86 2.3L smokes on take off after idle

[Wick86]

I have a bad oil burning problem with my ranger as I idle at a red light or stop sign and as I take off, I notice an oil cloud behind me. It is worse the longer I idle. What could be the problem and the solution to this? The truck is a 5 speed if it helps.

 

[XLTsplash]

Sounds like you need to replace your valve stem seals. Just remove the valve cover, cam followers and spark plugs. Working on one cylinder at a time. Put a cylinder on TDC then put the trans in gear to keep the crank from turning. Put compressed air into the cylinder using a fitting screwed into the spark plug hole. The compressed air will hold the valves closed so that you can compress and remove the valve springs to replace the seals. Buying or renting a over head cam valve spring compressor tool would make the job easier. Many auto parts stores will let you rent tools at little or no cost.

 

[RonD]

Yes, +1 ^^^

Check PCV Valve and replace it if dirty, that can help reduce the amount of oil being pulled past the valve guide seals.

It is your intake valve seals that are leaking, but all 8 seals should be replaced.
4 cylinders, 2 valves per cylinder = 8 valves so 8 seals

What is happening is that when you are idling the intake manifold has a high vacuum.
The intake valve is in the cylinder, but its stem runs thru the intake port and then up into the Valve Cover area.
The valve stem in the valve cover area has a seal around it to prevent oil in the valve cover area from running down the stem into the intake port.
Over time these seals get brittle and crack.
So some oil leaks down and burns with the fuel.
When idling the higher vacuum pressure sucks even more oil down, when you take off the extra air flow pulls all that extra oil into the cylinder and it is burned off in a few seconds so you get that cloud of smoke.
But you are always burning oil when the seals go bad.

The PCV valve reduces pressure in the valve cover area, so if working properly it can reduce the pressure difference which would slow down the oil flow, not stop it, just slow it a bit.


You can also use a small diameter rope coiled into a cylinder then raise the piston in that cylinder and the rope will hold the valves in place while you remove the springs and install new seals.
But if you have an air compressor and spark plug fitting that is faster.

 

[Wick86]

does the cam have to come out in order to replace the stem seals?

 

[scotts90ranger]

Nope, the process isn't too bad to do

 

[tomw]

Actually, to remove the cam requires the followers to be removed first. You can use levers and large screwdrivers to compress the lifter, or compress the valve spring to gain clearance to remove the followers. Keep them in order, and replace from whence they came.
Once a follower is removed, you can compress the valve spring, remove the 'keepers', and gain access to the valve stem to replace the seal. Once replaced, install the spring & keepers, and the follower. If you do this while the head is on the engine, use some rope down the spark plug opening and put the crank such that the piston will push on the rope and hold the valve from falling for each cylinder in turn.
tom

 

[Mark_88]

Only use good quality screw drivers for even The slightest amount of prying...or avoid them all together if possible...when they break (not if, but when) your knuckles can meet metal for a bloody
good time...

 

[WarHawk-AVG]

My 1997 2.3L w/ 150K~ miles on it smokes like a busted stove for about a minute or so after startup, it's cold down here (40-50~ is COLD for Houston!) so I though it might be steam, but not in a huge cloud like what I have been seeing. I also need to check if my radiator fluid isn't leaking out...it seems like I have to put about a quart or 2 in the radiator daily or it looks low in the radiator. I wonder if I am getting leaking of radiator fluid into the exhaust, when it cools it pools up, and when I fire up the truck it boils it out

I believe I need to change my valve seals as well, would one of those lever type spring compressors work, or do I need a different type of spring compressor to compress the springs then use a small magnet to pull the keepers out?

I plan on buying an inexpensive pressure tester to pressure test the cylinders anyway so I know when I put air in the cylinders (w/ the air line adapter) the valves won't fall down into the heads.

I have rough idle too and keep getting a code saying cylinder #2 is misfiring so not sure if I have bad compression or bad fuel pressure or even a bad injector (if it is bleeding the fuel down in the cylinder at shutoff will it smoke really bad on startup too?)

 

[tomw]

If you have to add coolant often, you have a leak somewhere. If the exhaust plume is not blue, it is not likely oil being burned. If you lose compression in two adjacent cylinders, look for a blown head gasket.
If you get enough coolant in the cylinder, you may get hydraulic lock, where the engine cannot turn over any more. Pull the plugs and inspect for 'clean' plugs being steam/coolant cleaned as the engine runs.
The lever type will work. !WEAR GLOVES!!!! there are many sharp edges on the cam and the cam journal supports that will cut you badly. Been there. Clean dry hands a must as if something slips because of lubed digits, you may be taking a trip to get sutured back together.
Coolant will kill a catalytic converter, in case you wanted to know.
tom

 

[Wick86]

Ok, here is what I have failed to mention is that It burns a quart of oil every 3 days. I found that cylinder #1 and #2 the spark plugs have a lot of ash deposits from oil, but not #3 or #4 they look fine and clean

 

[scotts90ranger]

The valve stem seals are either COMPLETELY gone or there is a head or head gasket issue... or block, or piston...

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Have you done a compression test? How many miles are on that motor. If the compression is good within 10% between the high and low numbers you may get away with a rebuilt head. It is allways a gamble putting a good head on a old lower end.

 

[WarHawk-AVG]

No pressure test, cleaning out the PCV helped ALOT!! Barely smokes at all, also warmed up Here too so that might be it too