Oil In Intake on '92

When my '92 EB with the 4.0 V6 has been sitting for a while it will run
rough when I first start it up and white smoke comes out of the tailpipe.
There is oil in the intake (the plastic tube that goes from the air cleaner
to the intake manifold) where the crankcase breather is connected to it.
After it runs for a while the white smoke goes away and it runs smoothly
(well, smooth for 280K miles on the engine).

I replaced the PCV valve but it didn't seem to make a difference. What can
cause oil to get in there? The oil level in the crankcase is normal.

Thanks.

First thing comes to mind would be excessive ring blow-by. With the motor
running, pull the PCV valve from it's location and cover the end of the
valve with your thumb. Watch the hole that you pulled the valve from for
tatletale signs of ring wear.


"Ulysses" > wrote in message
...
> When my '92 EB with the 4.0 V6 has been sitting for a while it will run
> rough when I first start it up and white smoke comes out of the tailpipe.
> There is oil in the intake (the plastic tube that goes from the air
cleaner
> to the intake manifold) where the crankcase breather is connected to it.
> After it runs for a while the white smoke goes away and it runs smoothly
> (well, smooth for 280K miles on the engine).
>
> I replaced the PCV valve but it didn't seem to make a difference. What
can
> cause oil to get in there? The oil level in the crankcase is normal.
>
> Thanks.
>
>

"Jim Warman" > wrote in message
news:ZdvMe.197298$tt5.72512@edtnps90...
> First thing comes to mind would be excessive ring blow-by. With the motor
> running, pull the PCV valve from it's location and cover the end of the
> valve with your thumb. Watch the hole that you pulled the valve from for
> tatletale signs of ring wear.

Thanks. Not was I was hoping to hear, but not unexpected considering the
mileage on the truck.

>
>
> "Ulysses" > wrote in message
> ...
> > When my '92 EB with the 4.0 V6 has been sitting for a while it will run
> > rough when I first start it up and white smoke comes out of the
tailpipe.
> > There is oil in the intake (the plastic tube that goes from the air
> cleaner
> > to the intake manifold) where the crankcase breather is connected to it.
> > After it runs for a while the white smoke goes away and it runs smoothly
> > (well, smooth for 280K miles on the engine).
> >
> > I replaced the PCV valve but it didn't seem to make a difference. What
> can
> > cause oil to get in there? The oil level in the crankcase is normal.
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> >
>
>

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 21:26:10 -0700, "Ulysses"
> wrote:

>
>"Jim Warman" > wrote in message
>news:ZdvMe.197298$tt5.72512@edtnps90...
>> First thing comes to mind would be excessive ring blow-by. With the motor
>> running, pull the PCV valve from it's location and cover the end of the
>> valve with your thumb. Watch the hole that you pulled the valve from for
>> tatletale signs of ring wear.
>
>Thanks. Not was I was hoping to hear, but not unexpected considering the
>mileage on the truck.
>

Most oil smoke is blue. ATF tends to burn white. You may be sucking
a little ATF from a leaking vacuum mod valve into the intake. Pull
the vacuum lines off the "T" on the firewall and look for ATF in those
lines.



>>
>>
>> "Ulysses" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> > When my '92 EB with the 4.0 V6 has been sitting for a while it will run
>> > rough when I first start it up and white smoke comes out of the
>tailpipe.
>> > There is oil in the intake (the plastic tube that goes from the air
>> cleaner
>> > to the intake manifold) where the crankcase breather is connected to it.
>> > After it runs for a while the white smoke goes away and it runs smoothly
>> > (well, smooth for 280K miles on the engine).
>> >
>> > I replaced the PCV valve but it didn't seem to make a difference. What
>> can
>> > cause oil to get in there? The oil level in the crankcase is normal.
>> >
>> > Thanks.
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>

