I take it this car is not your daily driver.

Nope, got a spare Camry for now. But if this work gets this car to a point where it's not smoking and running good, then out with the Camry.

i think your plan sounds ....sound. the very low cylinder should leak a lot either down or up or both. any significant leakage down is a bad sign.

if you do end up pulling the moror, then there is another whole range of optins to explore from a good used motor to a fully rebuilt exchange motor.

good luck.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Update: Finally got time after the holidays to get out there and inject some air into the cylinders to see what I'm up against. I didn't even need to hold the engine from turning to feel the wind coming out the intake. The rockers are off, so the valves should be fully seated, right? Perhaps I didn't leave the air going long enough to get it going out the exhaust, but didn't feel or hear any there. I would have thought that the exhaust valves would have burned first, but whatever.

Good job.

With the rockers removed, all valves are fully closed........unless one of them is burned.

BTW, it's very common to burn an intake valve before an exhaust valve. The intake valve starts with a lash of .004".........it doesn't take much neglect by an owner for this to fall to zero. Once it goes below zero, the valve won't close and it quickly burns.

The exhaust valve starts with .014"........and has a much longer way to go before it's stuck open.

It's time to remove the head and send it to Metric. You won't be disappointed.

I may be shooting myself in the foot here, but could you guys look at this posting on ebay and let me know what you'd pay for this. I'm trying to get a FSM, either CD or book and I'm not having any luck. Someone posted that they bought CD FSM from MBUSA but I can't find a link to that. Any input on that would help me too. Thanks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=011&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBI%3AIT&viewitem=&item=320068599359&rd=1,1

The printed manuals are getting rare, and are not cheap. You need a full set (engine, chassis+body, electrical, and climate control). That auction is for the engine manual only. I bet it could end up selling for $50-$100. The CD manual is available from your local dealership for about $100, but some of the PDF scans can be poor, depending on the chassis & manual. I have both the printed manuals and the CD, as well as the WIS.

You can also get a 'bootleg' copy from various sources, including eBay. Drop me a line if you want more info, or if you want a copy of the EPC (dealer parts catalog).

Thanks, Brian. I never thought I'd be relieved to have burned valves, but that's a whole lot better than rings! That's interesting about the intake valves. Off with her head! But don't go too far away. I'm going to need you guys to help me with the head R&R.

Here's a couple of prelim head R&R questions: first, what range torque wrench am I going to need. Some don't go below 25 lb.s. And what manual should I get? Should I get the CD's that someone mentioned you can order from MBUSA? Or is Haynes OK?

You need the 617 overhaul manual. The CD should do it. Haynes is worthless for this job.

I only used the torque wrench for the head bolts. 40 ft.-lb. is the first step, IIRC.

So, can burned intake valves cause a lot of blue tailpipe smoke?

The fact that the seat is burned won't cause the smoke. But, the guides may have excessive clearance or the seals are shot. All cause more oil consumption than desired. It's more noticeable when the vehicle is not moving.

I burned an exhaust valve once, due to an overpressure situation on a gasser. I drove the car for a few hundred miles and then removed the head. The guide for that valve was completely shot. Several hundred inch/1000 of play. Being blown around due to the imperfect seal (to say the least) apparently put pressure on the stem.

put a quart of Lucas in it every oil change and drive it 3 more years until it dies

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commercial fisherman diesel in my blood in my boats trucks and Dear old Dad has had me drivin them since i got my first license in 1968
1986 300 SDL 427654
1999 Chevy Crew Cab Dually 225423
1986 300 SDL 287000 Dad's
1987 190 Turbo 158000 Mom's (my inheritance)

No, he would need "valve job in a can" for this one.

best fix for a lil blue smoke is not lookin out the back window this is idle blue smoke that clears under a load Do you wanna start rebuilding every truck at the truck stop look at thier exhaust!!!!!!!!!!!
And a lil lucas will seal up a lil leak and prolly extend oil additions another few hundred milers

__________________
commercial fisherman diesel in my blood in my boats trucks and Dear old Dad has had me drivin them since i got my first license in 1968
1986 300 SDL 427654
1999 Chevy Crew Cab Dually 225423
1986 300 SDL 287000 Dad's
1987 190 Turbo 158000 Mom's (my inheritance)