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//// 1985 International streaming oil out the blow by tube...WHY ? ////

funwithfuel

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The theory with the valve cover allowing boost into the crankcase is only on the electronic engines. Those were a combination unit of intake manifold and valve cover gasket the Boost pipe went straight into the top of the valve cover. The fact that you were able to loosen injector lines and create a miss for troubleshooting says that you have a pump line and nozzle engine so this is not one of your concerns.
Extracting nozzle injectors from an old conventional head can sometimes be very difficult you may need a special puller for that. Having having said that I would start spraying them up with penetrating oil and letting them soak. Regarding chasing the injector around see if it follows the injector or stays at the same hole is very valid and a common one that we all use from time to time. But again the downside is when removing the injectors if it is stuck to the cup you will run the risk of removing a cup with the injector.
Reading your posts it's nice to see that you are trying to troubleshoot it in a logical and methodical way rather than just throwing Parts at it
Keep up the good work
 

thepumpguysc

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Was it a dead cylinder w/ absolutly no change?? I'd swap it w/ the furthest hole AWAY FROM the suspect cyl.
I'm just typing out loud here> IF it was a cracked piston & the inj. was good, it would have to be "making oil".. the fuel would be running right past the piston into the cr.case.
Either way, the engine cant be running "fine" other than oil out the dipstick.. there HAS TO BE a skip if breaking an inj. doesn't make a dif..
 

RZucker

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Will be time to pull either the oil pan(easiest to reinstall) or the head and have a internal look. Number six dead hole, most likely scored and rings destroyed where not building compression just sending it to the crankcase. Pan off roll the engine to 1&6 at tdc will be able to see cylinder wall damage/scores, is there is severe enough damage to the piston that will be really evident from the bottom, may be pieces in the pan.

Another less invasive test is to pull the injector and put the bad cylinder on TDC with the valves closed and pressurize the cylinder with air. I use a big rubber tip on a pipe extension on a blow gun valve. I've found many a bad valve that way, if the piston is chunked you should hear air in the crankcase filler hole.
 

Birken Vogt

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Yep, forgot to add that you may want to lock the crank, some engines will turn pretty freely. I usually regulate the air down between 45-60 psi.

If you don't lock the crank and decide to do the TDC thing, make sure your fingers are clear of any parts that may suddenly rotate if it gets to one side or the other!
 

Andyinchville

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Thanks for the compressed air and drop the oil pan idea....I was really dreading the head removal if not needed (unfortunately may still be needed tho)

As potentially something easier, Is there some way to use a diesel compression gauge to figure out things without removing an oil pan etc ?

Thanks
 

funwithfuel

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Sure, use the compression test adapter to charge the cylinder with air. You still want to lock the crankshaft somehow. Top gear, wheels chocked and park brake set. Get your valve cover off , roll engine over til number 1 valves are on overlap, check number 6, pushrods should spin freely and rockers should be loose. Pump air in the cylinder, 30-40psi or about 2 bar. Listen carefully for air entering exhaust, intake or bottom end. A little is ok, blowing straight through is not. The odds of having a tight mechanical engine are pretty slim. Use judgement.
I described testing for 6 as you said that was the hole with the least contribution.
 

funwithfuel

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On second thought, run your overhead. Adjust all intakes and exhaust. Document any that are tight or have zero lash. This simple maintenance practice can tell you a lot.
 

Andyinchville

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On second thought, run your overhead. Adjust all intakes and exhaust. Document any that are tight or have zero lash. This simple maintenance practice can tell you a lot.

Admittedly, I have not messed with valve adjustments on any of the trucks since I got them.
Most likely, they should have been looked at early on BUT sadly we did not.
Could a poorly adjusted valve make for blow by ?
Could a broken / really worn valve guide cause the issues? (there is no rattling noise so I assume nothing loose?).

Thanks
 

funwithfuel

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Yes, valves tend to beat the seats into the head. That actually reduces clearance. If you dropped a valve you'll know because you won't be able to establish any clearance. And since the valve cover is off. Time to do the bypass test
 

Andyinchville

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Today I figured we'd try one last thing before admitting defeat and actually looking inside the engine (hopefully...fingers crossed...THIS would be the cure !).

Anyways, we took the injector out of the rearmost cylinder and swapped it with an injector from a cylinder that was working well hoping all along that the problem would follow the "bad" injector to the new hole.....

Drum Roll...

No such luck....the rearmost cylinder still did not make any difference when the injector line was cracked on a known good injector....

On a positive note, the injector from the bad cylinder was shown to work when put into a different cylinder...
A small victory of sorts....

Oh well I guess we'll start with the valve cover next hoping for something "simple" (maybe a valve guide or something?).
 

RZucker

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Today I figured we'd try one last thing before admitting defeat and actually looking inside the engine (hopefully...fingers crossed...THIS would be the cure !).

Anyways, we took the injector out of the rearmost cylinder and swapped it with an injector from a cylinder that was working well hoping all along that the problem would follow the "bad" injector to the new hole.....

Drum Roll...

No such luck....the rearmost cylinder still did not make any difference when the injector line was cracked on a known good injector

On a positive note, the injector from the bad cylinder was shown to work when put into a different cylinder...
A small victory of sorts....

Oh well I guess we'll start with the valve cover next hoping for something "simple" (maybe a valve guide or something?).

If you had the injector out why didn't you try the air test? Massive blowby and a dead hole is not an injector. It's a piston/liner issue and you wont find anything under the valve cover either. It's under the head.
 

Andyinchville

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If you had the injector out why didn't you try the air test? Massive blowby and a dead hole is not an injector. It's a piston/liner issue and you wont find anything under the valve cover either. It's under the head.

I guess I was SOOOO hoping it was an injector, It didn't dawn on me to do the air test....
Had I had less hopes of an "easy" fix, I probably could have thought more logically....
I guess I will have to admit defeat and face reality shortly...soon the engine is coming apart....Sigh
Thanks to all who have helped me in this....
I'll keep you posted as I progress on this BUT I will probably have to fix the head gasket (at least I am hoping it's just a head gasket and not a liner seal also) on the truck that overheated first since that truck is more universally usable by my helpers (automatic trans) .
 
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