"Ashton Crusher" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 21:26:10 -0700, "Ulysses"
> > wrote:
>
> >
> >"Jim Warman" > wrote in message
> >news:ZdvMe.197298$tt5.72512@edtnps90...
> >> First thing comes to mind would be excessive ring blow-by. With the
motor
> >> running, pull the PCV valve from it's location and cover the end of the
> >> valve with your thumb. Watch the hole that you pulled the valve from
for
> >> tatletale signs of ring wear.
> >
> >Thanks. Not was I was hoping to hear, but not unexpected considering the
> >mileage on the truck.
> >
>
> Most oil smoke is blue. ATF tends to burn white. You may be sucking
> a little ATF from a leaking vacuum mod valve into the intake. Pull
> the vacuum lines off the "T" on the firewall and look for ATF in those
> lines.

Thanks. I'll check for ATF but I'm pretty sure it's motor oil in the intake
and not ATF. I had that problem on my '91 and there was no smoke in that
particular case.

>
>
> >>
> >>
> >> "Ulysses" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >> > When my '92 EB with the 4.0 V6 has been sitting for a while it will
run
> >> > rough when I first start it up and white smoke comes out of the
> >tailpipe.
> >> > There is oil in the intake (the plastic tube that goes from the air
> >> cleaner
> >> > to the intake manifold) where the crankcase breather is connected to
it.
> >> > After it runs for a while the white smoke goes away and it runs
smoothly
> >> > (well, smooth for 280K miles on the engine).
> >> >
> >> > I replaced the PCV valve but it didn't seem to make a difference.
What
> >> can
> >> > cause oil to get in there? The oil level in the crankcase is normal.
> >> >
> >> > Thanks.
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
>

Ulysses wrote:
> When my '92 EB with the 4.0 V6 has been sitting for a while it will run
> rough when I first start it up and white smoke comes out of the tailpipe.

White smoke can be caused by coolant leaking into the cylinder from a
bad head gasket. That jibes with it happening after sitting for a
while, and when started running rough and then smoothing out.

If that's the case, you should be losing coolant, and maybe
overheating. One check is to fill the radiator but leave the cap off,
start it, push hard on the brakes, put it in gear and rev it a LITTLE-
1200 rpm. Slip the clutch if it's a manual. The idea here is to load
the engine to increase combustion pressure in the cylinders.

Have someone observing the radiator coolant- if you have a bad head
gasket, exhaust should get into the coolant, making it bubble and
surge. The escaping exhaust forms big bubbles in the water jacket and
pushes its way out thru the radiator cap opening.

If the level just changes slightly when you rev and expands as it warms
up, all that's normal.

You have two, right? You can also compare them.
-Paul

> wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Ulysses wrote:
> > When my '92 EB with the 4.0 V6 has been sitting for a while it will run
> > rough when I first start it up and white smoke comes out of the
tailpipe.
>
> White smoke can be caused by coolant leaking into the cylinder from a
> bad head gasket. That jibes with it happening after sitting for a
> while, and when started running rough and then smoothing out.
>
> If that's the case, you should be losing coolant, and maybe
> overheating. One check is to fill the radiator but leave the cap off,
> start it, push hard on the brakes, put it in gear and rev it a LITTLE-
> 1200 rpm. Slip the clutch if it's a manual. The idea here is to load
> the engine to increase combustion pressure in the cylinders.
>
> Have someone observing the radiator coolant- if you have a bad head
> gasket, exhaust should get into the coolant, making it bubble and
> surge. The escaping exhaust forms big bubbles in the water jacket and
> pushes its way out thru the radiator cap opening.
>
> If the level just changes slightly when you rev and expands as it warms
> up, all that's normal.
>
> You have two, right? You can also compare them.
> -Paul
>

Thanks Paul. This sounds like a very likely cause of my problem. I has
been losing coolant too but I didn't think the problems were related. It
has been "boiling over" and losing coolant through the top of the reservoir.
Bubbling exhaust from a leaking head gasket could do that, right? Could
that also have caused my radiator to burst? I need to put in a new radiator
before I continue but I just wanted to make sure it was worth putting any
more money into it. Sounds like it may continue to live.

