355 new rebuild, oil smoke drivers side?

[BuffaloBillPatri]

About 4 hrs. on rebuilt 355. Roller Hyd cam

 

Seemed to break-in fine, got hot but not too bad I hope...didn't boil over. short run cycles (15 min) then would let it cool off.

 

After about an hour run time of idle up to about 4K RPM in garage,

oil pressure good etc, went driving.

 

Went up in RPMs (5K) full-on throttle, & down full-off throttle using back-pressure.

After an hour or so started going up to 6K RPM & back down, all seemed well.

 

I didn't see any smoke for about 3-1/2 hrs of run time.

 

When I assembled piston rings, I didn't orient gaps relative to center of engine, just made gaps about 120* offset from each other. I had read that they walk around the piston pretty fast anyway.

 

Could be an intake valve oil seal? OR a ring problem?

 

Any ideas on how to sort this out?

 

Thanks BBP

[Mo's70MCs]

I'd start with reading some plugs, perhaps a compression check, but definitely a leak-down test. What kind of rings did you use?

[BuffaloBillPatri]

Thanks for ideas Mo, I don't recal the ring brand.

[Mike 57]

What type of PVC and breather setup are you running? Do you have baffled valve covers?

[robs70monte]

Are you running SYNTHETIC oil?

It takes a long time for rings to seat it took my chevelle at least 500 miles to seat the moly rings,Cast rings should seat faster then moly rings

[wallaby]

I'm not an engine builder. I was taught to oil all the rings before install and have always done it that way. Then I read the advice column in the summit catalog and they said pistons, rings and cylinders should be dry when assembled to assure ring seating. Now I don't know what to believe.

Did you make sure the top & botttom oil ring scrapers didn't have the gaps aligned?

[Mo's70MCs]

Thanks for ideas Mo, I don't recal the ring brand.

 

I was thinking more type rather than brand! I see you're already certain it's the driver's side.. pick a cyl and narrow it down. As mentioned diff rings seating times are different,, and yet different types require different honing usually engine builders will use a crosshatch pattern for quick sealing.

[BuffaloBillPatri]

Can't drive it for a while. B&M oil cooler has started leaking pretty bad. I must have cracked it putting on brass hose fittings. Have to remove grill again, Drat!

 

It didn't smoke at 2-3 hours. Didn't start until some where after 1st oil change.

 

Rocker covers baffled, PCV valve is in drivers side, K&N filter is in passenger side.

 

I was getting some blowby fumes out of K&N when motor was hot so I removed 1 of the 2 layers of the foam under the PCV valve, seemed to fix. That was done at about 3 hrs.

 

Gas tank vapor line goes to a new Ford carbon canister & then into rear of intake.

 

Shell Rotella Dino oil. First batch had Rislone in it to free up some stuck roller lifters. Motor had sit for 12 years assembled before starting & valve spring pressure had stuck 5 of the lifter oiling discs in the bottom.

 

Pistons & rings were oiled on assembly. The rings were good quality & recomended for these pistons, just don't remember details & no reciepts.

 

I also added oil on top at piston / cylinder bore interface & turned motor over by hand when I put upgraded Brodix Race Rite 180 aluminum heads on. This was about 2 yrs. ago & before ever firing motor.

 

Pistons are flat top forged, about 10.25 CR. Steel shim head gasket sprayed with gold paint, put on tackey.

 

Thanks BBP