White smoke? Need help.

[Paul Boucher]

Best wishes, and prayers for your Dad. I agree with all the others. Just condensation. When I was young I didn't have guidance for working on my car. I had a choice. Figure it out, or walk. So I learned. You can learn to work on this car. Just keep asking questions. A lot of smart people on this site.

Thanks Furyus! Yeah, I am determined to learn and will be asking a lot of question for sure! You can't learn if your not willing to try!

 

[miller]

Good words from Furyus! And appears you have a good attitude about it all, Paul...good stuff. That's what it takes.
68...same age I am (groan). Best wishes from here, too. Have to guess your dad is doing the best he can.

 

[Bruzilla]

Here's a simple way to troubleshoot any emission from your tailpipe. Smoke is comprised of particles and gases. When it comes out it is hotter than the outside air and will rise and float away. Steam is comprised of water vapor, which immediately dissipates into the outside air as it matches its temperature and unless it's really cold and humid outside, this will happen within seconds. Steam is a natural byproduct of an internal combustion engine and is always present.

Looking at your video, the emission is disappointing almost immediately upon hitting the air. If that were smoke, it would have been filling the area around the back of the car until it drifted away, so that is definitely just steam from the engine heat burning away condensation that's collected in the exhaust.

 

[69a100]

Looking at your video, the emission is disappointing almost immediately upon hitting the air.

I think you meant to say dissipating?

 

[Paul Boucher]

So, still having engine issues unfortunately.

I think the condensation might have been masking another issue. It was 60 yesterday and sunny so I decided to go for a longer drive to check everything out again as the idle seems to have gotten rougher. It shakes more than before. It still smoked on start up but only for about a minute so the duration is down and it was only a little bit of whitish smoke. I was guessing left over moisture from the day before.

I drove it for about 45 minutes and definitely feels sluggish. Feels like it's running about 80%. At around 50-60mph felt some vibrating in the pedals and steering wheel with a little shimmy in the hood/front end. When I pulled into the gas station to fill up I noticed a ticking sound reverberating off the wall. Listened to it on the way home and you couldn't really hear it when I let off the gas. Only on idle, at speed, or accelerating.

It was still ticking in the drive way when I got home. I reved it in the drive way a few times and it sounds like the ticking increases with the rpms. No smoke during or after the drive, or when reving the engine. I popped the hood couldn't really hear it over the radiator fan. I went to the side and got on the ground and you can hear it under the car. I would say it's about 3-4 times louder from there. I hit me that last time I drove it, about 2 weeks ago I thought I heard a slight ticking noise, but not being familiar with older cars said it must just be the quirks.

So I pulled it in the garage and let it cool off. I checked the oil and coolant after and no sludge or mixing there, and no levels dropped either. So at least that's good.

I checked the oil and coolant this morning before work for any sludge or contaminants and all was still good there. Clear as can be.

I read up some more today on possible causes and came home to test a few things. It was 80 today. So I figure no condensation for sure. I checked and tightened the exhaust manifold bolts and fired it up. There didn't appear to be any smoke until I got low and could see it pass by my black car that was parked behind the R/T. I would say that now it has a bluish tinge to it, was thin, not very noticeable, but was some smoke. Only lasted maybe 45-60 seconds.

I used a screwdriver to try to find out where the ticking is coming from, but don't really know what I am listening for. I would say that it sounded the same in all the areas where ever I placed the screwdriver on the valve covers. I didn't really hear anything that sounded different in any location.

I reved the motor while standing over it and could hear the tick increase in speed as I reved it, but still wasn't loud on the top side.

Next I got on the ground on both sides of the car. I couldn't really hear it from the passenger side, but definitely could from under the drivers side.

I am not sure what my next steps need to be. Pull plugs and check them? Check around the exhaust further? Pull the valve covers to check the lifters? I did do some heavy accelerating last few times I had it out and got it up to about 100, so I am hoping it is not a spun bearing, but am thinking man I only got on her a few times. Every video I watched with a spun bearing the noise is ungodly loud though and I wouldn't say mine is.

Is there anything I can do here or do I need to take it to the shop? Or have it towed?

Any input is greatly appreciated!

Audio from tonight 1:


Audio from tonight 2:

 

[khryslerkid]

By your description and second video, sounds like a lifter. Rocker having too much play.

Does it have the factory style valve train? (Hydraulic lifters and stamped rockers)

You could pull the valve cover on that side and check for a loose rocker.

 

[Paul Boucher]

By your description and second video, sounds like a lifter. Rocker having too much play.

Does it have the factory style valve train? (Hydraulic lifters and stamped rockers)

You could pull the valve cover on that side and check for a loose rocker.

