Eye burning smoke

[1969Fstback 58]

Started car last week first since last fall. Has a 1 year old 570 stretch avenger and petronix dist. Timing is at 12. Pulled plugs last week and they were carbon fouled badly. Realized at same time my pvc valve was sucking oil due to no baffle in valve cover. Had a new set so put thos on, installed new plugs pulled carb checked the pv and that everything was clean. Put it all together and still eye burning smoke. Seems to run well in park, put it in gear and it pulls down hard. I am going to pull a plug in a bit and when I have time I am going to run a compression test. I've had it 3.5 years and of,thst it mostly been parked to fix rust and suspension. It really has never ran what I consider real well. I am pretty much done with the metal work and suspension. So I am concentratin on the running issues. Its a 302, has mild cam no idea size.

 

Where should I start?

[ray1970 88]

A compression test is a very good place to start...

I take it from your post that the motor is smoking?

Or is it just eye burning fumes from to much fuel?

 

Im thinking the history of the motor is unknown?

[1969Fstback 58]

Yeah history is unknown. It's smoking, blue smoke. But the pcv was way down in the valve cover. So I am guessing I picked up a good bit of oil. The bottom of the carb had some oil on it. Light film.

[barnett468 418]

in addition to the compression test, tell us what carb it has . if it sat for a while and idles poorly, it may have a bad power valve . the gas level may also be too high.

 

disconnect and plug the vacuum advance hose forever or until further notice.

 

set the idle timing to 10 degrees btdc.

 

.

[1969Fstback 58]

Has a 570 street avenger I bought new year or so ago. I took it apart cleaned and checked the pv. Also looked down the carb while it was running and seen no fuel. It idles good, revs up good in park.

[prayers1 153]

If you think there is too much oil in the top end, I would pour some top end cleaner in it like Seafoam, then put a fresh set of plugs in, new pcv and pull the carb off to see if there is any carbon build up on the bottom of it. 

If you do use any top end cleaner, afterwards make sure you put in new oil and filter.

[ray1970 88]

Let me make some uneducated guesses not knowing anything of the motor and your time with it..

1. Rings are stuck from sitting.

2.valve seals or valve guides are no good.

3.Motor is just tired all the way around

4. Intake gasket leak from the oil side.

 

Sometimes if the rings are stuck from sitting .. if you can get it out and run it they my un stick..

 

Thats a big my!!!!!!

[1969Fstback 58]

It ran the best it ever had last fall. I had a vac leak then and fixed that around intake. I rechecked it a bit ago. I put a new pcv on it today along with baffled covers. That carb had some oil on bottom but not a build up. Just a film. My gut was leaning toward what prayers said. Too much oil on top end that was sucked through the pcv.

[ray1970 88]

Unless you have excuse blow buy or the oil is not returning down from the heads the pvc is not your problem.

Timing also wont change how much it smokes...

[1969Fstback 58]

The pvc was way down into the valve cover. I pulled it out after the plugs fouled and oil was dripping from it. The pvc hose had oil in it and the vaccum port under the carb where it hooks was oily.

[jholmes217 65]

Usually, eye burning smoke means it is too rich.  Did you buy that Street Avenger new or used?  I bought several used carbs, and one time with a used carb someone had really jetted it up for their application before selling the carb to me.  Started the car up and smoked and stunk up my garage I had to close my eyes to go shut it off.  Put size jets in that the carb originally came with, and it ran much better.  checked plugs after driving it hard, and jetted down again and it was perfect.  Put some NGK V-Power plugs in it.  They are made to resist fouling, which I find handy until you get it running better.  I switch to Autolite 45 after that.

Stuck or sinking floats and a bad power valve can cause similar symptoms.  Smell some of your oil.  Does it smell like oil or does it smell like gas?

[1969Fstback 58]

I bought the carb new.

[jholmes217 65]

I bought the carb new.

After sitting for months, the ethanol in gas these days could have damaged the carb.  I rebuild my Holley every year.  If I don't, it always seems to develop leaks or other issues over the summer when I'm driving it to shows, cruises, and parades.

 

The oil will take a while to burn off, and it will cause some smoke.  I still think the eye burning is an over rich carb issue.  The choke not completely opening can cause it to run rich also.  Is the air cleaner lid too low, and/or do you have the proper voltage going to the choke?

 

The car doing what it does when going from park to in gear leads me again to a carburetor issue, and/or a torque converter mismatch with the cam.

[1969Fstback 58]

Question, if the oil fouls the plugs, would it make it run rich since all the gas isn't being burnt off due to the plugs fouled?

[jholmes217 65]

Question, if the oil fouls the plugs, would it make it run rich since all the gas isn't being burnt off due to the plugs fouled?

Fouled plugs would contribute to that, but I don't think to the point of eyes burning.  Have you had a chance to smell the oil yet?  If it smells like gas, you have unburned fuel getting past the rings into the oil.  You should also make sure you have the correct size power valve.  This video will show how to do that.  

[ray1970 88]

Things we dont know

Does it smoke only at idle?

Does it smoke more on decel?

Does it smoke all the time?

Are you now or have you ever been______

We know it idles fine.

We know it sends out blue eye burning fumes.

We believe the PCV has been plunged to eliminate that possibility..

I really have not moved it out of the garage so i dont know.....

[Rsmach1 71]

+1 running rich and rebuild the carb.

[1969Fstback 58]

Smokes at idle. Not been out of garage. Oil does not smell like gas.

[jholmes217 65]

Another thing to think about.  Holley carbs don't usually like fuel pressure higher than 5 or 6 psi.  What is your fuel pressure just before the fuel enters the carb?  Fuel pressure that is too high can cause problems also.  Don't go by what the fuel pump maker says either.  Get a fuel pressure gauge on it.  My Carter fuel pump isn't supposed to need a fuel pressure regulator, but the fuel pressure was 9 psi with out it!  I had fuel coming out of the vent tubes before I put a regulator on it.  Works fine now with fuel pressure set to 5 psi.

[1969Fstback 58]

Gauge says 7 psi.

[ray1970 88]

Fuel presser most likely has nothing to do with the blue smoke.

 

7 lb of fuel presser I would see as very normal....

 

Remember it idles and revs just fine.

[jholmes217 65]

If you have a fuel pressure regulator, I'd turn the pressure down to 5 psi.

[1969Fstback 58]

I pulled the carb went through it.  Ran seafoam through vac system.  Put the new valve covers on and new PCV valve.  Unhooked the vac on the distributor, verified the timing.  It was still good.  Put the vac gauge on the carb and it was way down.  Adjusted the idle air mix til it was back up to 16.  After that I changed the plugs and it seems to be idling good and only pulling down some when put in gear.  Oh, and no more eye burning smoke. So I am cautiously hopeful that it's good to go.  I hope take it for a spin in the next few weeks after I get the front end back on it.  

 

I am going to pull a plug next time I mess with it to see what it looks like.  I did a compression test on a few cylinders and got 150 on both.  I plan on doing the rest when I have more time.