1968 GT500 428 PI overheating / burning oil

[mark p]

Sharp car  Good luck figuring it out.

[corbins]

Michael,

First, take a deep breath and relax.  It is frustrating and that frustration will only get worse if you start throwing money and time at it without a methodical plan.  As Bob indicated, the possibilities are vast but I would do the following to narrow it down.

1) Pull the plugs and look at them, if some are oily that will localize the area to look at.
2) Do a compression check on all cylinders and compare the results, this will also localize the issue.
3) Pull the valve covers to see how much oil is getter to the valve train as it may be too much.  Everyone wants to use a HV oil pump regardless whether its a street car or race car and frankly, that causes more issues in a normal street car engine that isn't turning 7-9K RPM (Ford knew what they were doing :-) ) .  I have see the valve train flooded with oil and it will cause an engine to smoke like a cigarette.
4) You didn't mention the engine running rough so I don't expect you have a vacuum leak.
5) You say it over heats but what is the temperature?  Don't make the mistake of putting a 160 deg thermostat in it thinking that will make it run cooler, it won't.  A 180 deg is better because it allows the radiator to do its job by keeping the coolant in the tanks longer so the air and fan can cool it through the fins.  Running 200 to 210 is not uncommon for a BB FE engine and make sure the radiator isn't filled to the top as it needs some expansion room.

This is a good start, let us know what you find....  Remember take it slow and do it one step at a time.

BTW...Congratulations on your new Shelby, it will work out and you will be happy.

+1 ... and check to see if there are oil restrictors in the heads.

[1967 eight barrel]

Sounds like you hit many of the areas. Most rings

Something not mentioned, and an issue when I had my motor rebuilt, was timing, and the vacuum advance and vacuum source. Fixed those minor items (recurved the distributor too boot), and the car runs at 180-195 degrees all hot, humid summer long in stop and go traffic.


Bill

PS: Besides radiator, look at your lower radiator hose and make sure there is a spring installed to prevent the hose from collapsing under suction pressure from the water pump. Also look at your fan, or if equipped, your fan clutch assembly.

Bill,  It makes me laugh when people talk about the lower hose being pulled flat under load being urban legend. I've seen it. It's even more common when hoses get soft. 6 bucks is cheap insurance when running a high flow pump. I also had the distributor curve set for the engine/ gear specs. The Pertronix II helped too.
Even in 100 degree Dallas area weather I rarely see the temp gauge more than just over the first mark.

aren't seated at 200 miles. As for the thermostat. I am running the Mr. Gasket 180 degree high flow thermostat as well. 160 is too cold. A stuck PCV will absolutely cause excess oil consumption. As for "squaring the intake" There is no need to mill the intake unless the heads are milled more than .015. Mine are at .010 and there are no sealing issues. Let's hope they didn't use Fel Pro printo seal intake gaskets. They're known for getting soft and pulled into the intake port. 
                                                                                     -Keith

[Bigblock]

Was the engine rebuilt with a auto parts store temp sensor? They usually show a higher temperature. Find a NOS Ford or a good used one.

[2112]

Worth noting, Rings won't seat on synthetic oil.

[1967 eight barrel]

Yup!  Brad Penn/ PennGrade straight 30wt break-in oil ( Formally Kendall) Doesn't get any better. You likely also won't have to worry about a damaging the flat tappet cam.  Be sure to change your oil and filter at about 500 miles. I'd also cut the filter open and check for metal particles in the cartridge.

                                                                                                  -Keith

[shelbydoug]

Rings seat within 5 minutes of startup. The oil you see the engine throwing is usually residual from the assembly or assembly lube.

I once had an engine that I build that I used the old type of molybendum dysulfide, that you essentially paint onto the bearings (not the rings) for initial startup protection.

The guy panicked when he drained the oil and thought all of the grey stuff coming out was the bearing materials disintegrating?

You need to be concerned for the lifter lobes during the first 5 minutes. The quality of the aftermarket cams is questionable. Hardening of the lobes by the manufacturer is not as controlled as it should be. More cams get wiped out at start up then anything else.

[1967 eight barrel]

I'm not sure where you get your information  but cams do not mate in five minutes nor do rings seat that quickly. It's not a roller cam, it's a flat tappet. The manufacturer recomended 20 minutes at 2,000 rpm, then the inner springs were installed and ran again for the same duration. Ring material / cylinder finish often dictate the seating process. I was concerned enough to have my engine ran in on a dyno so I didn't have to worry about issues like leaks or partial dissassembly if the cam didn't break in properly and a wiped a lobe.

[shelbydoug]

I'm not sure where you get your information  but cams do not mate in five minutes nor do rings seat that quickly. It's not a roller cam, it's a flat tappet. The manufacturer recomended 20 minutes at 2,000 rpm, then the inner springs were installed and ran again for the same duration. Ring material / cylinder finish often dictate the seating process. I was concerned enough to have my engine ran in on a dyno so I didn't have to worry about issues like leaks or partial dissassembly if the cam didn't break in properly and a wiped a lobe.

I never said that about the cam. Call my engine builder. Joe Lapine. Danbury Competition. 203-748-7356. Ask him how many engines he has built, then tell him he is an idiot. See what he says? 

[Hoffi]

Alright, heres what I did the last few days:

Cooling:
I put a new Edelbrock waterpump, put the spring in the lower radiator hose and combined with the new fan clutch and radiator + 180 degrees thermostat the overheating (drove it 25 miles at 76 outside temperature) is gone. I will do a longer test drive by tomorrow...

Engine oil:
I put SAE30 break in oil in, also changed filter and I changed the PCV valve plus the old dried out grommet. The oil smell is there continiously even there is only a cloud from time to time... I stopped by at my parents and my mom said that I'd smell like a Diesel train when I came into the house.

[zeemann215]

Rocker arm shafts oil holes must to point down! If there up you will fill the top of the head up with oil, happens a lot! as far as the cooling start with a thermometer in the cap hole or thermometer gun. Is the engine pushing water out after you shut it down out the over flow hose?

[Hoffi]

Update:
The shop removed the intake manifold, everything looked fine, the front and rear part only had been sealed with silicone but the rest was a good looking FelPro. Tomorrow we will put Victor Reinz MS15166X in and put everything back together and see.

thanks
Michael

[GT500KRust]

Good luck, any updates? Was this car recently for sale in the Miami area?