Just wondering if the valve seals on a 312 should be floating up and down with the valve stem or stay down. Mine were all in the up position on the valve stem. My newly rebuilt 312 is puffing smoke on the right side and using a quart of oil about every 300 miles. I didn't notice the smoke at first but there is about 1200 miles on it now and went thru 3 quarts of oil already. Checked the plugs on all cylinders and all are very clean and light tan in color. Any ideas?  Thanks  Dave V

SE Wis

the umberela seals move with the valve. i use positive seals on the intake which eliminate sucking oil, especialy if guides ar a bit worn.one  may have to machine the guide as original integral guides ar to large for positive seals. ther is a tool to do this but heads need to be off.first look for easy isues ,like do you have a pcv valve in lew of road draft tube,u may be sucking oil there. good luck

What? .. you have valve seals.!. Mm think I only have half of mine  ; o )



"Came too close to dying to stop living now!"

No PCV valve. Still running the road draft tube. I was thinking that the culprit cylinder would show on the spark plugs. Still open for suggestions.  Dave

SE Wis

valve seals.a fresh engine will easly burn off some oil and not foul a plug for some time,you ar most likley only geting oil down the guyd when decelerating,wher vacume is high. 

Is this something that will eventually clear up and stop using oil?  Dave

SE Wis

This is just a thought but what about the oil catcher trays that go under the rocker arm shaft supports.  I assume they are to catch some of the oil and divert it away from the valve seals.  I have a 1955 Mercury 292 engine that has these oil trays and a 1957 Ford 312 that does not have them.  Seems like they should be on all Y blocks?   

This is also a 57 312 that does not have the oil trays. I think I remember reading an article once about these oil trays stating that they were eliminated in 57. Maybe I should install a set of them. I would assume it shouldn't hurt anything.  Dave

SE Wis

It's not just going to go away and don't expect the oil trays to fix it.  You need to find out exactly where the oil is coming from in order to fix it.



Lawrenceville, GA

Umbrella seals in good condition will ride high on the stems.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)