Engine fix in a can

[Tim Smith]

So I've been getting a lot of blow by out of the 2.25 lately and on a recent trip the problem became overwhelming. Was pulling a Sankey on the highway and if I pushed the truck either up a hill or up to about 60-65 smoke started filling the cabin at an alarming rate.

For quite some time I've had this problem it seems because the oil filler is just soaked with oil dripping down out of the vents. Been cleaned a few times but it just gets covered again in sort time.

What I'm wondering is if that stuff you see (usually in a silvery tin) which claims to be some sort of rebuild in a can could be of any use. You add it to the crank case and let it do it's thing until the next time you change the oil...

I'm avoiding any major work on the truck as the timing isn't right. I also don't have a pressure gauge handy so checking the compression or a leak down test would be a bit of a hassle.

I should note that on a compression check I did a few months ago, #1 cylinder was sadly low. Something like 40 or 60 psi but the truck had been sitting for some weeks so the cylinders were probably completely dry at the time of the test. The rest of the cylinders varied but were below 100 psi if memory serves.

Maybe there isn't much that a tin will do for me here but I'm wondering if anyone else has tried that stuff. Wish I could remember the name of it...

Kind of hoping for something that can score up the cylinders and clean up the rings without actually taking it apart to do it.

Oh yeah. It's a SII block with a breather on the valve cover as well as the filler pipe. Oil only comes out the filler pipe though so it's got to be excess pressure in the crank case. Right?

[yorker]

was that last compression test with a screw in tester?

FWIW that Restore stuff never did anything for me, but if you want to try it go for it-

[Jeff Aronson]

Tim,

I don't know if you ever saw the articles I wrote about 10 years ago when I confronted the same issues as you with my II-A. Around that time I was getting about 80-100 miles per quart of oil. None leaked and the car really didn't smoke visibly, but I sure had a lot of blow by.

Part of your problem is the #1 cylinder. If it has very low compression then the engine has to work very hard on 3 cylilnders to make anything happen. So you'll force higher rpm all the time, and thus, increased oil pressure, and thus, your mess.

Have you pulled a plug on the #1 cylinder while the car is running? Does it make any difference in rpm or sound? If not, then you're just running on 3 cylinders. The more likely problem is a burned valve, which means a rebuilt head or new one and head gasket. But just for the heck of it, have you tried another spark plug wire on the offending cylinder? Are you certain that you're getting a good spark to that cylinder?

Any service station has a compression tester. You can get them at an auto parts store for $35. The time involved is minimal - removing spark plugs one by one and screwing in the compression tester instead.

The rebuild stuff in a can is really meant to help clean up gunked rings, so they'll seat better, and maybe fill in a bit of cylinder scoring. if they seat better then you'll reduce oil blowby and burning. It can't raise very low compression in a cylinder. I know this because I tried afew products in a can before I finally broke down and admitted my II-A needed significant engine work. For a short time you'll seem to get better oil pressure and a reduction in oil loss, but in the end, it, too, will slip past the rings and you'll be no further ahead.

A couple of years ago, I used this stuff on a 1966 Corvair that I bought. The car smoked terribly but it was from sitting and gumming up. Once the motor cleaning product ran through the car for about 400 miles, I changed the oil. The gunk was evident and the car runs much quieter and uses less oil - but it still uses oil on llong highway trips. In other words I still have blowby but not at the same level as before.

My suggestion would be to save your money for the compression test and avoid towing a trailer at 65 mph. Slow down - you're pushing the car too hard for its condition.

Good luck and keep us informed of your findings.

Jeff

[Tim Smith]

Thanks guys.

For what it's worth, the compression tester was a screw in type. It was a friends and he said it was something like $100+ so that's why I've held off. I didn't want to get a cheapo one and just get bad readings all the time.

Jeff,
Thanks for your thoughts. I never saw that article as I'm sure I'd remember it.

I'm pretty sure it's running on all 4. Don't think I'd ever see 65 if I wasn't. But your thoughts are probably dead on. I'm just avoiding the inevitable and trying to hold of taking things apart at the moment.

My plan is to fix up the 2.5 this truck originally had and tossing that one back in there. Then get around to doing a complete rebuild on the 2.25 down the road. I've no idea how many miles are on the 2.25 block but I know the head was upgraded to the 8:1 about 50,000 miles ago. That is a rough guess though as it's been used in more than one truck since then...

In the end, I'm just being cheap I suppose.

[Jeff Aronson]

For what it's worth, the compression tester was a screw in type. It was a friends and he said it was something like $100+ so that's why I've held off. I didn't want to get a cheapo one and just get bad readings all the time.

>I'm not certain you'll get readings that are that off. Remember, you're just looking for discrepancies between cylinders, not necessarily a dead-on reading.

I'm pretty sure it's running on all 4. Don't think I'd ever see 65 if I wasn't.
>The 2.25 engine will fool you. It will run quite effectively under the worst conditions internally. Try the spark plug wire test and see what happens.

But your thoughts are probably dead on. I'm just avoiding the inevitable and trying to hold of taking things apart at the moment.

>Sure. BTW, what is your oil consumption. How many miles per quart are you getting?

My plan is to fix up the 2.5 this truck originally had and tossing that one back in there. Then get around to doing a complete rebuild on the 2.25 down the road. I've no idea how many miles are on the 2.25 block but I know the head was upgraded to the 8:1 about 50,000 miles ago. That is a rough guess though as it's been used in more than one truck since then...

In the end, I'm just being cheap I suppose.[/quote]

>No, you're being frugal - and smart - and there's nothing wrong with that. These are times that call for frugality. As a thought I'd consider rebuilding the 2.25 first and the 2.5 later. The 2.25, properly rebuilt, will surprise you with its guts and pep. Most of us have not driven a "new" 2.25 so we don't know what it can do. I did buy an RN rebuilt 2.25 once and it made a HUGE difference in the running of my II-A.

Good luck with your tests and keep up informed.

Jeff

[Terrys]

Pre PCV engines used a 'breather' type cap on the oil fill tube, but later engines, equipped with a PCV system use a cap which seals the oil fill tube top. Do you have the correct cap, and is your PCV valve working?

[Tim Smith]

Pre PCV engines used a 'breather' type cap on the oil fill tube, but later engines, equipped with a PCV system use a cap which seals the oil fill tube top. Do you have the correct cap, and is your PCV valve working?

Series II engine, so I don't have any PCV equipment. I figured that the worst of the oil smoke comming from the filler was an automatic clue to crank case pressure being higher than it should be. I could be off on that too. Wouldn't be the first time.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone.