Could this leak be coming from a crack in the head at the valve guide?

My first thought was that there is nothing up there that can leak oil.

then I took some pics of a head laying right next to me:





So after looking at those pics... If the head nut/stud to the left of the above pic gets really loose, then the oil could leak out where you are showing.

AND - B|tch slap whoever put all that sillycone on your pushrod tubes.

I ask for help and I get criticized. Sheesh. I feel like Rodney Dangerfield. No respect.

I tole ya ya shuddin put that krap on dem tubes. Shoddy engine builder.

OK, I'm pretty sure the inside of the exhaust port including the valve and valve stem, shouldn't be covered with wet glistening oil. (It's actually worse than the picture shows). All the other exhaust ports are dark grey with carbon but they are totally dry. I need some experienced opinions here unless you just can't help making remarks about silicone and bitch slapping. This is the number 2 exhaust port. I found the smoke the car was making was worse doing down hill with a right turn. Since number 2 is the forward left cylinder I guess this makes sense. Does anyone besides SLITS agree with this? Looks like the engine comes out and the head comes off.

I'd agree; time to pull that head and have it checked thoroughly.

--DD

could be headwork, could be junk rings.

Pull it, stop taking pictures already..

rich

The part that I was commenting on was the drip of oil coming from ABOVE the stub pipe, which cannot be coming from inside the exhaust port.
Or do you not see the drip coming off of the cooling fin?

I was being serious both about the leak and the fact that you should not use silicone on the tube seals....

Looks like you have a leak both inside & outside that cylinder.
Maybe from that bolt AND from inside. Maybe related?

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Thanks. It looks like the engine comes out. The push rod tubes aren't leaking and never have on this engine because of the high temp sealant that was used. So, which is better, carbs or fuel injection?

I would have told you that your guess at a crack valve guide seat would have oiled the port, but you don't listen anyway.

Go sit in your lawn chair, take more pictures, drink wine, eat more moldy cheese, PUT DOWN THE RTV AND TOOLS and wait for the Leprechauns to fix your car.

PULL THE DAMN HEAD!!!!!

Neither .........

And if I lived nearby, I would swing by and pick up SLITS, along with two more chairs, a few extra bottles of wine, some scotch and we would come supervise you while you waited for the leprechauns.

Time for a six elliot

But you didn't. All you could think of was giving me shit about RTV on the push rod tube seals. Speaking of Leprechauns, does that mean you'll be coming up here to help?

Hey! Hey! New England boy. SLITS is the only one who can talk about me like that. Besides if you lived close by, I don't think either one of you would be much help.

I'm working on it. I'm looking for one for the 914 as well.

What chicken $hit answer! FI is more efficient. Carbs are more fun.

Someone has invited Clay?

--DD

No, the other one.

OoooooooooooooH, I've been burned by a Vegan.

I thought he was from the Coast, not from Vegas!

--DD

Guinness and scotch are not made from meat, right?

While waiting for the magic to happen, you too can remain a vegan for that part of the day.

OMG, I went to bed last night and the Leprechauns must have showed up while I was sleeping and look what they did! So now what else should I do "while I'm in there"? Everything in there is at least 10 years old. I'm thinking of replacing all the cables and I'll have to replace the engine tin rubber seals as they were somewhat damaged when the car was raised off the engine. All the rubber fuel lines will be changed out to the new plastic lined ones. New fuel filter. What else besides general cleaning and re-painting? The engine has about 30,000miles on it. If I have the bad head done, does anyone recommend doing the other one as well or "if it aint broke, don't fix it"?

Undercoating.

nice job! I have said many times that you can remove a carb typeIV in less than an hour if you have the right tools sitting around.

FIRST: AND - B|tch slap whoever put that throttle linkage on there.
Just buy the right one when you put it back in ;-)

It will be painted with VHT. Works as a great insulator and will keep the rear trunk cooler.

That throttle linkage works perfectly. It's a CB performance linkage that has been modified. There is absolutely NO slack in the linkage. All four throttles open and close fully and at the exact same rate. Someone needs to be Bitch slapped for criticizing something they don't know about. I'll take better pictures of the linkage and you can see how it's been re-worked, when I get the engine back together. Whenever the hell that might be.

Inspect the head first. Look over it carefully to see if you can find where the leak was.

--DD

These valve guides just don't look right and maybe someone can help explain what I'm looking at. Three of the intake valves have what I think is a brass valve guide showing? It shows weather the valves are open or closed. One of the valves doesn't show anything as you can see from the pics. Does this mean the valve guides have come loose? The last picture shows the rockers looking pretty clean. Anyway, it looks like both heads will come off.

