Got the word on the burning oil

The valve seals that were installed where wrong.

When I bought the heads, they came with a set of seals and thus I assumed they were correct and gave them to Terry to install.

I got no explanation WHY these seals where installed by him if they were wrong but they were definately incorrect. When he disassmbled the heads, the seals where freely moving up and down the valve stem.

I had to pay for new seals and a head gasket. He is 100% sure that was the burning oil problem. I have no idea if he should have realized this error when assembeling the heads but what are you gonna do?

I will solicit a second opinion on the bottom end and his explanation but at this time I'm hoping the bottom end is fine.

PS: Cory, I got the mashed up pilot bushing remove as well.

So next I have to strip the engine bay for painting and I also have to decide on my long term paint ambitions to finalize how the engine bay will be done.

sorry to hear that Shaun but I'd look into your bottom end first, sure valve seals could have caused this but he should have picked up on it so its his problem.

Defective valve seals would only cause oil burning during the first 10 seconds each time the engine is fired up. Was the engine totally rebuilt as in new rings?

Originally posted by TyphoonZR
Defective valve seals would only cause oil burning during the first 10 seconds each time the engine is fired up. Was the engine totally rebuilt as in new rings?

yep, valve seals will only be an issue at startup unless there was literally no seal there at all....

your oil burning could be a combination of many things - best to get EVERYTHING checked out this time, including the bottom end. Please leave no stone unturned!

I have spoken to Rashpaul about him inspecting and disassembeling the bottom end already.

Yes it was a fresh motor at the time but burnt oil from the very beginning. It burnt oil very badly during all conditions.

Originally posted by Draco
yep, valve seals will only be an issue at startup unless there was literally no seal there at all....

your oil burning could be a combination of many things - best to get EVERYTHING checked out this time, including the bottom end. Please leave no stone unturned!

exactly, unless you had no seals at all I doubt that was the issue, u had a oil burning problem at all times even since day 1.

Originally posted by 97TA-WS6-Con
[B

When I bought the heads, they came with a set of seals and thus I assumed they were correct
[/B] I would go back to where you bought the heads and raise a big stink. :mad: I would demand they pay for the repair or at least half of it. Where did you buy the heads from? :confused: There's always small claims court but this is no small claim in my eyes. If you bought privately good luck but you'd think any shop would do something to correct THEIR error in supplying the wrong valve seals.

Ok, so if it was a new motor, then you are left with one of four possibilities.
1) If the heads were used, then the valve guides are worn out and no one noticed during assembly. This would allow oil to pass by on the intake valves only seeing as they are the only valve that have vacuum. Change the guides.
2) A cracked ring on a piston which probably happened during the building stages.
3) A broken piston due to detonation due to a mis-tuned engine.
4) The builder never got the cylinders torque plate honed. All sbc engines have to have this process done to it because the bolt holes stretch outward as you torque on the heads and cause the cylinders to become out of round.

Just so peeps know.

This was a freashing of the motor after I had washed out the rings from the first rebuild. The cylinders were honed with new rings and bearing. I also bought some new AFR heads from a board member who remains a friend. He bought them from someone and never installed them himself and sold them to me in good faith.

I had the heads ported by Terry. Terry also bought and installed valves. When I bought the heads they came with valves and the valve seals - although not installed. However, the valves where not acceptable and where thrown away and a good quality valve purchased. They also had new valve guides. Basically, it was a new motor.

From the day the car was turned over after the rebuild last winter it burnt oil. All 8 holes had the same problem as evidanced by the spark plugs. It would be most noticeable at idle, light throttle and when punching the gas from a rolling start although it did not seem AS noticeable to me in mid throttle acceleration.

It certainly seems strange to me that Terry would not notice the incorrect valve seals I gave him but I do not know enough to judge if it was his mistake. However, he only asked me to pay for the seals and head gaskets this time around.

However, there is some greater questions that date back to the original build up that are too complex to share here, but I will have the short block disassembled and make sure all tolerances and measurements are correct. A lot of people will know what I'm talikng about but I should in fairness point out that the motor did NOT burn oil after the first build up.

Candidly speaking, these incorrect valve seals WOULD explain a lot of the symptoms but nonetheless, the short block will be rebuilt.

yeah well valve seals would burn lots of oil but like I said, in this situation I would always check the bottom end out aswell.