hatchsub Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Hey everyone! Ive been super busy with school and my other car so i havent gotten too much of a chance to get on here recently. Then this problem surfaced so i figured i should pick everyones brain. My roommate joe was driving behind me when we were coming back from breakfast the other day. There was a very long uphill stretch of road with a passing zone. The car in front of me was driving SLOOOOOOWW so i dropped it down to 3rd, floored it and blew by them. Joe (roommate) followed right behind in his Merkur. When we got back he told me that i had puffed blue right when i pulled back in front of the slow car...so basically when i shifted back to fourth and gave it gas in fourth. So....basically what are the possible problems here? Im figuring either a. rings b. valve stem seals c. all the above Anything else thats cheaper and less of a pain? I just replaced my PCV too but there was a good amount of oil in my lines. Also might want to add for people that done know, im running a weber carb with straight pipe exhaust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry DeMoss Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I would say valve stem seals before the rings. They may be a little dried up but the rings may be a little gummed up too. You might want to try a little motor flush though it like seafoam and then see if that helps. Don't know but it is worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4x4_Welder Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 EA81s gum rings horribly, and also they only have valve seals on the intakes, not the exhausts. Either one can cause this sort of problem. The actual cause could vary depending on when it actually made the puff of smoke. If it was at the top of third, it's most likely the rings. If it was during the spin-down between third and fourth, then valve seals or rings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLoyale Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Yes those factors make the diffrence, if the valve stems are dry, I would use MMo before a flush or SF, cause MMO will help condition the rubbers and the like.. Flushes and SF will strip any gunk but won't treat the rubbers. -Tom ps: Still a very nice car, and Merkers are awesome! XTR4i and Scorpio! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 I wouldnt sweat one lil puff on an old car being floored. Maybe you should have some one work the throttle while you watch the tail pipe. Are you using any oil? Check your plugs too, see how they look. I'de need more proof then said "puff" befor I'de start worring about rings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 I wouldnt sweat one lil puff on an old car being floored. Maybe you should have some one work the throttle while you watch the tail pipe. Are you using any oil? Check your plugs too, see how they look. I'de need more proof then said "puff" befor I'de start worring about rings. It uses a bit of oil but not a big amount by any means. Sometimes i forget to top it off between changes and its never down very much even in those instances. All plugs looked good with a nice even brown color to them. One had a bit of oil around the base of the plug but still brownish colored. I just gave it a full tune-up including plugs, wires, rotor, and cap. Advance is set around 10 degrees now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 EA81s gum rings horribly, and also they only have valve seals on the intakes, not the exhausts. Either one can cause this sort of problem. The actual cause could vary depending on when it actually made the puff of smoke. If it was at the top of third, it's most likely the rings. If it was during the spin-down between third and fourth, then valve seals or rings. Im pretty sure it was when the motor was coming down for the switch to fourth. But again it might have been at the top of third that it did it. Not entirely sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twitch de la Brat Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 If it was at the top of 3rd I would have to agree with the rings being the issue. If it was on the wind down, I would lean slightly towards a bad pcv before I would go for the rings or the the valve seals. Did you use OEM or fram or something like that? I have seen pcv's bad from the box before... Twitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 OEM PCV just replaced about two months ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOOBOUTLAW Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Here's a thought... topping off your oil too high might cause oil to leak past the rings at high rpms at an angle (uphill). A friend topped his oil off too high, drove in a tight circle while gunning it, and he blew out so much thick smoke he thought he blew the motor, but instead sloshed excessive oil into the #2/4 cylinders. It was spectacular though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Valve stem seals. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Valve stem seals. GD Thats what i was hoping for. I might have also wanted to mention...cars got 87k original miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLoyale Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Thats what i was hoping for. I might have also wanted to mention...cars got 87k original miles. Only 87k! but it is an 83' so seals do get old.. Yea my thought is valve stem seals, like I said before, try some MMO in the oil. It WILL recondition the stem seals and others, worked on a Mazda MX6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hatchsub Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 I might just do that to get it by for awhile but thats a bandaid fix so i will get in there and redo the valve seals at somepoint when i get some time (who knows when that will be). Im also thinking of doing a cam in it. I might do it all at once. Gotta talk to delta cams this summer and find out what their turnaround time is with cam regrinding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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