I used to be the go to guy when it came to valve seals on the Chevy small blocks so I have done more than I care to remember. All the ones that were just the valve seals stopped smocking after the first short drive. If you think about what is causing the smoke - oil getting past the seals and burning off. It should burn all the oil fairly quickly and stop smoking at that point. Did you make sure the return oil passaged were clear in the heads?

 

Yea, the looked all good. Somebody said PCV valve, but I wouldn't think that would be the case. The truck sat for not even 24 hours so why would it mess up? So I'm thinking that's not the case. It's got me pretty confused!!

 

Hard to say without looking at it. You might want to double check your work to make sure none of the o-rings slid off or aren't in the groove. I am not doubting your work, just trying to make suggestions. I would also clean the drain holes just to be sure. You said they looked good, but I would physically stick something down them just to make sure. If you have oil puddling in the head it will be hard to stop a little smoke even with new guide seals.

 

Hey Shamrock I wonder if he could pull the plugs to see which cylinder is leaking? Will they show?

 

Yeah that is a good idea. A plug that is burning oil should be a little darker than the rest. Hopefully it is just one cylinder that is leaking. Does it at least seem to be less smoke then before?

 

It has actually gotten worse since we changed them. Before it would only smoke in the morning or if it sat for a long time. Now it smokes when it sits for a short time and if I sit at a red light for 30 secs or so it will smoke when I accelerate. However when it sits over night it barely smokes at all. The more I think about it I agree with you, I need to pull the valve covers off and double check the drains. The way the old o-rings had just desenegrated and what was left was hardened, they might have gotten in those drains and clogged them. It almost makes since with the way it's smoking.

Also, could it be that we have the rockers adjusted too tight and isn't allowing the valve to completely seat? I hope these aren't dumb questions, I just don't know an awful lot about the internals of a motor, just enough to get me in trouble. That's why I get my friends that know what thier doing to help hahaha.

On another note, don't know if this is related, but since I bought the truck the oil pressure guage as always twitched around. It will go from 45-30-40-20 all just really random and at no certain time regardless of accelerating or sitting. Well last night I was leaving a stop sign and got down on it pretty good and the oil pressure guage slowly fell to 0 and the check guages light came on. I listened and it wasn't knocking or running bad, no sounds at all for having 0 oil pressure. It went back up about 30 seconds after that. Didn't know if it's a bad guage or bad sending unit???

Thanks guys for your help! I'm going to pull the valve covers as soon as I have some down time at work and check the drains. Will let you know!!

 

Most likely a bad sending unit. Also if the valves were not seated properly it would run like it had a mis fire from loss of compression. How does it run compared to before you did the job?

 

Runs like a top! (knock on wood) It doesn't mis, studder, nothing! Just has me scratching my head!!!

 

Could also be a sign of the oil returns clogged. If they are clogged bad enough it will pump all the oil to the top of the motor so your bottom will run dry or at least with not as much oil as it should. I would definitely check them to be sure. Good luck!