Yes, I have two and the other one recently started losing coolant too in the
same way so maybe a comparison won't help much. I'm pretty sure the other
('91) needs a new fan clutch (it turns freely when th engine is warmed up)
and I think the thermostat is OK but now it sounds like it may have a bad
head gasket too.

Ulysses wrote:

>
> Thanks Paul. This sounds like a very likely cause of my problem. I has
> been losing coolant too but I didn't think the problems were related. It
> has been "boiling over" and losing coolant through the top of the reservoir.
> Bubbling exhaust from a leaking head gasket could do that, right? Could
> that also have caused my radiator to burst?

It can happen either way- a leak can cause the engine to overheat,
blowing the head gasket, or the head gasket can go, and the exhaust in
the coolant can cause other parts of the cooling system to fail.

I've read that the radiators (at least in the early Explorers) tended
to leak due to their aluminum/plastic construction. I experienced this
in a Ford Ranger with the same engine and radiator, and indeed my
headgasket blew. :-(
-Paul

This vintage Explorer had a problem with leaking water via the intake
manifold gasket. You might try very gently tightening the intake manifold
bolts (the lower ones). Be careful because it's an aluminum intake manifold
and if you overtighten, the manifold may crack.

This fixed my problem with water getting into the intake.

"Ulysses" > wrote in message
...
>
> > wrote in message
> ups.com...
>>
>> Ulysses wrote:
>> > When my '92 EB with the 4.0 V6 has been sitting for a while it will run
>> > rough when I first start it up and white smoke comes out of the
> tailpipe.
>>
>> White smoke can be caused by coolant leaking into the cylinder from a
>> bad head gasket. That jibes with it happening after sitting for a
>> while, and when started running rough and then smoothing out.
>>
>> If that's the case, you should be losing coolant, and maybe
>> overheating. One check is to fill the radiator but leave the cap off,
>> start it, push hard on the brakes, put it in gear and rev it a LITTLE-
>> 1200 rpm. Slip the clutch if it's a manual. The idea here is to load
>> the engine to increase combustion pressure in the cylinders.
>>
>> Have someone observing the radiator coolant- if you have a bad head
>> gasket, exhaust should get into the coolant, making it bubble and
>> surge. The escaping exhaust forms big bubbles in the water jacket and
>> pushes its way out thru the radiator cap opening.
>>
>> If the level just changes slightly when you rev and expands as it warms
>> up, all that's normal.
>>
>> You have two, right? You can also compare them.
>> -Paul
>>
>
> Thanks Paul. This sounds like a very likely cause of my problem. I has
> been losing coolant too but I didn't think the problems were related. It
> has been "boiling over" and losing coolant through the top of the
> reservoir.
> Bubbling exhaust from a leaking head gasket could do that, right? Could
> that also have caused my radiator to burst? I need to put in a new
> radiator
> before I continue but I just wanted to make sure it was worth putting any
> more money into it. Sounds like it may continue to live.
>
> Yes, I have two and the other one recently started losing coolant too in
> the
> same way so maybe a comparison won't help much. I'm pretty sure the other
> ('91) needs a new fan clutch (it turns freely when th engine is warmed up)
> and I think the thermostat is OK but now it sounds like it may have a bad
> head gasket too.
>
>
>
>
>

Tommy Wood wrote:
> This vintage Explorer had a problem with leaking water via the intake
> manifold gasket. You might try very gently tightening the intake manifold
> bolts (the lower ones). Be careful because it's an aluminum intake manifold
> and if you overtighten, the manifold may crack.
>
> This fixed my problem with water getting into the intake.
>

Interesting. In that case, the "loading the engine" test wouldn't show
anything because exhaust wouldn't be getting into the coolant. But it
seems like it would REALLY suck coolant at idle, so it wouldn't smooth
out.

How'd you figure it out, and what were the symptoms?
-Paul