Ok valve covers may not be leaking but still smoking, what else?

[WH23G3G]

Ok I've changed out my valve cover gaskets finally with the rubber with reinforced steel inserts and they seem to be working at least on the passenger side but a little leaking from the back on the driver's side. However, I'm still getting a pretty good amount of smoke on the passenger side in the middle but the whole side of the block there under the valve cover is totally dry, not trace of oil anywhere. Does the exhaust manifold gasket or flange gasket cause smoking? And it only does it once the engine has warmed. But nothing is running or dripping. On the driver's side I think I know where it's leaking is the back side of the valve cover where the gaskets never are perfectly shaped like the valve cover. The oil is running down behind the starter body. Anyway to fix that?

[1969chargerrtse]

I get start up smoke all the time.  It's the leaky exhaust bolts studs that go into the water jacket.  The antifreeze burns off at start up and then I'm good.  I've pulled them out 3 times and re did them with sealers people swore worked.  Not on my car.    I really don't care anymore.

[Bigblocktony]

did you check the oil pressure sending unit, when i did mine i put teflon tape on that
or if you running a mech gauge check the farrel fitting 

[poppa]

What color is the smoke? It smells like oil I take it?

[WH23G3G]

It's more of a transparent smoke, pretty clear, not white and not black. I can't recall what kind of smell it was, I guess it smelled like oil but not like driving behind someone has black smoke pouring out. It's definitely not an antifreeze smell. The oil sending unit is totally dry around it and the fitting for the gauge. Oil pressure is fine. Those exhaust flange gaskets that came in the engine gasket kit were just paper. I wonder if they could be burning.

[WH23G3G]

Went back under my Charger and ran my hand all the way around the perimeter of the valve covers and there was no oil on any of my fingers. Yesterday when we started it still was smoking and I saw the area of the where the exhaust pipe meets the manifold flange there was some oil or something bubbling between the flange and the pipe. Is it possible the exhaust flange gasket could've gotten soaked from oil by the previous valve cover leaking and it didnt come out when I rinsed the engine down? I was going to remedy that and try some new flange gaskets but does anyone make some heavy duty ones made of metal? The engine was degreased and rinsed awhile back before we even started the engine yesterday so everything was dry. I washed it like a month ago. If it is the exhaust manifold studs coolant dripping wouldn't I see antifreeze? I put sealant on all the studs I put in. I can't remember if I had to replace them all or just a few. But the ones I replaced I definitely put teflon paste sealant on the threads.

[Paul G]

I get start up smoke all the time.  It's the leaky exhaust bolts studs that go into the water jacket.  The antifreeze burns off at start up and then I'm good.  I've pulled them out 3 times and re did them with sealers people swore worked.  Not on my car.    I really don't care anymore.

I had the same thing with a 440. Sometimes the studs just wont seal. Until the head cracked. Moot point by then. The head cracked between the two center exhaust ports. If it does not stop when the engine is running it might be a crack forming, if it only puffs at start up, then no leaks, it is probably the stud leaking. 

[WH23G3G]

So what do I do at this point? I had my heads reconditioned by a cylinder head rebuilder and one of the originals I brought in had some cracks in it so they gave me a good core in the cost. So they were all checked for cracks. I don't know if the smoke will go away because the carb is running too rich to leave it running long enough even when we move it outside. It's hard to get this carb dialed in right. The timing is perfect, it idles a lot better than when we first finished the engine. I have to have a meter that tells me the air/fuel mixture and adjust by that. I can't do it by sound. I don't have anyone that could get it tuned enough either. The problem is I can't see where the smoke is originating from. If it's leaking from the studs can you see it? Maybe I can try that.

[1969chargerrtse]

Exhaust gaskets to the manifold.  I kept burning mine up every year.  I even had the soft 3 layer aluminum type, following year I have a leak again.  After posting about it on this site I went straight manifolds to block and the issue is gone.  I guess Ma Mopar knows best as that's the way it was originally.

[1969chargerrtse]

Went back under my Charger and ran my hand all the way around the perimeter of the valve covers and there was no oil on any of my fingers. Yesterday when we started it still was smoking and I saw the area of the where the exhaust pipe meets the manifold flange there was some oil or something bubbling between the flange and the pipe. Is it possible the exhaust flange gasket could've gotten soaked from oil by the previous valve cover leaking and it didnt come out when I rinsed the engine down? I was going to remedy that and try some new flange gaskets but does anyone make some heavy duty ones made of metal? The engine was degreased and rinsed awhile back before we even started the engine yesterday so everything was dry. I washed it like a month ago. If it is the exhaust manifold studs coolant dripping wouldn't I see antifreeze? I put sealant on all the studs I put in. I can't remember if I had to replace them all or just a few. But the ones I replaced I definitely put teflon paste sealant on the threads.

