65 352 Big Block

[dgmgohl]

I have a 65 Custom with a 352 big block. The motor is using oil at an alarming rate after the engine gets warmed up. The valve seals were just replaced. And a small intake manifold leak was repaired. The thing is, the motor runs perfect. No blue smoke. The car has only 42K actual miles on it. My mechanic really doesn't want to tear it down cause it runs so nice. I drove it around 40 miles today, and it was down at least 2 quarts. Any suggestions?

[Dobie Gillis]

Fluorescent dye in the crankcase and a black light inspection to find the leak.

[miker98038]

A quart in 20 miles has to be visible somewhere. Either in the exhaust or under the car. If it’s a leak into the water jackets it will be readily apparently in the radiator, and probably water in the oil, also.

Dye works, but that much should be easier to find.

[paul2748]

Miker is right. Run the car in the garage with cardboard underneath and watch it. It has to be pouring out with the kind of consumption you describe. I assume the level in the radiator is okay???

[KULTULZ]

What style CCV does it have, road draft or PCV?

It may be the oil rings. The compression rings may be good but the oil rings may be frozen.

Any compression or leak down test?

Plug readings?

[rotorwrench]

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I love FE engines but have had weird problems with the 352 version. I don't know why but I don't like them and they don't like me. I've never had a lick of problems with the 390.

If the oil isn't on the ground underneath and the oil sump & radiator contents are still normal then it's going out the tail pipe. A 65 should have a PCV valve set up. The early FEs had a draft tube but not the later ones.

[58Yeoman]

A little off topic, but I once had a '72 Monte Carlo with a 454 in it. It used 13 quarts of oil to go from IL to MD and back. My cousin, the Chevy tech, said to install Perfect Circle oil stem seals, and it did the trick. IIRC, Ford uses umbrella seals, but would this work?

[5851a]

Have you tried changing the pcv? Doesn't sound like it would work but sometimes it can. But only 20 miles on a quart should be fouling some spark plugs.

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by rotorwrench

A 65 should have a PCV valve set up. The early FEs had a draft tube but not the later ones.

Depending on where the vehicle was sold and FED/STATE EMISSION REGULATIONS dictated how the ventilation system was assembled by model year.

And the engine may be from another application and/or a mix and match.

You have to know what it is before you can diagnose it -

[dgmgohl]

Something to consider. Last night I tried a product called engine wash. Pour the quart in, let the motor run for 5 minutes, drain and new filter. Anxious to see if this will loosen up any movable parts. Thanks for the reply.

[dgmgohl]

There is no oil on the ground. No blue smoke. I will check the PCV. It idles like a kitten, that's the hard part to figure out. Last night I tried a product called engine wash. Pour the quart in, let the motor run for 5 minutes, drain and new filter. Anxious to see if this will loosen up any movable parts. Thanks for the reply.

[KULTULZ]

Have you pulled a plug(s)?

Does it have a PCV SYSTEM or road-draft? The last time the PCV SYSTEM was serviced?

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by 58Yeoman

A little off topic,

Not really. If the seals were bad, it would smoke @ startup.

...but I once had a '72 Monte Carlo with a 454 in it.

Boy, you did have it bad. Did intervention and therapy work for you ...

It used 13 quarts of oil to go from IL to MD and back.

My cousin, the Chevy tech, said to install Perfect Circle oil stem seals, and it did the trick. IIRC, Ford uses umbrella seals, but would this work?

It would surely work if the present seals are bad. Those umbrella seals don't last all that long and you will find pieces throughout the engine.

1965 FE?

[rotorwrench]

On bad valve stem seals or worn stem to guide clearances, I've noticed that they with huff a bit of smoke when a person lets of the throttle to shift. When the manifold pressure drops off, the low pressure will draw that little bit of oil from the guides. The lowest manifold pressure is generally at idle rpm. A person may not see much evidence of oil burn other than that. If the rings are badly worn or there is a broken ring or two, oil smoke will become a lot more evident.

[cadillac512]

A good way to see if a worn engine is smoking as it's going down the road (but is difficult to see from the driver seat). Warm the engine up thoroughly. Put in Park or neutral. Speed the engine up to approx 3000 rpm and hold it there for at least 10-15 seconds. If it's smoking going down the road it'll likely show up then, and you'll be able to see it in the mirror.



Terry