This is my first engine build.

It started strong and I let it run for about 20 minutes before putting 50 miles on it. It smoked blue the entire time from the exhaust and downdraft tube, started dripping oil down the center driver side header, and the oil has a lot of moisture in it. This pic shows a lot of oil soaked into the header gaskets. Is this normal? The pass. side looks similar without dripping like cyl 6-7. I know it can take a while for the rings to seat. Maybe I used a long head bolt in the middle and punctured the gasket. I also question valve lash, except it runs strong. 

Any ideas are much appreciated before I tear down again.

- Josh




~ JE

'56 F-250 with 292

oil leaking from valve covers maybe
stuey

First question, do the square comers of the head gaskets both show forward and inboard on the motor. That would normally cause a heating problem, not blow by.

Study is right, check the valve cover gaskets, could be too tight and slipped, or too loose.

If you used OEM rings, seating will take a while, but your blow by seems excessive if the gaskets are ok. How do the plugs look?

When you say a lot of moisture, are there bubbles in the radiator, or have you lost coolant?



miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Yes, square corners are front and center. Valve cover gaskets were dry on the outside edge when I pulled them. There was white film inside the valve covers and on the dip stick, with dew drops on the dip stick. I will check plugs when I get home. 

~ JE

'56 F-250 with 292

Before you tear it down do as many test on the running engine as you can. Compression, vacuum, leakdown. Check the engine oil for water and or unburned gasoline. With engine running and radiator cap OFF, check the coolant for bubbles. Pete

what kind of rings did you use was the cylinders rebored.did you check the rings for gap

Be sure to pull the dipstick and check the oil in the pan.  If it’s milky, you have water in the oil which means searching out where it’s coming from. 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)