96 Explorer chg heads, losing oil

[hopalong919]

Need help. My sisters 96 Exolorer had a dead miss like my 97 ranger did 2 years age. Like my Ranger, the Explorer had a couple burned valves and my dad put two new heads on the Explor. The machine shop my dad got the head from he has done business with them for 30 years.

After my sister started driving it it started using oil pretty bad. like a couple qts over 250 miles. Dad pulled the plugs and oil is on the plugs on #1, 4, & 5. when he changed the heads he punched out both catalytic converters.

Any ideas on why it is using the oil. He can see black smoke when it gets on it pretty hard. But no smoke when just driving sensibly.

Please help. Any ideas. You guys have helped me a lots with my 97 Ranger STX 4x4. It's now up to 227,000 and counting. Thanks

 

[Big Jim M]

Need help. My sisters 96 Exolorer had a dead miss like my 97 ranger did 2 years age. Like my Ranger, the Explorer had a couple burned valves and my dad put two new heads on the Explor. The machine shop my dad got the head from he has done business with them for 30 years.

After my sister started driving it it started using oil pretty bad. like a couple qts over 250 miles. Dad pulled the plugs and oil is on the plugs on #1, 4, & 5. when he changed the heads he punched out both catalytic converters.

Any ideas on why it is using the oil. He can see black smoke when it gets on it pretty hard. But no smoke when just driving sensibly.

Please help. Any ideas. You guys have helped me a lots with my 97 Ranger STX 4x4. It's now up to 227,000 and counting. Thanks

I find it hard indeed to believe a vehicle using a quart of oil every 125 miles doesn't smoke! For my driving that is a quart every day..
The black smoke upon punching it is caused by the rich mixture demanded in every punch. Most if not all vehicles will show some black smoke upon punching them.
OIL smoke can be seen as whitish to grey smoke.
I would be asking about the heads the shop sold your dad. I'm thinking they have lots of miles and badly worn valves/valve guides.
Of course there is always a chance of installing new heads and the torque of the head bolts has changed the fit of the pistons in the cylinders. That is rare but has been seen before.
Big Jim

 

[MAKG]

Among other things, the powertrain control system is F'd because of the continuous check engine light (you didn't think cats were for decoration, did you)? And your dad committed a Federal crime, for NEGATIVE performance. Kinda dumb.... I would suggest you confiscate your dad's tools.

No, visible black smoke is NOT normal on any computer-controlled vehicle. It's rich, but not that rich. If it's really oil smoke, it's not the heads. Head oil leaks occur when the throttle is CLOSED, because that's when you have vacuum on one side of the valve guides. Oil use that occurs at full throttle points to piston rings.

 

[hopalong919]

Big Jim M & MAKG I appreciate both of your replys. First of all I agree regarding punching out the CC. Although in the state they live there is no state vehicle inspections. they even sell short pipes in place of the CC. I told him to get the pric of the CC and I'd give her the money for them. THat 96 Explr has two CC. I just thought maybe the CC were burning the oil as it pasted thru the CC. Of course in my state and my 97 ranger having OBDll wouldn't knock out my CC's.

The heads he got were rebuilt heads. Like I said my Dad has dealt with this shop for 30 years and they wouldn't jack him with anything but above the board parts. They even used his valves from his old heads with the exception of the burnt ones. Her Explorer had the torx head bolts and he replace the head bolts. He said he torqed them to spec and in sequencial (sp) order. I thought maybe they didn't use the correct valve stem seals.

But like I said I appreciate your replies and this site has helped me immensely previously. My dad is getting up in age (73) and doesn't do this size jobs anymore, but he did this because my sister didn't have the money to pay someone to do a job of this magnitude. But I'll post what he finds is wrong and send the money for the CC before someone throws him in the pokie..

Thanks again

 

[MAKG]

The '96 Explorer has OBD-II as well.

I don't think you can isolate this problem to the heads (yet). Perhaps a leakdown test is in order. That will help detect or rule out excessive blow-by, as well as verify that the valve seats and valves are faced correctly.

 

[Yellowsplash]

The '96 Explorer has OBD-II as well.

I don't think you can isolate this problem to the heads (yet). Perhaps a leakdown test is in order. That will help detect or rule out excessive blow-by, as well as verify that the valve seats and valves are faced correctly.