My car is burning oil Like when i open the oil cap after barely even driving it smoke is spiraling inside not large amounts of smoke, its you cant see it coming off the engine unless you open the cap or dipstick, anyways I've been smelling an oil burning odor and a buddy of mine said its most likely the valves my question is... Can you change valves without pulling the engine? and another question would be is it possible to install an engine oil cooler on my 94 3.4?

 

More likely valve seals or rings. Run some compression tests on the enigine, then spray a little bit of oiil in the spark plug hole, and re test. if it gets better, you need rings. If not, you probably need valve seals. You might do well to just get both.

 

So do you have to pull the engine to replace the valve seals / rings? and by rings are you referring to piston rings?

 

A lot of vapor in the crankcase could indicate a lot of blowby. Meaning bad rings, and oil burning. You can do valve seals without removing the heads, but do a compression test, as indicated by FlufyTiger, before doing anything.

 

You don't HAVE to pull the engine for rings, but it makes it easier. If you just need valve seals, you don't have to pull anything but plugs and valve covers, as well as anything that might be in the way. You'll need alot of 1/4 inch rope, or a way to get shop air into the cylinder, like a compression test hose with a quick disconnect fitting on it to keep the valves up while you change the seals. You'll also need a valve spring compressor. If you decide to undertake, either myself, or a number of other people on here will be able to tell you how to do it, so just post on here about it, and you should have an answer in under an hour.

 

that rope deal is a pain in the ***. just rotate each cylinder up and change them out one cylinder at a time. if your like me and only have two hands this method works perfectly. don't waste your money and re-ring an unmachined block. Sick

 

I might do this myself But im not sure my dads friend is very good at mechanical work so I migh as well justhave him do it. How much do valves and rings run usually?

 

By the way I appreciate every single one of your guys help.

 

so what about installing an engine oil cooler. ive got a buddy that has one he said he'd give me for free how would u go about hooking that up? Is it possible?

 

Agreed, it is a major pain in the ***, but it beats the hell out of losing a valve in the engine and having to pull a head, especially in a 94 F-Body....

As for the price of the seals, looks like about $20 for a set in my area, I don't know what parts costs are like where you are, but the stores around here vary from county to county in the same chain, so I'm sure there's a big differerence accross the country.

The oil cooler will likely require that you buy an oil filter relocator kit so you can avoid having to machine your block for extra oil outlets, if you can do it right, or know someone who can, go for it. Just make sure you put enough oil in the car when you install it, it could easily add two quarts to the capacity depending on the size of the cooler, and the amount of lines you use. And while you're at it, I'd move the oil filter higher so you can install a larger filter and get even more oil capacity. (Remember, more fluid means more cooling capability) Just call up a filter manufacturer and tell them you need a larger filter with the same thread and baseplate diameter. I like K&N or Hastings, personally. and NEVER buy any filter they sell at Wal-Mart, if you take one apart, you'd see why. I once took apart a Toyota 22RE out of an old truck I had, was running fram filters most of its life (stepdad owned it before me, he was a cheap bastard) and I found literally hundreds of little pieces of oil soaked cardboard in the oil pan and stuck in the sump screens. I will NEVER buy a fram filter again because of it.