In all the years I've been around Vairs with oil leaks.....

I've never seen one like this; guy thought the engine was on fire!


NO DRIPS! No adding oil.... all sheetmetal / thermos on /working

Start engine....as it warms up...SMOKE from the fan area! Drive car...nothing visible.......

Come to a halt [ after 20 miles highway] and smoke billows out the fan and heater [ if turned on ] Mainly on the pass. side....some smoke out of pass. wheel well.

NO RESIDUE on top the engine...or on the Pass. side [ crankvent tube] carb.

We'll take it apart this weekend...but what's everyone think?

Is this a contest?? Do we win something if we're right?? ;-)))

I've got a similar problem with my 110 and I think Dennis Pleau talked about something similar awhile back on VV. Seems like Dennis found a verrrry small crack in the top cover, but I think I've got a leak at the gasket area on that top cover, since nothing obvious is leaking from below (by looking through the thermostat doors). I don't even have enough of a leak to cause me to add oil between changes, but it sure gets smokey.....very embarrassing :-(

Whats the smoke smell like? Burning Oil? I'd say oil is getting on the exhaust logs somehow...

Maybe a clynder base gasket is bad, letting oil hit the manifold. Just a wild guess....but you did ask for guesses, and I figure you have the 'normal' stuff covered )

ANd if not a clynder base gasket, maybe a cylinder base gasket.

Ok I guess it a bad o-ring on the breather tube where it goes into the top cover. I hope I win!!!
Ron

I'm going to through my guess out there since i just finished installing a basic engine kit from clarks. Maybe it's a leak on the pass side from the top cover itself?

Curtis

curtis_henken@hotmail.com

Check for oil around the valve cover on the pass. side. Oil can leak out the bottom of the valve cover and seep under the lower shroud, then drip on the exhaust manifold. Or it could be a bad o-ring dropping oil on the manifold.

Curtis / Steve O share the prize!

Top cover loose....oil running down on cylinders 3 & 5....but only at idle!!!!

Seems they had added somes sort of "checkvalve " in the PCV line! only opens above idle?? GREEN and BLACK plastic....????? I've seen these on newer cars ...he knew nothing about it.

Guy had not driven the car for 3 yrs...local Mech said it needed rebuilding...and would have to send it to CLARKS! "The ONLY Corvair shop" left in the whole world! ggg

He's been educated...since he met me! 83 yrs. old!

PS....OIl cooler was totally blocked as was most of the cylinders......so the engine was running very hot as well....

Hello Matt: Thanks for helping to get another CORVAIR on the road.

Regards, Steve

It was my pleasure..the guy is 83 and on oxygen..and really likes his Vair.....talk about rusty !! He's from Illinois...took a hammer and drift to get the brake adjusters loose!

Who says Earlies don't rust???? ggg