will get into the combustion process

1) valve guides / seals
2) rings
3) intake port - gaskets, pvc or vac line.

Now which one is most likely the culprit? Or which was can be eliminated for sure, not just saying "everything is new"

That is kinda odd. If it was the intake I would think it was a continuous smoking and occur no matter if it set up or not. It sure sounds like a classic case of bad valve seals on one head.

When I had it on the engine run in stand I pulled the springs on that head and replace every seal because I thought the same thing. I guess its possible the valve guide itself could be seeping and the hole that it was pressed in was not round from the factory. Rings are out obviously, zero smoke under load, no pvc or vacuum lines on it when it was tested. Typically intake gasket not sealing would pull oil at all times. Rocker stud holes are blind so no oil seepage there. Its a pretty thick cloud of smoke so more than a few drops.

This is not my first engine build so I have thoroughly checked everything going together. Like I said, heads are brand new Ford Motorsport. I know "everything new" is not a catch all but Im saying that Brand new heads and I also changed the Seals on that head myself just in case one was damaged when it was built.

Anyone ever heard of a valve guide leaking where it is pressed in?

If it was on just one cylinder it would seem like you might be able to pull that spark plug wire off and start it, and see if it does not smoke. It might take a few tries to isolate it though. It seems like it would fowl the sparkplug some, from what you describe. Maybe a borescope through all the spark plug holes after it sits up a few days, and look for signs that way.

I'd pull the intake and reseal it.

supervel45 wrote:If it was on just one cylinder it would seem like you might be able to pull that spark plug wire off and start it, and see if it does not smoke. It might take a few tries to isolate it though. It seems like it would fowl the sparkplug some, from what you describe. Maybe a borescope through all the spark plug holes after it sits up a few days, and look for signs that way.

The borescope is probably a good idea. I bet some oil can be seen collecting at the low side of the piston...and dripping from a valve.

Pulling a plug wire, it'll probably still pump the oil into the exhaust so it'll smoke anyway.

I will pull the intake and put new gaskets and look for oil entry. Any special tips on gaskets and sealant for this application. I always use no sealant around the intake ports but rtv around the water ports.
Is Victor Heinz the best gasket. I think I used the fel pro printoseal. Thanks for the tips guys!

Super CJ wrote:I will pull the intake and put new gaskets and look for oil entry. Any special tips on gaskets and sealant for this application. I always use no sealant around the intake ports but rtv around the water ports.
Is Victor Heinz the best gasket. I think I used the fel pro printoseal. Thanks for the tips guys!

Lem has some nice cosmetic intake gaskets, they seem to be pretty tough.

I have used Victor and Fel Pro and had good luck out of both Mr Gasket also but are hard to get off when you have to pull the intake.

Might trying retightening intake.I don't necessarily go by torque specs, I do make sure in the sequence and common sense torque.

Update?

maverick wrote:Update?

Im going to trim a bathtub pan for a splash shield and use victor gaskets and reseal it. Will Post results.

Intake runner 1-5 and 4-8 are flat runners. Both had oil puddles in them. I would imagine that is where the smoke was coming from. I am putting a splash shield (bathtub pan) and victor nitroseal gaskets tonight.

See previous post. Problem solved!