If you cant tell a when you see one, I just dont know anymore....

I could criticize your starter "helper relay" or your head vents next if that really gets you going

Can you tell what has been done to the linkage? Have you seen mine work? If you want to help me with this problem I have with the engine fine but I don't need to be criticized by someone who hasn't even seen, heard, or driven my car. Help me out with some of your expertise or stay the fuck off this thread.

The inside of those heads look too clean for some reason.

How many miles did this engine have on it before you noticed the leak?

Got it! I actually thought we had a pretty good conversational relationship from some of the other threads.

SO... I guess I will just fuck off then.

About 30,000. The engine was built by FAT Performance about 9 years ago. 147 HP @5300RPM on the dyno. This is the first time I have had any trouble.

I always appreciate informed help. When someone blindly criticizes something they know nothing about... Kinda bothers me. I can show you what I did with the throttle linkage when I get things back together. Apologies till then.

When I first said:



I didnt realize that you had head vents.
Maybe you should ask if there is anything that could have caused higher crankcase pressure than before. (clogged vent or blown ring?)

And I dont just go and take the time to take pictures of a spare head and bother to post them to photobucket just for the opportunity to dick with someone....

Both head vents are connected to a breather and I don't believe either one is clogged. I'm hoping this is a head issue and not a blown ring. The helper relay was there when I bought the car. It works fine and I saw no reason to remove it.

I would go through both heads. It will help to assure uniform compression.

If you do have a ring issue, the hard part is already done - the engine is out and the heads off.

Inspect the cylinders. Might want to re-ring it too?

Most engines that use guides, the guide for the valve hangs into the port. The only time I have ever seen a guide cut flush with the roof of the port was on a racing engine that was torn down after each race anyway. Others I have seen may cut the guide a bit shorter and then taper it in the direction of flow. The two above methods were to achieve maximum flow through the port.

It appears that one has moved. Yes the markings on the valve stem are from the valve moving in and out which is normal to me. The only way to tell is to remove the springs and retainers. Once that is done you will be able to see how much of the guide is sticking above the valve guide boss or if you have means of depressing the valve you might see the guide magically appear in the port.

I had an engine that the guide seized on the valve stem and pulled it. Smoked like hell and still ran though. It happened just driving around in a parking lot at low RPMs.

All in all, it appears to be a head issue. If you had a broken ring on a piston you would see grooving in the cylinder wall. On the way to Wickenburg for Route 66, this happened to me.

And whatever brand of fuel you are using is leaving deposits. Years ago I used Smell gas until I tore and engine down. Deposits are from the additive package.

Slits has it. The guide has moved in the head. Either loose or a crack in the head.

As he said the guides normally protrude into the port. Old mass produced engine guides are simple tubes, usually cast iron. Your heads have been reworked to improve flow and have had tapered guides installed. If not cracked they can just install an oversize guide and new seal, and figure out why this one came loose.



Looks like the intake ports have had some mild porting done on them.
If you end up with a replacement head you will need the same work done
on the new one or it could have different flow rates then the other.

remove, straighten, and 'pretty up' the engine tin.

IDK,

If the valve guide were leaking, it would smoke sure, but if the headers are on with a good seal, there shouldn't be oil on the outside.

See if you can move the valve guide, one on mine came loose and I could actually move the thing with my finger.

Good luck!

If the valve guide is loose and leaking, that will cause higher than normal crankcase pressure as the exhaust gases blow by the guide into the head.
Since he has a head vent directly over where we see the oil leaking down the header stub, I think that is the source of the oil on the outside of the stub.

I am with Mark......, Elliot....

I'd do both heads. Sounds and looks like the guides from your posts.


And for those that don't know him....He's a nice guy and is pretty meticulous with his car. He drives it more that anyone I know who owns a 914

I agree with Mark as well. Both heads coming off. I know Mark is a nice guy and is pretty meticulous with his car but I didn't think he drives it much because I'm not sure if he ever had a 914 that ran much.

You two should get a room.

Can I pick on you now about the RTV under the head washers?

and

The "T" in the brake line?

It looks like it moved.
I would re-ring it, but that is just me...you are in there, and its simple to do at this point...

Otherwise, do both heads.
Suck that it happened.

They are press fit in there then honed out.
I believe the metallurgy has changed quite a bit and the new guide have a stronger blend of the alloy so they wont wear out as fast.

If you put them in correctly, which seems to be your issue.

BTW, they were never cast iron...
If those are stock heads, its time to do it.
If those were previously done by a machine shop 30k miles ago, you might want to consider bringing your business elsewhere for this time around.



Rich