• Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

Strange oil consumption issue

  • Thread starter Thread starter Comporange5.0
  • Start date Start date Jul 30, 2011
  • 1
  • 2
Next
1 of 2 Next Last
C

Comporange5.0

New Member
May 2, 2009
7
1
0
Michigan
Jul 30, 2011
#1
  • Jul 30, 2011
  • #1
I just had my block bored .030 over and rebuilt with new reman GT40P heads, forged pistons, comp stage 2 cam, new ford lifters, scorpion rockers ect... Now it is 2500 miles old and it is still burning about a quart of oil every 200 miles or so. Two plugs were totally shot and covered in oil. (cylinders two and seven) Always smoke on high rpm decell or after full throttle. I pulled the heads off to check everything and I found the lower intake to be loose. I figured that was the issue. I still pulled the heads to clean them and I lapped all valves too. Everything appeared perfect (new seals, good guides, good seat contact pattern, etc...) I put it all back together very meticulously and I still have the same issue. Lots of smoke on a high rpm decell and plugs two and seven oily. I did a compression test too, all within 160-170 psi. I pulled the PCV hose out of the back of the block and plugged it, and went for a quick drive. That did not appear to help. There was what I would consider a lot of blowby coming from the breather on the valve cover (also carried some oil with it) with the PCV hose disconnected. I am really stumped on what exactly is wrong here. Could it still be rings on those two cylinders even though they did ok on a compression test? Any ideas??

Thanks!
 

BlownFiveLiter

have car, will race....wait, it doesn't run
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
3,133
18
108
Chicagoland
Jul 30, 2011
#2
  • Jul 30, 2011
  • #2
Plugging the PCV probably exacerbated the situation, if anything. The pressure would have nowhere to go after that, and would start looking for other places to escape (rear main seal, valve cover gaskets, etc.). My best guess would be that there's oil in the upper intake that's getting down into those cylinders. Does your lower intake have the baffle and screen under the PCV valve? It could very well be bad intake gaskets, too. You'll probably have to perform a leak down test, so you can find the source of the oil. Short of disassembling the short block, I'm not sure what else to recommend.
 

BlackGT89

Member
Dec 16, 2002
774
8
18
Huntsville, AL
Jul 30, 2011
#3
  • Jul 30, 2011
  • #3
If you are confident that the rings and re-bore was done correctly, and the proper break in procedure was used, there is a good chance the problem could be in your heads in the form of bad or improperly installed valve seals. On some engines I have seen the valve seals actually get dislogged and ride up the valve stem. The tip off would be a lot of smoke after extended idling, or smoke after engine braking (high intake manifold vaccuum conditions). Go down a long grade with your foot off the accelerator, and then pop the gas to it, if you get a huge puff of smoke, it could be oil getting sucked past your valve stems into the cylinder. It should clear up for the most part when you are moving along at a steady pace.
 
C

Comporange5.0

New Member
May 2, 2009
7
1
0
Michigan
Jul 31, 2011
#4
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #4
Thanks for the responses! I guess the only thing left is for me to take it back apart and inspect carefully. Maybe somehow I missed two bad valve guides, its a lot better than rings! I'll let ya know what I find
 

93stang burden

Member
Dec 2, 2008
82
0
6
Fort Bragg, NC
Jul 31, 2011
#5
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #5
i have my 331 that was coating the itakewith oil. i just went ahead and and put 3 small breathers on it and solved my issue. 1 on the pcv, 1 on each of teh valve covers about 25 buck at autozone cure it for me. i had even bought a differnet intake and put in new screens everything and it wouldn't fix it.
 
C

Comporange5.0

New Member
May 2, 2009
7
1
0
Michigan
Jul 31, 2011
#6
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #6
Well, I took the valve covers off along with the lower intake and both of the cylinders that have wet plugs have intake runners that are wet with oil. Even the injector caps on those cylinders are wet with oil. The whole intake and PCV valve are a bit oily, but that may be normal with a PCV system but I am not sure... I do have a new pcv valve, new screen, and a breather on the passenger side valve cover. The valve seals are still in place, so it looks like I may need to add breathers like 93 stang burden or there is a bigger issue with valves or rings. Still pretty stumped here

BTW, 93 stang burden, how much oil was that causing you to burn before you fixed it?
 
R

rainey27

New Member
Jul 19, 2011
11
0
0
Jul 31, 2011
#7
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #7
i had the same problem on my 342, come to find out that it was a freeze plug under the lower intake at the back beside the whole that drains the oil back to the oil pan. so it could be that is it carb or efi. because on my it wasnt in there so it sprayed oil right up on my pvc valve and it was sucking oil up into my intake and back through the motor.
 

93stang burden

Member
Dec 2, 2008
82
0
6
Fort Bragg, NC
Jul 31, 2011
#8
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #8
mine is only a weekend driver so i really have no idea how much oil it was. I had even tried a oil catch can and it was catch to much. but trust me it was too much for me. i was sick of oil. it would even run back down my to my throttle andleak out of the back down to he headers. but trust me try getting those 3 breathers and give it a shot it worked for me and was only like 25 bucks
 
C

Comporange5.0

New Member
May 2, 2009
7
1
0
Michigan
Jul 31, 2011
#9
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #9
Ok, I am now thinking it is probably the PCV system after a lot of reading considering the intake is covered in oil. I will probably either install another PCV valve or vent them all to atmosphere. It may also be a bad guide that I somehow missed when installing the valves.
 

