Last night i pulled the cradle from my 86 SE 2.8L 4 speed. The motor was smoking blue very bad...liquid oil out the exhaust. When i got the motor out and removed the valve covers, on of the firewall side rocker arms was clear off the pushrod. Would this cause the very bad smoking? If it was stuck open i could see it, but being closed im not sure how it would. Also the drivers side front cradle bolt was a b*tch to get out. The cradle is rusted very bad right here, bad enough i wouldnt have even had to take the bolt out, it would have just dropped down over it. Would now be the time to get a 88 cradle, or do i need to swap out the whole suspension? I have some more questions, but i cant think of them atm. Thanks in advanced.

How much better would this perform with fixing the rocker...just curious how much power i was loosing there. I need to see if it was the intake of exhaust valve.

[This message has been edited by Rubberman2003 (edited 06-24-2009).]

I can't see just having the rocker off the push rod off would cause excess oil consumption that you see. You have more worn parts or damage than just that. I am courious, did you do a compression check prior to removal? Can you still do one?
On the push rod the rocker is off, is the valve spring intact? Is the valve in the closed position This could have cause a miss if it is the intake valve as well as rough running and poor performance. If you have pulled the plugs what did that one look like?

On the cradle issue, if the cradle is rusted that badly you are correct it is cradle time. If you want an 88 cradle you need the whole thing from the bolts to the wheels, calipers and e-brake cables - - all of them including the one that goes inside the cabin to the handle. Then you would need the strut mounting adapters in order to use the setup. If you don't want to do all that just get another cradle to replace the one you have.

Where is your location??
Welcome to the Forum as well!!

you would need to swapout the whole rear suspention to do the 88 cradle swap... as for the rocker, usualy a rocker wont cause oil to get into the piston unless the valve seal on that valve was destroyed... the question would be why did it come off? did the valve bend? (they can look straight but not be), did the lifter fail? id pull the head and send it to a machine shop and have it checked...

I am in central Ohio, you dont happen to have a cradle do you? The motors is all apart now. I have a valve grinder, and my dad used to work in a machine shop, ( the car is apart at his house, due to his 40x60 building. He will inspect the heads with me. But visually nothing appears to be bent.

I did a compression check on that cylinder with one other one, they were both 70-80. The plug on the screwed up rocker cylinder was covered in oil. Im thinking the valve seal is destroyed.


Question: Can the pistons rings be shot even if you cant see any issues with them visually? Thanks

[This message has been edited by Rubberman2003 (edited 06-24-2009).]

quote Originally posted by Rubberman2003: I am in central Ohio, you dont happen to have a cradle do you? I did a compression check on that cylinder with one other one, they were both 70-80. The plug on the screwed up rocker cylinder was covered in oil. Im thinking the valve seal is destroyed. Question: Can the pistons rings be shot even if you cant see any issues with them visually? Thanks

An answer to the first question is yes, I have a cradle here out of an 87 V-6 car that will bolt right up for you.

I take it that your compression readings were dry. Consider this, a new engine or a fresh rebuild will have between 125 and 150 lbs. I would think that they are not shot but worn very well. If it were me I would rebuild it because it is out already. If you don't need the car for every day transportation I would rebuild/ swap/replace it.

quote Originally posted by Indiana_resto_guy: An answer to the first question is yes, I have a cradle here out of an 87 V-6 car that will bolt right up for you. I take it that your compression readings were dry. Consider this, a new engine or a fresh rebuild will have between 125 and 150 lbs. I would think that they are not shot but worn very well. If it were me I would rebuild it because it is out already. If you don't need the car for every day transportation I would rebuild/ swap/replace it.

Yeah i pulled it out to rebuild anyways. I will be rebuilding this to take the place of my daily driver, id like to keep the miles down on my current DD.

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