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Smoke coming out of valve cover breather #1084358
09/28/11 04:23 PM
09/28/11 04:23 PM
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Metro Detroit
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1970RT Offline OP
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1970RT  Offline OP
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Metro Detroit
Can someone tell me what would cause a lot of smoke to be coming out of the valve cover oil breather cap on my 440? My car had been sitting for a couple of months without being run and during this time I took the intake and valve covers off to clean and paint them. After reinstalling the parts, when I started it it now has blue smoke puffing out of the breather cap through the hose and into the air cleaner. It seems to run O.K. but the smoke is really noticeable and doesn't seem to be diminishing. Would this be due to a stuck valve or is it likely something else is causing it?

Re: Smoke coming out of valve cover breather [Re: 1970RT] #1084359
09/28/11 04:30 PM
09/28/11 04:30 PM
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St. Clair Shores, Michigan
bigsbigelow Offline
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I would have to wager that the smoke is condensation boiling out of the oil. Have you changed the oil? If not, you should. A lot of water can collect in the crank case when the engine sits dormant for a long period of time. Do you use a PCV valve?

Last edited by bigsbigelow; 09/28/11 04:33 PM.

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Re: Smoke coming out of valve cover breather [Re: 1970RT] #1084360
09/28/11 04:39 PM
09/28/11 04:39 PM
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Lincoln Nebraska
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RapidRobert Offline
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valley pan not sealing and drawing oil into the head intake port(s). I'd pull it & clean the head/intake port faces & I'd probably go ahead & get a new valley pan & if you used a new one when you painted everything I'd possibly reuse it & carefully clean the port opening area(s) on that one & my preference is to coat each of the 8 port openings in the pan on both sides with a LIGHT/EVEN coat of Permatex #1 in the toothpaste like tube (thick/viscous/seals well) with an iron intake and Permatex #2 if an aluminum intake


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Re: Smoke coming out of valve cover breather [Re: 1970RT] #1084361
09/28/11 05:24 PM
09/28/11 05:24 PM
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California, USA!!!
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WheelsUp73 Offline
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What you describe is called blow by. Blow by is caused by Bad PCV system or piston rings and or piston ring lands being broken.I would first check the Pcv system for vacuum ,if that is ok then I would dump some cleaner down the carb when hot, let it sit for 1 hour then go drive the piss out of it.
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Re: Smoke coming out of valve cover breather [Re: RapidRobert] #1084362
09/28/11 05:33 PM
09/28/11 05:33 PM
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U.S.S.A.
JohnRR Offline
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Quote:

valley pan not sealing and drawing oil into the head intake port(s).




If this were the case the smoke would be coming out the tailpipe not the valve cover breather ....

Re: Smoke coming out of valve cover breather [Re: JohnRR] #1084363
09/28/11 05:37 PM
09/28/11 05:37 PM
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Lincoln Nebraska
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RapidRobert Offline
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Quote:

If this were the case the smoke would be coming out the tailpipe not the valve cover breather ....


You're right


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Re: Smoke coming out of valve cover breather [Re: RapidRobert] #1084364
09/28/11 10:08 PM
09/28/11 10:08 PM
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dogdays Offline
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Blowby comes out the breather, especially if the PCV valve is stuck. Dip it in carb cleaner.
It can be caused by broken or bad rings, but can also be cased by stuck rings. I once got a great deal on a Toyota pickup that burned oil badly, took it apart and found the rings were glued into the pistons by gunk that had built up in the engine. A new ring set and engine gasket set and I was golden. I'd suggest what was said earlier, carb cleaner in the spark plug holes for a while, then drive it hard for a half hour or so. Hope this helps.
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