RangerJoe

I leave the horn on while driving
15 Year Member
Apr 26, 2010
2,560
1,146
184
Georgia
Jul 31, 2011
#10
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #10
My buddy had the same exact problem as Rainey27. The machinist, who is very good and just made a mistake, missed the oil galley plug in the back of the lifter valley, just underneath the PCV Valve. He was sucking oil right in the intake. He began to pull the motor thinking it was the rings, but when he took the Hpipe out, oil poured out. Luckily the machinist knew what was wrong as soon as he called him. Easy fix, just a pain in the rear.
 

Beasty306GT

Active Member
Dec 19, 2002
671
4
28
Oxford,Mass
Jul 31, 2011
#11
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #11
run the pcv into a oil seperator
 

ID89GT

10 Year Member
May 26, 2008
1,659
18
49
Spokane Valley, WA
Jul 31, 2011
#12
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #12
Hmmm my car is doing the same thing. Fresh rebuilt 351. Put all new valve stem seals, didn't do anything. Mine mainly smokes out the passenger side, but it smokes horrible. And it also doesn't start smoking untill its fully warmed up, then it starts pouring out the tailpipe.
 

JungleJoe

I was like well chit..Im missing something
Jul 25, 2011
184
7
18
Mo.
Jul 31, 2011
#13
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #13
I would be looking into the rings also as mentioned above.....
 

ID89GT

10 Year Member
May 26, 2008
1,659
18
49
Spokane Valley, WA
Jul 31, 2011
#14
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #14
Ya thats what I was originally thinking. Pulling it apart this next weekend to rering it. But if its possible its something else then I would want to check that as well. I want this problem fixed
 

JungleJoe

I was like well chit..Im missing something
Jul 25, 2011
184
7
18
Mo.
Jul 31, 2011
#15
  • Jul 31, 2011
  • #15
I know what ya mean man. . .
 
C

Comporange5.0

New Member
May 2, 2009
7
1
0
Michigan
Aug 3, 2011
#16
  • Aug 3, 2011
  • #16
Well I actually measured the guides. On the bad cylinders they were at a clearance of .008" Supposed to be less than .003. There is my issue haha.
 

BlackGT89

Member
Dec 16, 2002
774
8
18
Huntsville, AL
Aug 4, 2011
#17
  • Aug 4, 2011
  • #17
Glad you found it, ha-ha ! That high vaccuum (especially on decel) will pull the oil right past if there is too much clearance there.
 
C

Comporange5.0

New Member
May 2, 2009
7
1
0
Michigan
Aug 10, 2011
#18
  • Aug 10, 2011
  • #18
After a few expert opinions, I tore the engine down. Apparently it is not possible to draw that much oil past the valve guides. Glad I did because i found four sets of oil rings that were not in the correct positions and four broken lower compression rings. Hopefully I will be able to re-hone, re-ring and go!
 
Reactions: breth3

JungleJoe

I was like well chit..Im missing something
Jul 25, 2011
184
7
18
Mo.
Aug 10, 2011
#19
  • Aug 10, 2011
  • #19
That sucks! well, nothing to do but get it back together...
 

ID89GT

10 Year Member
May 26, 2008
1,659
18
49
Spokane Valley, WA
Aug 11, 2011
#20
  • Aug 11, 2011
  • #20
I'm pretty sure I figured my problem out, oil was leaking at the intake at the number 3 cylinder. Turns out the intake itself had a low spot so had it milled down and also got a thicker intake gasket set. Hopefully it fixes my problem
 
  • 1
  • 2
Next
1 of 2 Next Last
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
'04 3.8L V6 mineral deposits and oil on #3 cylinder. Does it need a rebuild or something simpler?
  • joeybuddy96
  • Mar 18, 2026
  • SN95 V6 Mustang Tech
Replies
7
Views
302
SN95 V6 Mustang Tech Jul 24, 2026
gkomo
B
Engine Another no start after washing engine bay
  • bruno
  • Apr 26, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
  • 2
Replies
24
Views
737
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 7, 2026
AeroCoupe
A
1987 5.0 speed density Foxbody crank no start
  • Alan2204
  • May 23, 2026
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
10
Views
317
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech May 30, 2026
Mcmahst
H
Ongoing Battle With Hydraulic Lifters
  • hailer06
  • Jun 8, 2026
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
Replies
7
Views
315
1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk- Jun 9, 2026
Noobz347
A
Engine Genius installed oil filler above rocker arm…
  • afjLX
  • Mar 27, 2025
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Replies
5
Views
527
Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech Mar 29, 2025
nicholase
Share:
Bluesky Email Share Link
  • Mustang Forums
  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech
Menu
Log in

Register

  • Forums
  • What's new
  • Media
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Sponsor
X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?

X

Privacy & Transparency

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • Personalized ads and content
  • Content measurement and audience insights

Do you accept cookies and these technologies?