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 Post subject: Smoking engine
PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:01 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2015 2:28 pm
Posts: 2
I have an original un-restored 1916 touring. After sitting in a garage for 15 years, I bought a new battery, cleaned the points, put in new gas, changed oil and it started right up! The engine smokes really bad. I think it smoked like that on and off when it was last run 15 years ago. I am guessing it is sticky valves. Any thoughts on how to deal with that? I have only run it for a minute or so, it was smoking up the garage so bad. Maybe run it a bit longer and see if it clears up? Thanks for any suggestions.


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 Post subject: Re: Smoking engine
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 7:41 am 
This is PURE opinion. I've brought back a few sleepers.The engine COULD be worn out. It could clean itself out and be fine. I would run it for a while and let it tell it's story. I love Marvel Mystery but would hesitate to use it here, for now. It works for sticky lifters and such. BUT it will clean out rings and make them smoke worse too. If you rebuild count on $5000. What are the plans for the car? DO you want to invest that much to go for ice cream?


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 Post subject: Re: Smoking engine
PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 2:46 pm 
It is unlikely that the valves are your problem. The piston rings are likely frozen to the pistons; I've seen this before! MMO, or ATF poured into the cylinders (the priming cups are handy for this!) and let it sit a while, MAY free them up, but you are likely to have to pull the head & pan and take the pistons out, clean the glands and install new rings. Hone the cylinders to provide a surface for the rings to seat into. This won't cost anywhere near $5K!
HOWEVER, once you open the engine up, you may find other issues. This is where experience, and a knowledge of what driving you will do with the car comes into play. Wear (like cylinder taper) may be found. What would be unacceptable for a car that will be toured may be tolerable on a car that will only be driven "around town" occasionally. Experienced folks will know what "will work" for now, and what "can't be ignored." It is not always necessary to bring machinery "back to factory specs" to have a reliable, operating, occasional use car, just don't expect it to act like a "newly-built" car!


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 Post subject: Re: Smoking engine
PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2015 3:02 pm 
You are right David, a ring job will not cost anything near $5000. And that MAY fix it. But it will not be a complete overhaul. I know someone that at this point wishes their rebuild ONLY cost $5000, and the water pump and carb still leaks and the starter/generator still needs rebuilt. My point was drive it some and assess what it needs.


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 Post subject: Re: Smoking engine
PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2015 9:25 pm 
Doug,
Yep, what I suggested could in no way (by anyone with scruples) be called a rebuilt engine; but it might keep the DB on the road for a long time if it's only driven occasionally.
Yes, I have heard (and been around) horror stories of large sums of money being spent, yet the job still wasn't completely finished. Ah well, I think we're sorta like the British Car owner, we like to tinker, otherwise we wouldn't have these things around! :)
Merry Christmas everyone!!
David D.


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 Post subject: Re: Smoking engine
PostPosted: Fri Dec 25, 2015 7:58 am 
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Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:57 am
Posts: 23
Years ago I bought a 1950 Chrysler Windsor to restore. It had not been run for many years. It smoked so bad I used to say you could use it on a battleship for a smokescreen. I was told the smoke would eventually stop the more it was run and it did eventually stop. I never did anything to the engine except for tuneups. Good luck with your DB.


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