[MrGrumpy]

Hello Everyone,
Here's alittle back ground history. I own a 69 Z28, DZ 302 and DZ Carb. The engine has 12,000 miles on a professional rebuild in 1994. It's the original block and crank. The heads are dart sportsman and the intake is an Edlebrock RPM performer. It does not have the PCV set up, but has filter elements on each valve cover.
My question is I have oil blowing/leaking out of the two rear spak plugs on the left side and the last one on the right. The oil is only on the under side of the plug. Around the heads and above the plugs is clean. The car runs very strong and does not smoke.
Any information on this would be greatly appreciated. If needed a pic of the car and engine can be found at camaroslimited.com
Thanks,
MrG.

[DjD]

Welcome to Team Camaro MrGrumpy! You came to the right place for answers.. Here is a direct link to Jess' car http://www.camaroslimited.com/memberscars/jess.htm



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...Dennis
Topless'69
Camaros Limited Nor-Cal
rsss.fun@gte.net

[JayBird]

Beautiful car. I always liked the Lemans Blue. Welcome to the forum.

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Jay 69 SS-350

[BillK]

MrG,
First, make absolutely certain that the oil is coming from around the plugs. I have been fooled by this before where there is a veeeery slight leak from the valve covers and when the motor is running the fan will blow it down and make it look like it is the plugs. There is a die that you can put in the oil available at your Chevy dealer . It will make it glow bright yellow when viewed with a "black" light.
Also, make sure you have the correct plugs. The Sportsman's are designed for a taper seat plug. A flat washer type may not seal properly, allowing a small amount of oil to come around the threads.
This is one of those problems that is very difficult to solve wothout having the car in front of you.
Hope this helps,

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Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md

[DEVIL'S LAKE]

just what billk said check the plugs

[Steve R]

MrGrump you need to install a PCV valve. Even with two breathers you will still be building up too much pressure in the crankase from the reciprocating assembly. You need to find a way to relieve that pressure, the PCV valve is the best way to do that on a steet car.

I made the mistake of not running one once, I too had two breathers, big mistake. I blew oil out of almost every gasket. When I installed a PCV valve the problem went away. Good luck.

Steve R.

[BillK]

Steve,
I hate to disagree with anyone, but a PCV valve will not really help that much unless there are other major problems in the motor. How often have you seen a race motor with a pcv valve ? Probably never and if anything is going to build up cylinder pressure, and possibly crankcase pressure, an all out motor will. GM never put a pcv valve on a motor until around 1963, and the old ones probably had more blowby when they were new than present day motors have after 50K miles ! I am not saying that the pcv valve did not solve your problem, but it was probably really covering up the sympthom of another problem. Any Chevy motor should be able to run all day with just the valve cover breathers and never leak any oil unless there are other problems. Also, crankcase pressure will not force oil out from around the spark plug threads, if that is where it is coming from.
Also, pleeeeease...do not take this comment as an insult or attack...I am only stateing the facts to help everyone learn !
Hope this helps,

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Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md

[MrGrumpy]

Hello All,
Thanks for helping out and the advice. First I wiped down the entire engine ( a project in itself ) Then I confirmed that the oil was coming from the plugs. I replaced the plugs with the old ones ( I'm a pack rat I keep everything ) that I replaced back in July. They were Accel,reach tapered seat plugs? So I was told, local speed shop. Ran the car, no oil.
So now my big question is: What is a good plug to run? I was running Split Fires.
Also a little history on way my PCV set up is not installed. When I purchased the car it smoked and used oil bad, and had only 10,000 miles on the rebuild. Lots of head aches later, the valve covers were not baffled and was pulling oil into the carb. and blowing out the tail pipes. The first so called fix was breathers on the valve covers. Which only covered the engine in oil. So I replaced the valve covers and have not had a chance to put the PCV back. Hope the PCV problem will help some one else. Again thanks.
MrG

[Mini Mouse]

Question if oil was coming out the spark plug then it had to be getting past the rings or the valvegides,correct?

[MrGrumpy]

I know the valve guides leak, because if I start the car after it's been siting, a day or two, it smokes for about 2 or 3 seconds. Once it's warmed or has been run that day it doesn't smoke at start up.
As for the rings?????? I did a compression check, and it was good. I'm really not very knowledgable when it comes to engines. Any advice would be more than welcomed. The engine has a fresh rebuild, 12,000 miles, from Engine Dynamics out of San Jose. Being from the Bay area you might have heard of them.

[ScottB]

MrG
I am having the same problem with my DZ 302.
I also have world castings heads, although they are the S/R Torquers. All spark plugs have oil on them and it uses a quart @ 1000 miles, a little more if I race it. 3500 miles on a professional rebuild, balanced blueprinted, etc. I talked to tech support at World Castings and they said oil is probably getting past the umbrella valve seals due to the high volume oil pump. They suggested I replace the seals with teflon wire ring seals, or go to a low volume oil pump.
By the way nice car!

[jmr1965]

I had the same problem with my 327 one month after the rebuild; then I installed good possitive Viton-type seals along with O'ring seals and it really dried it up.

Jorge

[MrGrumpy]

Thanks for the input guys. Sounds like I have a weekend project coming up. If anyone else has heard of this, input please. Also anyone recomend a good quality spark plug for my high winder.
Thanks

[Mini Mouse]

I would suggest a leak down test to determine if it is the rings or the valve seals

[ScottB]

I am running champion RV12YC.