3.0 engine analyze

Talonz82 · 08-05-2002, 06:27 AM

Bad luck has fallon upon me again, while driving a few days ago, (1980 sc 3.0) car was purring like a kitten, all gauges reading fine, all of a sudden I notice my oil pressure dropping, it went from 4 to 2 (when it hit 2 I shut down) as I was coasting to a stop I looked in the rear view mirror and saw a cloud of white smoke, I jumped out and looked underneath, a small oil fire erupted on the right heat exchanger, I quickly used my fire exstinguisher. I had it towed home.

The next day I cleaned the underside, I could not find any blown oil lines, I refilled with oil and the car started right up, no ticks, no clunks no bangs, excellent oil pressure, it burped about a cup of foamy oil from somewhere above the tranny bell housing, (there was no oil in the engine compartment) right down the right side of the tranny and onto the heat exchanger, just that one burp then no more.

The bad news is thick white smoke from the exhaust, and I mean real mosquito killing stuff.

a compression check revealed this:
(condition of plug)
#1 165 wet with oil
#2 180 soaked in oil
#3 200 soaked in oil
#4 170 dry
#5 180 dry
#6 180 dry

ok, which gasket did I blow? or what would cause oil in all the cylinders on the left bank? What is located between the top of the tranny and engine that would cough oil out? There is no oil in the engine compartment, it is outside the tin and engine compartment gasket.

Thanks Peter

Groesbeck Hurricane · 08-05-2002, 08:41 AM

Peter,

Follow the steps and drain your oil. Raise the rear end and provide proper supports. You will need to crawl under and remove the lower Valve Cover for you 1,2,3 bank of cylinders. Check that all your studs are intact. Please do a search on this BBS for broken head studs. There are some very good suggestions about checking vs not checking torques. A broken or loosened stud will allow the oil to leak past the cylinder head and fall onto the heat exchangers. This is not definately the answer, but with an '80 SC it is a great place to begin. I know from experience. Best of luck,

Talonz82 · 08-05-2002, 05:07 PM

I pondered this all day, I just could not figure out why there was oil in all three cylinders....

I rushed home, ran into the garage, ripped off the air cleaner and voila!!! how the heck did all this oil get in my air cleaner?

Now to figure out, what backed up, what blew, there can only be a certain way oil could migrate to the air cleaner.

sorry I left this out before....

Peter

Bobboloo · Bobboloo's Garage

Sounds like you over filled it with oil.

The oil gets in the intake from the breather hose.

Bobby

Talonz82 · 08-05-2002, 05:26 PM

Bobby, I think you may be right, I've been searching the archives, and they seem to suggest the same.

I read where I should drain the oil and start with only 8-10 quarts until it gets warm, I have the gauge without marks so I wonder if I just haven't let it get hot enough.

I still need to find out where the oil that puked out from somewhere on top, between the tranny and engine and ran down the passenger side bell housing onto the heat exchanger.

Peter

(going to remove rear engine mount bolts in a.m. and get a better look behind the cis)

koollay · koollay's Garage

Ahhhhh before you drain the oil, we could use you down here in Louisiana. We are battling a huge Mosqito problem...............We have a encephalitis outbreak. People are asked to use any means possible to rid those pesky insects from the state. Just a thought.
koo

Talonz82 · 08-06-2002, 05:07 PM

I think I am going to do the burn out at night (L), I found about a cup of oil in the air cleaner,,,, going to clean the runners, air box, etc, put the cleaned plugs back in and let her go.

This needs to be in a book about things you never want to do, I read books to find out how to check the oil, I should have read the archives, off to clean up my mess, thanks for the feed back.

Peter