Finally got my Slant Six running. Fires up every time. Just started it for the first time this morning...last registered in 1986. So likely it hasnt seen much running time in the past 20years.

When its cold/cooled off, it doesnt smoke a puff. As soon as it warms it smokes pretty heavily. Can someone give me a couple suggestions on things i can do to stop or cutdown on the smoking.

Compression test? Water in the cylinders, bad rings, etc. There is not a drip of water in the oil as far as i can see.

Thanks
-Mike

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Daily Driver 72 'Cuda
74 Duster /6
http:www.goodysgotacuda.com

What color is the smoke?

If its a white or light color that *typically* means coolant burning, if its dark and your tailpipe is extremely sooty that points more to a oil burning issue.

If it happens only when warm, sounds like somethings expanding and not sealing. Something may be cracked, or something may be dripping on exhaust burns only after warmed up when the exhaust is hot enough.

I would start with compression check and go from there - also check radiator level to see if coolant is mysteriously disappearing somewhere.

Its pretty white lookin. So coolant would automatically mean head gasket correct. Since its not like a small block where the intake gasket could be leaking coolant into the motor right?

Thanks

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Daily Driver 72 'Cuda
74 Duster /6
http:www.goodysgotacuda.com

On a slant the intake/exhasut gasket doesn't seal water passages. The outermost studs on the head do lead to water passages and if the threads leak coolant can escape, but I couldn't imagine it leaking enough to create a lot of smoke.

Headgasket, or possibly cracked head/block. Watch radiator level, and also try running without the cap and see if the cooling system is being unusually pressurized. They do make kits that test for combustion gasses in cooling system if you want to go that route.

Not to rain on your parade but I don't think its as easy as a headgasket if it happens only when warm.

Then what would it be? Rings? Actually i was running it and there was some water dripping from that tail pipe...that say anything?

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Daily Driver 72 'Cuda
74 Duster /6
http:www.goodysgotacuda.com

Dripping from tailpipe is normal after startup - thats just burning off condensation in the exhaust system. On a cold day my slant smokes a good amount of white untill its fully warmed up. This isn't the white smoke your refering to is it? When you say warm, I am assuming after several mintues of running, not just one or two....

Bad rings within themselves will not lead to burning water - piston rings don't seal water.

The radiator is now quite noticeably lower on water than it was before i started the motor this morning.

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Daily Driver 72 'Cuda
74 Duster /6
http:www.goodysgotacuda.com

If it was the first fill of water for the cooling system, the coolant level will drop as all the air gets out of the system.


I'd fill up the radiator, then see if it drops again, then worry...............

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

true, but then again..it was smoking the whole time it was running practically.

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Daily Driver 72 'Cuda
74 Duster /6
http:www.goodysgotacuda.com

the first time I started my slant after rebuilding it I freaked out as you're doing now. I'd follow ed's wise advice and drive the car some. If it's bad it gonna be bad anyways, but if you're burning whatever crap residues (including all the excess of oil that some machine shops spurts all over the place when they're getting the pistons into the block) are inside, a couple of minutes driving the car may actually be the cure.

How many miles or minutes have you had the motor running? (in total)

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Juan Ignacio Caino

Please use e-mail button istead of PM'ing. I do log in sometimes but I'll be answering quicker thru e-mail.

I have put 0 miles on it and about 20mins of running time .

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Daily Driver 72 'Cuda
74 Duster /6
http:www.goodysgotacuda.com

Is this a new/rebuilt engine, that you just filled the first time with water? If thats the case then yes air bubbles form that can make water level go down once it is ran - but if it was just a car that was sitting and still had water in it then

Either way fill the radiator back up and see if you can replicate. If you can't, don't sweat it - if you can, the heads coming off....

Actually,now that i remember. the idle seemed to change if i stepped on the brakes (power discs). That lead to anything, vacuum issue with the rings? idk

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Daily Driver 72 'Cuda
74 Duster /6
http:www.goodysgotacuda.com

The first thing to do is run a compression test. If all looks good there then I would drive it some. If it's been sitting and not run for 20 years it could be stuck rings which may free up with a few heating/cooling cycles.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Well its been sitting for about a week since it first ran. I had put some Sea Foam through the carb and let it sit. I got the ignition switch swapped so it was time to let it run again. I added a 1/4 of a quart of ATF to the oil and let it rip. 5 mins...10 mins...15 mins....HARDLY a puff of smoke out the tail pipe!

I let it run about a good 20-25 mins and it stayed that way. Ran nice and cool.


-Mike

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Daily Driver 72 'Cuda
74 Duster /6
http:www.goodysgotacuda.com