A strange occurance

[4x4junkie]

Finally took my Ranger out on a decent trail again (1st time in maybe 2-3 years).

Going down a somewhat steep hill (20-22° incline I'm guessing) it started smoking quite a bit like it was burning oil. Once down to the bottom of the hill (or maybe a couple minutes after) the smoke stopped. At no point did the truck start running funny (missing, shaking, loss of power, MIL coming on, etc.).
I checked the oil level, it was right at halfway up the crosshatch marks on the dipstick and looked normal.

Anyone have any ideas on what could cause this or if it's something to even worry about? (it's never done it before though, even on steeper hills). It's like oil somehow got into the combustion chambers

 

[Nhaz]

Was it blowing it out the pipe or the engine compartment?

 

[4x4junkie]

Tailpipe.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Valve seals starting to go bad perhaps

 

[Nhaz]

My guess is this:

Due to the angle the truck was on the oil in the engine was sucked Through the gas recycling(whatever its called I can't remember its name atm) valve and got back in through the intake.


Its just a guess.

 

[masterbrenden]

i agree with nhaz. sound like it got up the pcv and though the intake
kinda like ass if it where over filled

 

[BlackBII]

4.0 in the ranger? PCV valve is on the backside of the drivers valve cover, near the firewall. So, couldnt have been that....

However, there is the hose that runs from the passneger valve cover to the intake hose....it would have to be a very steep angle for that to happen...never happend on my 4.0

 

[Forceful.3]

Kinda thinking the valve seals too....
Just don't get why it would stop leaking into the cc's afterwards, maybe because it was at an angle and one's a litttle worn where at that angle some was able to get in there, a little bit far-fetched, it's a possibility though...

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, that's why I'm like WTF... (a guy on a dirt bike that followed me down the hill thought I might've had a ring crack, but obviously not if it's completely stopped Truck's only got 101K on it too, and has always been cared for)

Guess I'll check around that hose you say going from the pass cover to the intake, see if there's any recent evidence of oil running through it and the intake.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[F150hybred]

Junkie, if you do in fact have a valve seal issue, odds are that it wouldn't smoke in that situation... unless you have a restricted oil drain back plugged. Just kinda throwing this out there... call it a stab in the dark. Seriously though, valve seal issues mostly show signs during start up from what I have experienced.

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah I've never seen it smoke on startup, nor after coasting in gear on the freeway for a bit and then you floor it.

Intake, TB, and hose was dry, no evidence of oil having run through it (that hose is plumbed to the side of the oil filler neck anyway, I think the engine would have to be stood onto it's nose for any oil to travel up that lol).

One of life's great mysteries

Truck runs fine and just passed smog yesterday too, so I guess screw it... see what happens if anything at all.

Thanks again for the help guys.

 

[289-tiger-]

A little reverse engineering...

If you were at a steep angle, oil can enter the cylinders from underneath the rings. Probably nothing to worry about.

Good luck