View Single Post
  #42 (permalink)  
Old 08-03-2007, 11:29 AM
ByronRACE's Avatar
ByronRACE ByronRACE is offline
CC Member
Visit my Photo Gallery

 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Gilroy, CA
Cobra Make, Engine: West Coast Cobra w/ Centrifugally Blown Big Block, Pickles, Onions, on a Sesame Seed Bun.
Posts: 493
Not Ranked     
Default Guides and seals.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ceslaw
I still cannot understand how an engine can be free of leaks, use a quart every 300 miles and not put out some blue smoke.

Chuck
I've seen it before.

Did your builder use umbrella seals on the guides or the tighter passenger car type teflon seals?

On a racey engine, a lot of builders will use this type of seal and they tend to act like little metering pumps giving the valves a shot of oil every time the valve cycles up and down. The metering of the oil is so controlled, and so even, it doesn't show up as exhaust smoke, it just gets consumed and diluted with exhaust gas during the normal running of the engine.

The problem could be as simple as a missing seal, or a split seal...causing the guide in question to get more oil then the rest.

Whatever it is, you'll need your detective cap and some patience to find it. I tend to subscribe to the guides/seals theory. I just don't see how an intake leak could draw enough oil in without making a vacuum leak bad enough that you'd either hear it or notice it due to lean misfire. I think the first thing I'd do is remove the cover, bring the bore in question up to TDC, pressurize the bore, pop the springs off, and inspect/feel the guides and stems for faults. Seems to me your trouble probably lies there.
Reply With Quote