'63 Hawk burning oil.....why?

[Milaca]

My 289 has good oil pressure, good compression among all cylinders (135 - 140psi) when warm, but I'm afraid it might need a rebuild unless someone has a different way to resolve the oil burning issue. I replaced the valve stem seals (the old seals looked good although the exhaust valve seals were hard) and this didnt help any. I've tried additives and no difference. It smokes most when the engine is cold and clears up after 3 or 4 miles of driving. However, when I drive it at highway speeds (65-70 mph) for up to 125 miles, I need to add a quart of oil. I believe that the faster I drive it, the more oil it consumes. Might this be worn oil rings or worn valve guides? Or other? Thanks for any advice.
Odometer shows 93,XXX miles.


Brent's rootbeer racer.
MN iron ore...it does your body good.

[Bud]

You didn't specify the mileage on the engine, but from what you described, the engine is probably due for a rebuild. Bud

[Chucks Stude]

Mine smoked, used oil etc when I got it. The more I drove it, the better it was about smoking, and oil consumption. I found a long downhill grade, got it up to 75, and let it coast down to 40, turned around, and did it again. Smoke is all but history. Still leaks, but is much better. It helps to drive them, and garage them.

[Milaca]

I've driven the car about 3000 miles this summer and driven it up to speeds of 75 mph when I drove it 350 miles to Cedar Rapids. I even experimented with 15-40 engine oil once but I typically use 10-40 oil. No improvement however.


Brent's rootbeer racer.
MN iron ore...it does your body good.

[skyway]

Before you tear it down you should also check out your PCV system. On your '63, the PCV valve is in the valley cover behind the carb; its gotta rattle when you shake it. Also use solvent to clean out the oil filler caps on the valve covers. If it can't breathe, it may start sucking oil past the rings.

[maxpower1954]

On Studebaker V-8s, which may have suffered through irregular oil changes over 45 years, less than 100,000 miles and needing a re-build isn't unusual. Oils weren't nearly as good back in the day, either.

So how do the plugs look after that 3,000 miles you've driven? I'd expect to see some signs of oil fouling with that kind of consumption. Just curious,can what's the oil pressure fully warmed up at 3,000 RPM and at idle? But if the engine is just plain worn out there isn't much you can do about it. If isn't fouling plugs I'd just keep pouring oil into it until you can spring for a rebuild. Russ Farris

[DEEPNHOCK]

I would suggest two things...

1) Run a leakdown test to determine the effectivness of the ring sealing and valve sealing.

2) Try running a real high detergent oil in it for a while to clean out all the crud that builds up in the engine.
(Then run a 'low ash' oil in it that does not build up deposits and burns clean... ie: Valvoline vs. Quaker State)

If I read it correctly, you 'burn' a quart of oil every 150 miles?
There was a time when that was not too bad....

Hang in there... You'll get it sooner or later!
Jeff[8D]

[Carl Purdy]

Just a thought but I have a old truck and if you put 10 w 30 or 40 it goes right through it. I can use Castro 30w and don't hardly use any.


7G-Q1 49 2R12 10G-F5 56B-D4 56B-F2

[Milaca]

I have'nt checked the PCV valve yet. I think the oil filler caps are fine but it wouldnt hurt to clean them just to make sure that an ample amount of air can enter. I didnt try any oil heavier than 15w-40, but I did add Lucas oil additive (extremely thick) to the 10w-40 oil and didnt notice any difference. I do notice more smoke when I let of the throttle at high-speed, which leads me to believe that the valve guides may be badly worn (although all seemed tight when I replaced the valve stem seals). And being that the sight of smoke goes away during normal driving after a few miles leads me to believe that the oil rings are bad and expand when warmed up. If I remember correctly, it carries about 40 psi oil pressure at idle when warm, 60 when driving. As for crud in the engine, it has plenty of that as I cleaned a bunch out when I had the valve covers off for the valve stem seals replacement. I found thick sludge and even hard baked on crust. The spark plugs look to be good & dry (although I havent checked them since early summer).


Brent's rootbeer racer.
MN iron ore...it does your body good.

[gordr]

Sounds like you could be dealing with the consequences of worn rocker arms and shafts. The rocker arm shafts are pressurized with oil at full system pressure via a drilling near the front of each head. There is a hole in the shaft where each rocker arm sits. When the the rocker arms and shafts become worn, so much oil can escape around them, that it completely overwhelms the ability of the one small drain hole at the back of the head to carry away back to the pan. Oil pools in the valve covers, resulting in: leaks at the gaskets, excess oil being sucked down the valve guides (because they are literally swimming in oil), and oil spraying out the vent caps (on engines so equipped).

The problem is worse at higher engine speeds, say cruising at 60-70 mph. Around town, it's scarcely apparent. Get out on the highway, and suddenly it's an oil burner.

Because the oil is being burned when the engine is working fairly hard, it doesn't seem to foul the plugs all that badly.

The only "real" fix is new rocker arms and shafts. There are a number of CASO options, too.

Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands

[studeski]

What Jeff said a cylinder leak down test. My Hawk had great compression and burned a lot of oil. Almost all of the compression rings were broken.

Be prepared to make a mess. If you suspect what Gord said, take the car for a ride until it warms up. Stop, open the hood pull the easiest valve cover and see how much oil pours out. Don't run for a beer. Do it right away!

Claude Chmielewski
Studeski

http://www.studeski.com

Fillmore, Wisconsin
47 M-16 Truck
62 GT Hawk
63 Lark
64 Commander Wagonaire
50 Champion Regal (parts car)
63 GT Hawk R2
[img=left]http://www.studeski.com/62hawk/62hawka/dakota01_250.jpg[/img=left]

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by gordr
Oil pools in the valve covers, resulting in: leaks at the gaskets, excess oil being sucked down the valve guides (because they are literally swimming in oil), and oil spraying out the vent caps

The same thing can happen with plugged oil drain back holes. Run some wire down them when you do Claude's check.

Dick Steinkamp
Bellingham, WA

[Lark Hunter]

Try sticking a Nicoderm patch on each valve cover. If it fails to stop your car from smoking, it will at least raise a few eyebrows at car shows. LH

Straight from the horse's mouth