It does. I know the previous owner put a cam and new lifters in it, but I don't think replaced the rockers. Would I hear that from above the engine?

 

[khryslerkid]

It does. I know the previous owner put a cam and new lifters in it, but I don't think replaced the rockers. Would I hear that from above the engine?

You can hear a noisy rocker from almost anywhere, even from inside the car. When you walk from one side to the other, you'll normally hear the difference of what side it's coming from, unless all of the rockers are rattling.

You're hearing it from the drivers side. Pull that cover.

Listing to one of your earliest videos, the cam doesn't sound that big to be useing adjustable rockers. Probably the stock stamped rockers are being used. Pull your cover, (pack rags along the top of the exhaust manifold or header to catch some oil) and just go down through the rockers trying to find one with excessive play, more than the rest of them. If they all seem to be snug, try rotating the engine clockwise, watching each pair of rockers until they are both closed. Then check each pair for excessive play.

 

[miller]

Also consider the push rods...might have one bent.
Sometimes you can actually see one bent, but doesn't take much, and will only keep bending. Unfortunately, best way to check them, push rods have to be out. Roll them across a pane of glass...if bent...it will 'click'.

 

[Paul Boucher]

Thanks guys. I think my next plan is to pull the valve cover, maybe tonight, and check the rockers. I will stop and pick up a push rod removal tool and check those this weekend. Is there anything else I need to check?

 

[miller]

Don't need a push rod removal tool, won't work on those anyway. Just need to unbolt the rocker arm shafts. (If you do...need to pay attention to how they come out, needs to go back on the same way.)
A service manual comes in handy!

 

[Paul Boucher]

Don't need a push rod removal tool, won't work on those anyway. Just need to unbolt the rocker arm shafts. (If you do...need to pay attention to how they come out, needs to go back on the same way.)
A service manual comes in handy!

Thanks for the tip and keeping me from wasting $20! I will take photos before I pull anything apart for reference on reassembly.

Also, thanks for the input on the service manual. I have the 67 manual as a PDF. I will look through that for help on assembly of the rockers and push rods.

 

[idrivemopar]

Just thought I would share for reference a picture of what condensation really looks like when its cold outside.

 

[Paul Boucher]

Spark plugs from drivers side

 

[1967coronet440]

Spark plugs from drivers side

View attachment 406839 View attachment 406840 View attachment 406841 View attachment 406842

Kind of hard for me to tell looking at the pics on my phone but they look ok

 

[Paul Boucher]

 

[1967coronet440]

Seems like a lot of play in those rockers, what size motor is that Paul

 

[Paul Boucher]

I uploaded with my phone. Back on the computer now so I can give more details. I took pics of the plugs in order from how I pulled them front of the car to the back. Cylinder 2 and 6 look good, but 4 is wet on the top of and down one side of the plug and 8 looks like it might be fusing together. Any input?

 

[Paul Boucher]

Seems like a lot of play in those rockers, what size motor is that Paul

Its a 66 383. Funny because when I pulled the valves it was not the type of rockers I have seen in all the pictures I looked at for reference. Ha! Go figure. I thought there was some slop in them. I plan to pull the passenger plugs and valve cover tomorrow too see what they look like as well.

Is their any way to adjust these rockers? Replace the spacers maybe? Or will they have to be replaced?

 

[khryslerkid]

Is their any way to adjust these rockers? Or will they have to be replaced?

There's no way to adjust the stamped rockers. If there is too much play you'll need a longer pushrod or adjustable pushrods. But let's back up a minute.

We need to look at the top of the lifters to see where the piston or cup is located first. We'll take one of the rockers with a lot of play first.

The lifter needs to be on the back side of the cam. (lowest point, valve in the closed position)

Now if there is a lot of play in this rocker, look down in there at the top of the lifter and see how much gap is under the wire that holds the piston from coming out, to the top of the piston. Might have to use a bright led flashlight.

Here's a pic of a hydraulic lifter showing the wire clip that holds the piston or cup, from coming out of the lifter itself.

If the wire is touching the piston, like in the picture, and you have a lot of play in the rocker/pushrod, then either the pushrod is too short or the cam might be wiping. (wearing off prematurely) Rockers can wear also, at the valve stem and in the pushrod pocket. Also it could be a bent pushrod causing the excessive play.

If the piston in the lifter is below the wire, with excessive play in the rocker/pushrod, then the lifter has lost its prime. Either it has leaked down or has dirt in it, keeping it from "pumping up".

Hope that's not too confusing but check this and report back. Don't worry about side to side play, just the gap that would be from the top of the valve to the rocker.