Well why shouldn't I be?
For months I have tried to sort out a blue smoke problem on the
sprite. Thought I had it sorted last autumn when I renewed the rocker
gear, but although it was better, the exhaust smoke was still
colour-coordinated to the Teal Blue paintwork!
I have tried EVERYTHING, and most of that several times over. I have
re-honed the bores, replaced the rings ( 3000 miles after new pistons
were fitted) dismantled the timing cover breather hose, fitted a
re-conditioned head, changed to 57 varieties of oil, replaced the
inlet valve oil seals ........Still it smoked!
Then I noticed that the plugs were dry, pale brown and not oily. So
- - - well that made me think that oil wasn't actually getting into
the cylinders, so it must be getting into the exhaust side of the
system. So today I put top-hat oil seals onto the exhaust valve
stems.
And the smoke stopped!
No logic, the workshop manuals and everyone I have spoken to says that
you only put seals on the inlet valves because it is only on the
inlets that you get the suction of cylinders drawing air in when the
valves are open, and this pulls oil down the valve stem. Still,
whatever the logic, too much oil must have been getting down the
exhaust valve stems and into the exhaust ports -- and now it isn't!
They were new valves and guides too, so they are not worn although
they are the bronze guides used for unleaded fuel so maybe the
clearance is greater?
Oh, and another thing - putting string into the cylinders to take
the valve springs off without the cylinder head still on the car does
work! I had heard it mentioned but it seemed kind of unlikely, so I
thought it was a myth, but it isn't!
Fact stranger than fiction!
Now what can I do? its raining.
Guy
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