Hey guys been out for awhile still getting used to new forum page but anyway. I have 57 272 f100 man. 3 speed trans put new fuel pump and distributor. Previously had 56 style dist now 57 with 2 bbl holley. Side note i bought truck few months ago never drove it still going through it. I had it idling before dist change seemed rich/ smoked foul plugs, guys on forum explained old dissy newer carb dont jive and thats why the need for newer 57+ dist. Now i have not timed or tuned carb yet but it seems wrong. Idles high and after maybe 30 secs to a minute it smokes from valve covers and exhaust manifold leak at crossover i immediatly noticed a few glowing embers pass the exhaust leak and one escaped and burnt out what is this any ideas? Tune? Maybe valves? Or worse junk motor?

You'll need to time and tune.


Lawrenceville, GA

Yes doing that first thing any idea on the hot embers? Maybe just carbon deposits

Def been through this too. Do the carb mods as Ted has on his site. Last year with stock 272 and new dizzy I set tiing to 17 intial and like 34 all in. With the vacuum advance disconnected. Mine ran great. And set valves plus do leakdown and compression and will tell how sound the motor is. Plus put vacuum guage on it. Mine is around 17-18 lbs @ idle. As for the vapor from valve cover is totally normal with stock breather setup. The enbers probably just carbon or gasket pieces. I was very happy with this setup myself.

Im not sure the smoke is vapor there seems to be alot does it lessen after warm up or?

I would fix the little things they need to be fixed anyway. Then get it good and hot. How long it been sitting? If its running and not overheating and has oil. Let it get everything moving and situated. Maybe rings stuck a bit etc. Mine was similar and was running but not much in the last few years. Mine came right around and strong as an ox. Love the old y block.

Just a thought-Does this truck have a heatriser valve between the exhaust manifold and the pipe?If so it may be stuck closed.Something to check.You do need to get it running and clean out the cobwebs before you can really access the condition.Take the rocker covers off and see if you have oil flow to the rockers(when its running).Are the drain holes at the end of each head open or plugged up with crud not allowing the oil to drain back to the pan.?

  

K just pulled valve covers left 1-4 dry with carbon right 5-8 light oil from last night obvious problem in left bank now what?

Remove the rocker arm shaft assembly from the driver's side head and check the oil distribution hole on the head itself. Unhook your ignition, crimp your rubber fuel line and turn the engine over with the starter to see if any oil will come out of that hole on the head. If there is oil flowing out of that hole on the head, then your problem is with the rocker arm shaft assembly. It will need to be disassembled and cleaned out. If you cannot get oil to come out of the head, then you will have to clean out that hole. Some fellas use a coat hanger to get it started, but there is a pretty wicked "jag" where the head meets the block. Sometimes this is plugged. If you search on this forum you can find some ideas about using a grease gun to unplug it, etc.

Let us know what you find.

How is smoke coming out of the valve covers? Is there a breather on the valve covers open to the air? If not, there may be some oil weeping out of the lower side of the valve cover gasket and then falling on the manifold flange causing the smoke.

Got any photos of your motor? sometimes that can help us give you ideas too.

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

Remember that 1-4 is in the right (passenger) side, 5-8 on drivers side. So if its 1-4 pull the right side rocker arm assembly.

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