I have a 97 Geo Tracker 2 door 4WD 1.6 16 valve with AC and Automatic.
I bought it with the cam tied up in the head, looks like the PO ran it low on oil. I removed the engine because I wanted to be certain everything below was good before putting a new $500.00 head on top. I disassembled it and thoroughly cleaned it. One of the rods was a bit dark so I had it touched up. I bought a kit that came with new pistons, rings, bearings, oil pump and water pump. I replaced the top and bottom timing gears because the sudden stop when it tied up elongated the alignment holes. I replaced everything else that was replaceable and reinstalled it. It started right up within just a few revolutions and has been running great ever since.
Before I tell you the problem, to maybe save some time, I worked at an automotive machine shop for over 10 years. I've reconditioned hundreds, if not thousands of heads. But, I bought this new head already assembled, and now, looking back on it, I wish I had looked it over a little better. The cylinders had absolutely no ridge at all and the pistons looked almost like new, but since I had new ones I put those in.
Now, when I start it cold, it blows out MASSIVE amounts of whitish oil stinking smoke. I do not believe it is antifreeze because it doesn't have that sweet scent and it does smell like oil. It will continue to smoke a bit until you drive it a bit and then it's clean. Originally I thought it was valve seals. I called the place that did the head and talked to a guy that seemed really knowledgeable. I questioned him on the valve seals and he said that for as much oil that is slung around in the all there time, it should smoke all the time. Makes sense to me.
Then, I remembered it has a vacuum modulator in the trans and it looked original. White smoke, oil smell, 1/2 Qt. low on fluid, hmmm trans fluid burning!! Took off the vacuum line, no oil. Removed the modulator and no oil came out from the hose end. Replaced it anyway and it still smokes as bad as ever.
Now, when you remove the oil cap while it's running it SEEMS to have a significant amount of blow by. BUT, How do you know what is normal and what isn't? I guess it's possible the rings haven't seated yet, but wouldn't that make it smoke all the time?
Did I miss something in the cleaning? Is there something in the valve cover or intake manifold that could be causing this? I unhooked all the hoses, including the main air intake from the motor and there are no signs of oil anywhere?
I'm not sure how to post videos or I could video it in the morning and post it. It's a crazy amount!! But it runs fine otherwise! No misses or stumbles.
I better take a breath now.....
I bought it with the cam tied up in the head, looks like the PO ran it low on oil. I removed the engine because I wanted to be certain everything below was good before putting a new $500.00 head on top. I disassembled it and thoroughly cleaned it. One of the rods was a bit dark so I had it touched up. I bought a kit that came with new pistons, rings, bearings, oil pump and water pump. I replaced the top and bottom timing gears because the sudden stop when it tied up elongated the alignment holes. I replaced everything else that was replaceable and reinstalled it. It started right up within just a few revolutions and has been running great ever since.
Before I tell you the problem, to maybe save some time, I worked at an automotive machine shop for over 10 years. I've reconditioned hundreds, if not thousands of heads. But, I bought this new head already assembled, and now, looking back on it, I wish I had looked it over a little better. The cylinders had absolutely no ridge at all and the pistons looked almost like new, but since I had new ones I put those in.
Now, when I start it cold, it blows out MASSIVE amounts of whitish oil stinking smoke. I do not believe it is antifreeze because it doesn't have that sweet scent and it does smell like oil. It will continue to smoke a bit until you drive it a bit and then it's clean. Originally I thought it was valve seals. I called the place that did the head and talked to a guy that seemed really knowledgeable. I questioned him on the valve seals and he said that for as much oil that is slung around in the all there time, it should smoke all the time. Makes sense to me.
Then, I remembered it has a vacuum modulator in the trans and it looked original. White smoke, oil smell, 1/2 Qt. low on fluid, hmmm trans fluid burning!! Took off the vacuum line, no oil. Removed the modulator and no oil came out from the hose end. Replaced it anyway and it still smokes as bad as ever.
Now, when you remove the oil cap while it's running it SEEMS to have a significant amount of blow by. BUT, How do you know what is normal and what isn't? I guess it's possible the rings haven't seated yet, but wouldn't that make it smoke all the time?
Did I miss something in the cleaning? Is there something in the valve cover or intake manifold that could be causing this? I unhooked all the hoses, including the main air intake from the motor and there are no signs of oil anywhere?
I'm not sure how to post videos or I could video it in the morning and post it. It's a crazy amount!! But it runs fine otherwise! No misses or stumbles.
I better take a breath now.....
