Smoking slant 6

-
1963dartgt

1963dartgt

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2015
Messages
806
Reaction score
293
Location
Kansas
Ive got a 63 dart with original 225 roughly 75000 miles. Car runs great plugs are a dark tan after about 3000 miles and it doesnt burn a drop of oil between changes. If i sit at idle after warming up it starts to smoke out of the spark plug tubes and if i pull of the breather i get a steady puff of smoke out of the hole and its driving me crazy. If in increase engine speed a couple hundred rpm it just about goes away what could be the problem.
 
And my valves haven't been adjusted for about 8000 miles could that have something to do with it. Only started doing it in the last month or so.
 
Might be getting blow by through the valves due to needing to adjust valve lash???
 
Thats what i was thinking only recently started happening after the weather started warming up.
 
If I'm correct . they recommend at every 3000 miles/ oil change
 
Yeah i'll check it tomorrow,not the funnest thing to do but i guess its gotta be done. Thanks.
 
Adjust the valves!!!

After that ensure your PCV valve is fully functioning. Get a new one if need be.
 
Yes, adjust the valves as described at valve adjustment procedure. No, "they" (anyone) do not recommend adjusting the valves every 3,000 miles or anything like it! More like every 20,000 miles. If your valves won't hold an adjustment, there's a problem that needs to be fixed.

If you're getting smoke out the spark plug tubes, they have holes in them or their rubber O-rings are missing or broken.

The PCV valve and the whole rest of the PCV system has to be in good shape , not cracked or broken or clogged -- that includes the PCV hose and the passages in the carburetor base and intake manifold.
 
Well ive got locking valve adjusters so no dice on doing it running. The pcv clicks when shook and the breather cap got soaked in my carb dip,rinsed and dryed out. The spark plug tube seals are in its just somke seeping out of them. Should i put some silicone on them to get them to seal.
 
Someone may have forgotten......or not known that you need to remove the metal gaskets from the spark plugs on slants with the spark plug tubes. The tubes themselves act as the seal. If the gaskets are left on, they will leak combustion out of the cylinders.
 
Phily said:
Might be getting blow by through the valves due to needing to adjust valve lash???
Click to expand...
Crankcase blow-by thru the valves? Unless You've got a wasted exhaust valve stem/guide puffing exhaust up into the head, that ain't a-happenin'!!
 
Well its a white smoke like i said goes away with a slight increase in rpm. No oil or coolant loss no smoke from the tail pipe. Car has a very very slight stumble but that actually went away after i finished installing my new harness. Its seeps out of the spark plug tubes and blows out of the filler tube but at a very steady pace almost like if i hooked up a timing light to each cylinder i could tell exactly which one it is.
 
As already mentioned;Replace the pcv,Replace the tube seals.
Additionally;check the timing,set the valves, put a vacuum gauge on her, increase the idle-rpm
What wasn't mentioned, is the why. For whatever reason, your engine is not pulling enough vacuum to put the PCV pintle in a happy place. If just replacing the valve does not cure you problem, THEN move on to the other items on the list, which are all geared to increase your idle vacuum.
Try not to set the idle speed too low, there is no good reason for that.
 
I think that may be a problem my tach took a crap a while back i might just drop some money on a new one so i can fine tune the idle i could be about 100-200 rpm off.
 
And where can i fine a new pcv and breather cap for my car the ones on ebay are crazy high.
 
I did and when i asked for a pcv valve for a 63 dart he looked at me like i was batshit crazy.
 
But either way the only one anybody pulld up is either metal or plastic but none of them are threaded.
 
1963dartgt said:
Well ive got locking valve adjusters so no dice on doing it running.
Click to expand...

Okeh, I'll bite: exactly what locking adjustors do you have, and why?

The pcv clicks when shook and the breather cap got soaked in my carb dip,rinsed and dryed out.
Click to expand...

Hose, passages in carb, passage in manifold...

The spark plug tube seals are in its just somke seeping out of them.
Click to expand...

If smoke seeps out of them, then either they're old/dead/cracked/broken or they're missing. If they exist and they're in good shape, no, smoke does not seep out of them.

Should i put some silicone on them to get them to seal.
Click to expand...

No. That's not how this works. That's not how any of this works.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Someone may have forgotten......or not known that you need to remove the metal gaskets from the spark plugs on slants with the spark plug tubes
Click to expand...

In '63-'74 heads, yes, that's correct.

The tubes themselves act as the seal.
Click to expand...

The tubes act as the spark plug gasket -- you still need the plug tube seals.

If the gaskets are left on, they will leak combustion out of the cylinders.
Click to expand...

No, they won't. There are good reasons to remove the metal ring washers from plugs going into '63-'74 Slant-6 heads, but "Otherwise you'll have a combustion gas leak" is not one of them.
 
1963dartgt said:
I did and when i asked for a pcv valve for a 63 dart he looked at me like i was batshit crazy.
Click to expand...
LOL! Get used to it!! Say the word carburetor or distributor to half of 'em, same look!!
That aside, look back a few posts, slantsixdan posted links to correct PCV's.........or He may stop by again & hit You with 'em.......but....it sounds like it's working,
only not enough flow at low idle. I'm with AJ, verify the speed & put a vacuum gauge on it & see what it's pulling, & if You've got a jumpy needle.
Also, You added "white" to the smoke description, how strong & what type is the odor of said smoke?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top