[VAC] Re: Smoke & Tears

["Dr. Gerald N. Johnson, electrical engineer" <geraldj@xxxxxxxx>]

Oil should make blue smoke. Water makes white steam. Gasoline burning
rich makes black smoke.

Stamped tin rocker covers are hard to keep from leaking. Once over
tightened they have to be flattened to not leak with new gaskets. There
have been extra heavy rocker cover gaskets offered to help with that.
There are also pieces of steel to go under the bolt heads and spread
their force out along the gasket. They help some. Along with the thicker
rocker cover gaskets, a bead of RTV gasket can help.

My dad's first new car, a 1954 Ford overhead valve 6 (first year of its
production) leaked oil down the back of the block for a long time. The
dealer replaced the freeze plugs thinking they were the leak. What it
was we found when we pulled the engine apart at some 60,000 miles for
inspection/rebuild. There was a defect in the cast gasket ridge. My dad
filed that ridge down flat and it stopped leaking. Later we wish they'd
made heads better but I don't think they do.

Gerald J.