84 smoking after repair

[ladymagic]

Hi, just acquired 84 4wd 230k...
can't figure out why it's smoking and plugs are black.
-WEBER carburetor, many loose/unplugged connectors
-after purchase, poor running, idle prob
-very bad oil leak front
-covered in oil ENTIRE ENGINE, COMPARTMENT

brought to friend
engine power washed TWICE
checked plugs- clean
changed fuel filter and air filter
diagnosis: oil seal front?
REPAIR- FRONT OIL SEAL (cam)
timing checked
found tiny coolant leak at intake
picked car up: running a little better but SMOKING VERY BAD
FILLED GAS TANK, STILL SMOKING
checked rad/overflow, topped
pulled plugs- BLACKENED PLUGS
PLUGS REPLACED new upgraded
IMMEDIATELY BLACKENED PLUGS, STILL SMOKING

totally confused Anyone???

[marlinh]

What colour is the smoke? Blue, black or white?

Black plugs usually indicates running rich.

[ladymagic]

white w/vapor
already ckd this not head gasket, not the rings etc
I am aware it is running rich
BUT what would cause this change AFTER the wash and repair????

[Petros]

sounds like you are burning oil, it will soot up the plugs and cause bluish white smoke. could be valve stem seals, fairly easy to replace. Or worn rings. I have found an oil additive called "Restore" worked remarkably well, but make sure you add it when you will be diving at hwy speeds for several hours (it tends to settle out of the oil). Another inexpensive thing to try is a "seafoam" treatment, it is a solvent you add to the oil and it removes sludge and depoistis from the engine, you have to change the oil shorting after using it.

There are also seal softeners/repair additives to try in the oil, it will soften and swell the seals to help it seal. I would not use this on new seals, but it sometimes allows you to put off costly repairs that require you to pull the engine.

[ladymagic]

Thanks so much for the reply!!!
How easy is a valve stem job?
Q: Is there a source (article w/pic or video for doing the valve seals)? The leak down did not indicate rings. I am not driving the car, not regist or insured. (It is too embarrassing to drive) I have priced the parts for this repair and can afford that much but haven't worked on this engine (have done valves on a 22r many years ago). I am disabled and can only work for 2 hours at a time-then need to rest. Thank you again...

[Petros]

tools you will need:

10 and 12MM socket or open end wrench to remove the air clearer and valve cover and rocker arm shaft,
valve spring compressor free rental from autozone, or purchase from amazon, etc (get the type that looks like a small gear puller)
a magnet on the end of a probe is useful to retrieve the keepers
long nose plyers to install/remove keepers, and to remove old valve stem seals
small pry bar or big screw driver to pry off old valve stem seals, and rocker arm shaft if stuck in place
feeler gauge to reset valve stem clearnace when done
gasket seal to reaseal valve cover
8 valve stem seals (sugget at least 2 spars in case you damage some installing them)

vle to change the valve stem seals take all the spark plugs out, remove the valve cover and rocker arm shaft. I would stuff soft cord or rope down the spark plug hole and bring that piston to TDC, this to hold the valves in place (you do not what them falling down into the cylinder when you have the retainers off). Than you borrow the valve spring compressor from AutoZone and compress each spring in turn, remove keepers and retainer, and than expose the seal. pull it off with either a special tool, or pry them off, lubricate the new one with motor oil and carefully install them either with a tool or a deep socket. than put back the spring, keepers and retainer. do one cylinder at a time, putting the soft cord and moving each piston to TDC in turn.

Use heavy grease to hold the keepers in place while you are installing the retainers.

after you do the first one, the rest will go faster and be easier. I suggest you also get several spare valve stem seals so if you damage one you will have extras to complete the job (they are easy to damage when you install them, extras are cheap).

if you are short on time you can see if one cylinder is worse than the others by inspecting the spark plugs, and just do that one first. Usually best to replace all of them, they are inexpensive and if one or two are bad, likely the others will fail soon too. they get hard and brittle like a candy life saver and will just crack and crumble away.

You can get a complete set of valve stem seals right now from Rockauto.com for only about a dollar (plus shipping).

good luck.

[ladymagic]

Thanks very much for your advice!