Post Valve Adjustment Question

I just completed a valve adjustment on my '78 300D. I'm sitting at about 234K and 'til now haven't had a problem with burning oil. Now, When I start the car, I get a noticable smell of burning oil and cloud of white-ish smoke. It doesn't seem to be using more oil than before, but then I've only put about 350 miles on it since the valve adjustment.

Could i have inadvertantly done something to cause this burning of oil.

Thanks,

[can-do]

Greetings Panzer,

On my first valve adjustment I didn't have a replacement valve cover seal, but the old one seemed alright. By alright I mean it didn't seem brittle, so I reused it. After about 500 miles of driving I was getting the same smell, and investigated the cover again. The rear portion of the seal was seeping oil down the back of the block and burning off, hence the smell. I ordered a new seal, they're cheap anyway and torqued it properly, no leak and am much happier now. I'd say the seals are probably good for a few valve adjustments but I don't know when it had been replaced before.
The white smoke you speak of, is it really white or blue? Burning oil mixed with the exhaust soot should be a blue to off blue in color. If you truly have a bright white exhaust coming out, I'd check to see where my coolant level is at. Possibly a coolant leak into a cylinder. Is the engine exhaust constantly blowing white or just on start up? Also, has there been a performance increase or decrease since you did the adjustment? I'd also recheck to insure everything has been hooked back up and proper after the adjustment. You didn't replace the valve seals when you did the adjustment did you?


Charles

Thanks Charles,

I did replace the valve cover seal and torqued it to 10 ft-lbs. I didn't replace the valve seals. I used to get a lot of oil seapage from the valve cover like you had befor e the adjustment. That seeks to have gone away with the new seal. The burned oil smell is not coming from seapage onto the hot exhaust. I used to get that when I would come to a stop but this is there when i start the car first thing in the morning and the engine and exhaust is cold. I'll have to pay better attention to the color of the exhaust tonight. I don't think it is coolent, that level is pretty constant.

I was thinking I might of done something to the valve guide/seals during adjustment. I guess i'll just have to do it all over again this weekend to see if I have something out of adjustment or have something connected wrong.

Thanks for the help. I'll let you know what I find.

Rich