Engine problems/noise

[83kid]

Hi,
I have a k10 with a 350 in it. PO said there was about 30,000 miles on the engine, whether rebuilt or crate i dont know, but it looks like it was a crate engine (Bolts down center of valve covers)
So, ive noticed its been burning oil - and i think coolant too. Went to do an oil change, and when i looked at the dipstick, there was no oil on it. Drained the oil, and there was still oil, just not much came out, no the amount i wouldve thought. Since then, i've been adding oil whenever it seems to need it, not sure how often thats been.
I had one day when i looked at my temperature gauge, and all of a sudden it was climbing higher than the normal 160-170 operating temp, it got up to about 220, so i shut it off, and got coolant and filled it up, it seemed pretty much empty. A month down the road, it happened again.

The breather ontop of the valve cover on my engines on the passenger side (Is it supposed to be here? Saw someone saying theirs was on the drivers side), and i can see a little oil run going down from there. The underside right around the front driveshafts always been a bit oily or greasy feeling, which i now think was from that.


So, my engine leaks or burns or does something with the oil, and its not slow, same as the coolant. It leaks from the valve cover, what could it be wit that leak?
Oh, and now its started making a tick when driving and idling. Similar to an exhaust leak, but sounds at a different speed than an exhaust leak, it sounds like its right under where the breather on the passenger side valve cover is, when looking under hood with the engine running. The valves are kinda noisy, on the passenger side that kind of what the tic sounds like, the clattering noise of the valves, what could this be? I parked it at my friends house early one night, and when i left later that night it started, as soon as i started it

 

[Skweegle89]

Yikes. You shouldn't be burning that mush oil. How long ago did you buy it?


Sent from an old rotary telephone.

 

[83kid]

Like 6 months ago or so, havent driven it much until recently, i did an oil change back then and that other oil change was was 4k miles later

 

[Skweegle89]

Any idea where your antifreeze is going? Sounds to me like a cracked head/gasket/block but could potentially be a series of small problems. Does it smoke at all?
@350runner @HotRodPC @bucket


Sent from an old rotary telephone.

 

[83kid]

Any idea where your antifreeze is going? Sounds to me like a cracked head/gasket/block but could potentially be a series of small problems. Does it smoke at all?
@350runner @HotRodPC @bucket


Sent from an old rotary telephone.

Ugh hope not, i plan on getting a new truck so as long as it lasts me like 10k miles i dont really care, but it does smoke, quite a bit. Its like a gray smoke, not a blue or pure white smoke, probably where the antifreeze is going. When i first start it, no smoke at all for about 20-30 seconds,(sometimes a little less) but then it gradually starts and as i look out while its warming up theres a could of smoke behind it

 

[Don5]

Ugh hope not, i plan on getting a new truck so as long as it lasts me like 10k miles i dont really care, but it does smoke, quite a bit. Its like a gray smoke, not a blue or pure white smoke, probably where the antifreeze is going. When i first start it, no smoke at all for about 20-30 seconds,(sometimes a little less) but then it gradually starts and as i look out while its warming up theres a could of smoke behind it

Get ready. This is not good news. It is burning up the antifreeze that has leaked into the combustion chamber. Since it is also burning oil I think this has been going on awhile. Check your oil for antifreeze as well. I think the engine has overheated at one time or another. I wish you the best.

 

[83kid]

Get ready. This is not good news. It is burning up the antifreeze that has leaked into the combustion chamber. Since it is also burning oil I think this has been going on awhile. Check your oil for antifreeze as well. I think the engine has overheated at one time or another. I wish you the best.

Alright how much longer you think the engine will last? And it has no oil in the anti freeze though, which is wierd

 

[Skweegle89]

Alright how much longer you think the engine will last? And it has no oil in the anti freeze though, which is wierd

Lol but there was no oil in the oil pan either. It's hard to tell how long it will last. It depends on what the actual problem is. Until I got the problem diagnosed I wouldn't depend on it to get me anywhere. Tow trucks are expensive. If it's your only mode of transportation, fill it full of oil and antifreeze and keep an eye on your fluid levels and temp/oil pressure gauge and hope like hell it doesn't leave you walking. It's doubtful your going to get 10,000 miles out of it. Buy or borrow a compression gauge and do a compression test on it. That will tell us some. It's a really easy test. Just ask for help of your not sure how to do it.


Sent from an old rotary telephone.

 

[350runner]

Anti freeze in oil maybe. Oil in antifreeze not so much. Oil enters into the combustion chamber the usual ways. At high rate through pcv, Intake valve seal/guide which usually only shows on startup if any. If oil enters this way it will be consumed at a high rate and will leave no trace unless visible upon startup or it is seen in spark plugs. (2) bad Piston rings... will show signs of high oil usage via tail pipe fogs upon startup, at idle, and during driving. Coolant consumption enters the following ways. .. head gasket, cracked head. Visible or not at tail pipe one can check for white insulators on spark plugs and identify which side of the engine the coolant leakage takes place.

How long will my engine last?
Keep fluid level correct and it will last you for ever. You get what you put in.

 

[flyboy1100]

How long will my engine last?
Keep fluid level correct and it will last you for ever. You get what you put in.

this is why my 2012 subaru has a low oil level light(1qt low), people are too lazy to check their oil any more

my truck uses 1qt every 250-400 miles depending on how fast i drive. it could be rear intake, pretty rear main leaks sometoo, and definitly blowby. i just make sure to check my oil every other fillup and it is ok.

 

[350runner]

Leaks are a pain to fix sometimes but the effort is well worth the trouble in the end. I've got a couple pesky little leaks that make me want to yank this carbed contraption out and ls in the Sumbaba...or i could pu in at new cam, heads and intake it and be happy. ... idk what to do yet.

 

[flyboy1100]

Intake would be worth my time, rear main not so much. Maybe this summer i can get the intake fixed.

 

[Don5]

Alright how much longer you think the engine will last? And it has no oil in the anti freeze though, which is wierd

I have no clue. I would check the oil and antifreeze on a regular basis. Not too often do you hear of oil in antifreeze. Usually you might see transmission fluid in the radiator because of a break in the trans cooler in the radiator. Check the plugs and run a compression test on all cylinders if you can. This will tell you and us quite a bit.

 

[bucket]

You might be able to drive it for years like that as long as you keep the fluids topped off. If there's valvetrain noise, run thicker oil. What's your oil pressure cold and then hot?


We ran our Burb for years with it burning oil and mysteriously losing coolant somewhere. For the most part I kept it topped off, but my wife ran it out of oil at least a couple times. Then a couple years ago, the truck REALLY started burning oil and had a lot of blow-by. After that, my wife ran it out of oil 2 or 3 more times, but it still ran quiet when I put oil in it. After a little while longer, it developed a dead miss at idle (kept fouling a couple plugs) and started randomly overheating. She quit driving it everyday after that, but although it lacks power, it does still run and drive (and has oil pressure too). In short, we milked a sick 350 for many years and never did officially quit.

 

[flyboy1100]

Mine is 80+psi cold, 40ish at 2k while cruising, and when fully hot like 15psi at idle