Smokey Engine

[bigred85]

I just started up my truck for the first time in a couple of months. After letting her run a few minutes, I noticed quite a bit of smoke coming from my exhaust manifolds. What could cause this?? Are my valve covers leaking right onto my exhaust manifolds? Is it better to use the fiber gaskets or the RTV stuff??
What color RTV should I get??

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[mxfireman]

I use the felpro rubber gasket with no RTV and have had great luck with them compared to the cork gasket.

 

[dyeager535]

What color smoke? White could be very possible, due to condensation in the exhaust burning off.

 

[bigred85]

It is more of a light grey than it is white. I can understand blowing smoke out of the tailpipe, but this is coming from under the hood.
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[mudjunkie 82]

Are you sure there wasn't something living in there????

 

[bigred85]

With my luck, I bet there was!!!

But seriously, the smoke looks like it is coming from the rear of the exhaust manifold, near where it goes into the pipe. She does not sound any different from the last time I had her fired up.

I am totally CONFUSED!!!!!

 

[mudjunkie 82]

my buddy's Blazer sat for a while. When he finally started it up he heard the damnest noise. Turns out a cat set up house in the fan shroud.......what a mess /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

 

[mxfireman]

Had that happen to mine also (not the cat) and my valve cover gasket was seeping on the back and dripping onto the header. Almost looked like it was on fire with so much smoke rolling out of there, but the leak was hard to find.

 

[bigred85]

[ QUOTE ]
Had that happen to mine also (not the cat) and my valve cover gasket was seeping on the back and dripping onto the header. Almost looked like it was on fire with so much smoke rolling out of there, but the leak was hard to find.

[/ QUOTE ]

So should I just replace the gasket and hope for the best?

Do I need to clean all of the oil off of the exhaust manifold, or just let it burn off??

PS hey fireman, where exactly is "LHC,AZ"? I visit Family in the Phoenix area every year or so.

 

[K5er4Life]

could be coming from your oil pressure sending unit too. Though kind of unlikely, mine was leaking there, dripping down my oil filter and on my header. Just let the oil burn off, wont hurt anything as long as they are not coated with oil. Change the gaskets on the valve cover to some felpro rubber jobbers, cheap and easy to do. Look around your manifold as much as possible, small block chevys are noctorious for leaking right where the top of the block and the intake meet. Good luck finding leaks, even my newer stroker tends to leak a little bit of oil here and there. I dont think a small block is running right if it aint leakin a lil oil. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

 

[justhorsinaround]

Hey then my Blazer must be runnin like a top fueler!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/screwy.gif

 

[mxfireman]

I would start by degreasing the motor, just to get all the oil & dirt off. Puchase the felpro rubber gaskets, I bought mine @ Napa. Clean the surface of the head and valve covers. Also other probabilities are the oil pressure sending unit as stated above and the back of the intake manifold also but I would start with the sending unit and the valve covers...........LHC is Lake Havasu City. About 50 min west of Kingman or 2 1/2 hours west of Phoenix.