I never see anitfreeze, but I see white/clearish smoke come up from my manifolds, and it's the exhaust studs for sure.  It burns off fast and I'm leaving it.

[WH23G3G]

I'll see if I can start it up again when I have time this weekend and see if the smoke dissipates after awhile. So if I leave it alone if it's just smoke from the studs will it cause issues later on?

[WH23G3G]

I haven't done anything yet. But I looked one more time and under the valve cover edges is as dry as they've been since I finished the engine over a year ago. I asked one of the veteran mechanics around here about the exhaust studs leaking coolant and burning off immediately. They said they don't ever use it but to try some cooling system sealer. I put teflon paste on the threads when I put the heads back on the engine. Do you think a coolant leak stopper might seal up something this minimal?

[70sixpkrt]

Have you checked your breather cap and grommet on that side? Mine leaks a tiny bit on the bottom and noticed some smoke (very little) on that side.

[Budnicks]

Maybe check that side back corner of Valley pan, dripping from the breather, old oil still burning off maybe, I use dead soft copper exhaust gaskets always even with HP manifolds...

[WH23G3G]

No I don't see anything from the breather or the mainfold rails. You can clearly see it's somewhere on the exhaust manifolds very easy to think it's a valve cover gasket leak. I just can't pinpoint it. I was going to try and do some more diagnosing of it today but the carb is running so rich it makes you cry. This carb is hard to tune. It idles pretty decent for a fresh motor but it's still rich. I just don't know carbs enough to set it without some kind of tool to help me. I was going to buy a $200 gas analyzer with a exhaust pipe probe that puts out the a/f ratio on a display just to get the carb set up but I don't know. It's a later rebuilt Carter thermoquad. Does anyone know if the speed drop method on the emission decal works for getting the mixture right? It says to jack up the idle speed to 950RPM mine would be 875 because it says to subtract 75RPM for a less than 300 mile motor. Then turn the screws lean equally until you can obtain an idle speed of 850RPM. It's at about 850 now just don't know if the mixture is right. Once that's ok I can maybe let it run long enough to see where the smoke is coming from or if it dissipates.

[1969chargerrtse]

I haven't done anything yet. But I looked one more time and under the valve cover edges is as dry as they've been since I finished the engine over a year ago. I asked one of the veteran mechanics around here about the exhaust studs leaking coolant and burning off immediately. They said they don't ever use it but to try some cooling system sealer. I put Teflon paste on the threads when I put the heads back on the engine. Do you think a coolant leak stopper might seal up something this minimal

Like I said before, 3 times I put different sealers, people swore would work and it still seeps through and burns off.  I also thought of some type of antifreeze sealer but with no other issues and a new radiator I'm gonna leave it alone.  It's simple to locate.  It either comes from the manifolds and studs at start up or it doesn't?  I know it's kinda common as I've talked to others that had the same issue.  I'm just tired of lifting the motor to remove the exhaust manifolds to unscrew each stud to clean again and paste again and have it leak again.  

[1969chargerrtse]

No I don't see anything from the breather or the mainfold rails. You can clearly see it's somewhere on the exhaust manifolds very easy to think it's a valve cover gasket leak. I just can't pinpoint it. I was going to try and do some more diagnosing of it today but the carb is running so rich it makes you cry. This carb is hard to tune. It idles pretty decent for a fresh motor but it's still rich. I just don't know carbs enough to set it without some kind of tool to help me. I was going to buy a $200 gas analyzer with a exhaust pipe probe that puts out the a/f ratio on a display just to get the carb set up but I don't know. It's a later rebuilt Carter thermoquad. Does anyone know if the speed drop method on the emission decal works for getting the mixture right? It says to jack up the idle speed to 950RPM mine would be 875 because it says to subtract 75RPM for a less than 300 mile motor. Then turn the screws lean equally until you can obtain an idle speed of 850RPM. It's at about 850 now just don't know if the mixture is right. Once that's ok I can maybe let it run long enough to see where the smoke is coming from or if it dissipates.

Yes and after you turn them to the highest idle point, turn them both out 1/4 more.  The carb has nothing to do with something coming up from the manifolds.  I tune by ear.  I adjust as you wrote and take it for a ride.  My car will smoke you to death with fumes.  I've adjusted it best I can, it seems to run rich at idle no matter what carb I put on it.  I get about 8 mpg and seems to be the norm?  I had a perfect new eddy carb on it and now the original carter and they both " seem " rich at idle and both run fine.