Smoking GT, and a headswap. . .

[HIGDON]

Well first tings first. My buddies 98GT is having some issues. On the highway when he downshifts to accellerate hard his car smokes pretty good. It's obviously oil. My question is what is most likely the culprit. It has about 80K on it, he doesn't drive it real hard at all. He is running an open crankcase(breather filter, hose blocked from intake, PCV valve plugged) Could this be his valve seals?? It doesn't smoke at all during normal driving. We won't be able to get a compression or leakdown on it until next week(he's in the field).

Now for the whopper... I recently bent 4 valves in my DS head. I replaced the 4 shattered rockers and now I am forced to swap in a set of heads I was saving for a little later. They are some seriously ported PI heads. Now here's my problem: I leave for Iraq again in a month or so. I need to get my car running just well enough to get it to storage so I can fool with it when I get back. I don't have the room in my budget to spare even the $160 for the headswap kit and intake gaskets. I have had to spend way to much (again) getting ready for deployment. Now seeing as I just plan on it being able to run on it's own power (and even thought I know it is not recommended at all) is there any "shadetree" things I can do when I re-use the head gaskets and bolts?? I hate it more than anything but this is what I have to work with. I have the PI intake already on the car, since I don't have the PI gaskets do you think I can get away with running a generous(yet reasonable) bead of RTV gasket maker? I know this is sooo ghetto. . .I expect flames but please if anyone can let me know if it will work that would be great. I just can't wait until I get back so I can get a 99/01 Cobra and toss the right parts into the GT. Thanks for any help.

edit: oh, and can anyone help me with a way to get the dipstick out without screwing it all up? Is it just o-ringed in the block? I would like to try and take the DS head, ex manifold and dipstick out as a unit if I can....thanks

 

[HIGDON]

??

 

[lopey4.6]

Well you can do that if your willing to tear everythng apart when you get back. If I was in your situation I would get a tow truck and tow your baby to storage.

 

[CanadaStang]

The 98 GT: It's not valve seals, if it was, you would see a puff of smoke when the engine is first started after it's been sitting for awhile [after the engine is shut off, oil leaks past valves and into the cylinders]
White smoke=antifreeze
Black smoke= too much fuel
Blue smoke=oil
I'd put all the pvc stuff back to stock, and hope that works. If it doesn't, tell him to start saving money for a rebuild.
I'm thinking you should have it towed. It's cheaper to fix something right once, than to try and take a short cut and have to pull the engine apart again.

 

[HIGDON]

Well storage is 6 hours away. . . I already planned on pulling the motor when I get back anyways to do a complete freshing up with new rods and pistons. I'm retiring it to track only for the local bracket class. My budget will be pretty nice when I get back

 

[CanadaStang]

Well storage is 6 hours away. . . I already planned on pulling the motor when I get back anyways to do a complete freshing up with new rods and pistons. I'm retiring it to track only for the local bracket class. My budget will be pretty nice when I get back

Wow! 6 hours would be a long friggen haul. Yeesh, tough call.
Pretty cool by the way

 

[GT2000JAY]

Man, that's a tough spot you're in... I don't think I would be comfortable trying to re-use the head gaskets, etc. and drive the car 6 hours. So many things that could go wrong and then you're stuck. I'd be worried about leaks and unmetered air through the intake with just RTV. Sorry, man.

As far as the puffs of smoke on your buddies car, does it smoke after he first starts the car? Usually, if the valve seals are going the oil will seep past them and burn off at start-up. I would have a compression check done - it might be getting by the oil ring when he gets on it.

Best of luck to you!

Jay

 

[HIGDON]

Thanks for the replies, like I said earlier I really hate to do this, lol, but I guess I have to do what I gotta do. I'm just going to do my best. . . I was talking to my buddy and we realized that this all may have started about the same time he went to the open PCV. . .so when he gets back in we'll do the comp. test and put the stock PCV stuff back on (don't know why he has it the way he does. . )

Anyone have anything on the dipstick issue??

 

[jbritt1234]

Find a buddy with a truck and rent a u-haul car trailor.

Man, IMHO you are wasting money doing that rigging, PLUS, something could f-up during the 6 hour drive to the storage place.

 

[HIGDON]

Well it's costing me nothing to do this. . .if I had the money for a uhaul trailer then I would just get the right stuff. . . .