kainZ

The top of my valve covers look like a milkshake

But, the oil I pull from my dipstick looks like 100% perfect, new mobil 1 10w30...

I know milkshake indicates coolant in the oil... but why would I have it in the valve covers and not in the crankcase?!

Also, we I am getting smoke out the tailpipes.. I thought it looked white, other people said blue.. so I was doing valve stem seals, thinking it was oil leaking into the cyls... But the seal I pulled off looked good, so I'm thinking the others probably are too..

I did have external coolant leaks (like under the throttle body -- the gasket around the area where the coolant runs through was bad... I just did a throttle body bypass the other day to fix that). I don't see how an external coolant leak could effect the inside of the valve covers tho..

Background: The car has been driven about 10 miles total since we got it running again (which was about 8 months after doing new heads and then having it sit). There has been a long saga, starting with valve lash and bent pushrods, up until now (a shady mechanic put the heads on the car, and then left me with it, not running, as he didn't want to finish the job, so I've been trying to get it back into running shape).

I really hope this isn't head gaskets..

1SlowFormula

look on the bright side there could have bee condensation that got into the VC and caused the milkshake... But drain the oil to be sure... And check out your coolant...

kainZ

Would the coolant have oil mixed into it?

How would condensation get into the valve covers? Just from the air that was in there to begin with?


Should I replace all my valve seals anyway? Or just put this one back on and close the valve covers up? (This one really does look fine)..

Geoff Chadwick

I wouldnt say its likely, but possible. Again, many things could happen. In an engine that you dont know exactly how things went, there could be oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil.

If there are mixed opinions on whether the smoke is blue or white, usually that means its white (atleast from my experience). But if the valve seals look fine (and were properly installed, which we arent sure about) there'd be one problem down... but that'll be something to look for. Also did you ever run the compression and leak down test? That should shed more light onto the situation.

Injuneer

Its entirely NORMAL to have water vapor in the crankcase, lifter valley and valve covers. When you burn gasoline, you get two primary products of combustion - carbon dioxide and water. Combustion gasses bypass the rings (blowby) and you get water vapor in the crankcase.

The water vapor needs to be removed, and that is the function of the PCV system. It pulls clean air from the throttle body, through the tube to the passenger side valve cover, through the crankcase and lifter valley, and out through the PCV valve. From there, vacuum pulls it into a port on the side of the intake manifold (93/94) or in the front of the intake under the TB (95-97).

If you have the milkshake in the valve covers, it could be:

-you are using the car for short trips and the engine isn't getting hot enough. The water vapor is condensing on the coldest part, which would be the valve covers.

-the PCV system is plugged and not removing the vapor.

-the rings have excessive blowby, overloading the PCV system.

Any of these sound like a condition you may be seeing?

kainZ

I just noticed yesterday that the vacuum line on my EGR isn't hooked up, and so I assume that I have a nice vacuum leak fromthat point, and or from wherever the other side of the line should be connecting to.. if the system were starved for vacuum, do you think that the PCV might not work correctly?

I have only been taking the car for short trips lately (driven maybe 10 miles total, in almost as many trips since I got it running again, though it has been overheating [but, I think I've got that straightened out now], so I think it's been getting warm enough...

I haven't examined the possibility that the PCV system is somehow clogged up yet... How would I look for this? Just take the lines off and try to blow through them?

The piston rings would also seem to explain the smoke problem (right?), but I don't see how that could have happened, as the bottom end was stout before the head swap, and hasn't really been abused since (except cranking it a few times before it first fired up).

Though, if the rings were bad, it would seem to leave me with the smoke + condensation in the valve covers, but still good looking oil in the crankcase phenomenon.. I REALLY hope its not that.. I don't want to send my engine out for the entire summer

But what else could be causing my smoke? A head gasket would leave some evidence in the crankcase, wouldn't it?

slimdawson

What kind of thermostat do you have? Do you live where there is moderate to high humidity? They contribute to the condensation. When I dropped 20 degrees with my Hypertech thermo, I started seeing the milky oil but it was mainly in the filler tube and on the bottom of the cap. When I replace it in the winter, it goes away.

Not all head gaskets that are blown smoke. I have blown several. Some smoked and leaked into the case, where others smoked and kept the oil clean. Depends on where it is.

You should do a compression check. And also a pressure check on the cooling system They should help alot.

EKO

To check the PCV, pull out the valve and see if it rattles when you shake it. If so, its good. Check the plumbing for visible blockages.

kainZ

I had a 180 degree tstat. I just bought another 180 degree, along with a new 18psi radiator cap the other day and installed them, but I haven't cranked it since doing so. Also, I had a coolant leak in the throttle body, which I also fixed that same day by doing a TB bypass.

I just went outside and shot some pictures of the valve covers and of the valve stem seal that I wasn't sure about (if I got it all the way down, if it was still good).

I also shot some pictures of the missing egr (i think) vacuum line, and of the missing egr (insert correct word here.. I think its like a diode for fluids -- only permits flow in one direction.. uni-directional-valve?)...

Anyway, I'm going to download the images now and post them in my next post.

kainZ

The pictures are here, seperated by valvetrain and egr.

http://www.rpi.edu/~roghab/camaro/

They're kind of big.. (sorry dialup users )

I hope these help diagnose the problem to some degree..

Z28Horn

Your EGR valve is located at the rear of the intake manifold. I dont know exactly what your first picture you took was. Your pcv valve should rattle like someone said previously.

Zach Horn

Injuneer

His picture shows the AIR system piping. Someone pulled the air supply line off the air intake ducting, and put a small filter on it. Then there is a nipple with no hose on it. Appears it may be a 96-97 engine (why not add a "signature" with the year of your car and other vital info that helps people answer your tech questions ). What year is the car? If its a 96/97 you need to find where that hose was originally connected, on the intake manifold. That end will produce a vacuum leak if its not capped.

Do you know if the AIR system is still operational? Is the pump still there? Does it run for a couple minutes at startup?

kainZ

I have a 1995 block, with 1997 heads and intake manifold on it, and a lingenfelter throttle body..

I'll have to make a sig soon.. sorry

I still have the AIR canister underneath, and I think the pump too, so I assume that it's opertational... I'm not sure if it runs when the car first starts or not..

Also, are you saying that the line with the two little blue things (filters?) on it is the AIR line, which is supposed to be going to that little white nipple thing?

kainZ

Wait.. nvm. Looking back at those pics, I realize the line I was visualizing (vacuum line) isn't pictured in any of those pics..

By filter do you mean the big breather looking filter?

Do you know where the nipple is supposed to connect to?

kainZ

I looked at the AIR system pictures on shoebox's site a bit and found a couple of interesting things..

http://shbox.com/1/air_check_valve.jpg

The nipple doesn't need to be hooked up to anything, as it is a vent (phew!)



Also, I appear to be missing my drivers side AIR Diverter valve.. (If it's the big black oval looking thing pictured in all four quadrants of this picture).. I still have one on the drivers side....

http://shbox.com/1/diverters.jpg