Smoking and oil consumption

[Diesel_brad]

Hey guys I got a head scratcher here. 04 4.0 5 speed 155k miles

Over last winter I noticed clouds of smoke at start up. No CEL.
The air filter and tube was SOAKED with oil. I changed PCV, changed air filter and cleaned out tube.
No more smoke at start up.

Then this summer I was getting some smoke at startup and sometimes it would smoke a 1/2 mile down the road. It was not consistent at all but I was using enough oil it would foul the plugs and cause a misfire.

So I got a "factory reman" @ 169k (as I was told from the local ford dealer who sells alot of whole parts), it got a new intake(recommended by the engine builder), every sensor on the engine, PCV, thermostat housing, JBA headers,etc, etc, etc

First oil change was at 500 miles, no problems.
Then over the the next 3000 miles it used 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles.

I went to shop that installed and they got ahold of warranty company. @ 173k
1. had them pull plugs to verify burning oil(plugs were burning with oil deposits)
2. had them pull PVC valve and hose(both were dry)
3 had them pull pan and look for debris(small pieces of hard plastic and rubber)
4 had them pull the engine for factory inspection
5. the factory said they were warranting the engine(Never said what they found) but they had none in stock and had to rebuild mine
(Intake had oil in it when removed)
6. Got the engine back from texas in about a week(what a turn around to rebuild it and ship it to PA)
7. "new" engine in with new valve covers and PCV
8. 500 miles it got oil/filter change
9. 1200 miles into second oil change I am seeing smoke at start up AGAIN!!!! and down 1quart of oil

WTF kind of POS is this engine!?!?!?!!?!?
I had to pay OUT OF POCKET $750 to have the warrantied engine changed out because the warranty company only pays $50 per hour(shop charges $75) and only 14 hours to diagnose and change engine. When it actually took 24 hours. The ford dealer that the engine came from covered the $25 an hour difference in the hourly rate and I was left paying the 10 hour difference

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Warranty?

 

[Dirtman]

Was this a new short block or long block?

 

[Bgunner]

It sounds like a ring issue, to much pressure from the combustion chamber is passing the rings forcing oil into the intake tube. I'd do a compression test on that newly rebuilt low end and see how the cylinders are. It is not uncommon for the first 5000 miles for the engine to eat a larger amount of oil than a fully broken in engine but this sounds like the company that is rebuilding the short block is not using the over sized rings to account for the loss of material during the bore cleaning and honing process.

Take this statement with a grain of salt as it takes some diagnostic tests to determine for sure what I suspect is actually happening.

 

[Diesel_brad]

It sounds like a ring issue, to much pressure from the combustion chamber is passing the rings forcing oil into the intake tube. I'd do a compression test on that newly rebuilt low end and see how the cylinders are. It is not uncommon for the first 5000 miles for the engine to eat a larger amount of oil than a fully broken in engine but this sounds like the company that is rebuilding the short block is not using the over sized rings to account for the loss of material during the bore cleaning and honing process.

Take this statement with a grain of salt as it takes some diagnostic tests to determine for sure what I suspect is actually happening.

it was is a long block And I cant say I have ever heard on any rebuild eating a quart in 1000 miles

 

[Diesel_brad]

Was this a new short block or long block?

Long block.

 

[Diesel_brad]

Warranty?

yes. 3 year unlimited milage

 

[Bgunner]

Like I said, I would do a compression test as it sounds like the rings are bad forcing the oil into the breather tube filling the intake tube with oil.

both a short block and long block get the low end refreshed. this is why I used the short block terminology

 

[Dirtman]

Could be a horrible build, like gunner said the rings bad, gapped wrong, bad bores etc. But also could be bad valve seals or guides.

What has me is that you mentioned it eating oil and filling the intake before the swap. This is almost always a PCV problem. If the PCV valve is stuck shut it will force oil through the fresh air side and through the intake. I'd be looking very carefully at how the PCV system is setup, both the PCV side and fresh air side.

 

[Diesel_brad]

The PCV valve has been changed 6? times now.. I cant believe I got 5 bad ones after the original one was bad. Trust me, that was my first line of defense

 

[Dirtman]

I'm not saying the pcv valve is itself bad. What about the hoses to it, or the fresh air vent, or the intake tube nipple, are the hoses routed right? Pcv and fresh air vent on the wrong vacuum ports?

 

[RonD]

Well there is only 3 ways in for oil to get to the spark plug tips
Oil vapor thru PCV valve and intake, you can add a Catch Can to see
Liquid oil thru valve guide seals
Liquid oil thru rings

There is no other connection between cylinders and oil passages

If its all spark plugs then its pretty much PCV system

If its just a few spark plugs then valve guide seals or rings

4th way would be if someone dumped oil into your gas tank

 

[Diesel_brad]

The pipe/hose from the PCV to the intake is new
The fresh air intake from the intake hose to the passenger valve cover is clear and open

There is SOME residual oil in the hose/pipe from the PCV to the intake

I think Ive decided to sell the truck like it is for a SERIOUS loss and go buy a new truck