Oil spitting out of exhaust, I need lots of input

**99bluebird** · 05-31-2007, 12:02 AM

So I upgraded to a trans am from my 110k mile firebird because I got a sweet deal. However, the engine has burnt 2 quarts of oil across 2000 miles. The car has 54k miles but "supposedly" the guy before me recently rebuilt the engine 5k miles ago. The reason for the rebuild was the previous owner running nitrous. Anyway I can see little droplets of oil spitting out the exhaust, tiny but consistant. I am guessing this is not a function of the recent rebuild but rather a poor job and the rings are leaky. Still runs strong. BTW car has mild cam, longtubes. Is this definetly rings or how should I diagnose? And if it needs rebuilding how should I go about it? I would like to spend less than $6000 if possible.

options:
1) rebuild this engine with new rings
2) rebuild this engine but bore it out to ensure no sleeve scarring
3) get an ebay low mileage engine to replace
4) other?

**Mecinoid** · 05-31-2007, 12:28 AM

Buy a low mileage LS2/LS6/LS7 Motor from the junkyard and drop that in. ;-)

**third_shift|studios** · 05-31-2007, 04:19 AM

i would rebuild it...unless you got it for like 1000$ but if you've allready paid for it, don't pay for it again-upgrade the bastard!

**99bluebird** · 05-31-2007, 07:23 AM

OK but which of those options would be best if I want to spend under $6k including the install? I don't have the rack or time to do it myself sadly.

**2000T/A Guru** · 05-31-2007, 01:43 PM

Buy a cherry pciker engine lift for like 200 bucks and do the swap yourself took me and 2 of my friends 4 days to do a ls1 long block swap, take the motor out take all the stuff you need off, put it on the new one and put it back in the car. I actually had fun except for when i was frustrated and annoyed. As for under 6 grand, get a stroker short block thats about 3-4 k some nice heads or to save money just get yours ported and polished, then get a nice cam and a good intake manifold and TB, you will have like 440-500 rwhp and that would be nice. If you want to have a shop do all the installation then you need to find out how much of your motor is damaged. So you can see what you budget allows for, depending on how many parts you have to replace.

**clg82** · 05-31-2007, 02:55 PM

is it uncommon to have oil spit out of your exhaust?.....i know a stupid question!

**2000T/A Guru** · 05-31-2007, 02:56 PM

Not when your rings are gone lol.

**ls1blackbeauty98** · 05-31-2007, 03:15 PM

pull the plugs, that will tell u which cylinder it is that will give u a better look at where exactly u are at. compression test that will tell u if its the rings.
i personally dont think u need to do a rebuild... id check the motor out first to see if its something u can fix before dropping thousands on a rebuild/new motor.
please guys fill in/correct me if im wrong we are trying to help this guy

**ls1speedster** · 05-31-2007, 06:48 PM

what i would do is leak down the engine....(pressure test it)...
check plugs
then pop the bad cylinders out and make sure the ring gaps arent lined up...the ends of the rings could be lined up leaking oil

**joejenkinsglass** · 05-31-2007, 07:44 PM

sounds like its coming from the valves to me.......or its a 2 stroke

**99bluebird** · 05-31-2007, 09:53 PM

it might just be a 2 stroke. That would sure explain the briggs and stratton emblem on the master cylinder. But what issue of the heads would cause oil to leak into the valves? I guess a compression test should be my first test, but then what?

**joejenkinsglass** · 06-01-2007, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by 99bluebird

it might just be a 2 stroke. That would sure explain the briggs and stratton emblem on the master cylinder. But what issue of the heads would cause oil to leak into the valves? I guess a compression test should be my first test, but then what?

the valve seals is what i was talking about and i dont think a compreeion test would show them bad although it is a good place to start though but for now get 2 catch cans attached to the exhaust tips

**Stricken1** · 06-02-2007, 02:43 PM

Its the rings...there is a GM service bull. on the rings for the LS1...Includes the Vette. Mine burns the same amount of oil...maybe a little less.

**ILLTMPRD-WS6** · 06-02-2007, 05:09 PM

i will add a little less than one quart per 3000 miles. It's an 01 that just rolled 20k miles and I'm sure it's not going to get any better.

**joejenkinsglass** · 06-02-2007, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by Stricken1

Its the rings...there is a GM service bull. on the rings for the LS1...Includes the Vette. Mine burns the same amount of oil...maybe a little less.

so ehat exactly will they do when a service bulletin i have an 01 ss that doesnt use any that i have noticed but if it needs fixed i would like to know

**0rion** · 06-02-2007, 08:55 PM

does the car smoke on start up after sitting? Do the droplets ever go away after the cars fully warmed up? Any other issues with how it's running? Idle good? Open up the throttle body and look inside the manifold to see if you have oil in there. Some of your consumption could be from the pcv system.

**02z28ls1** · 06-03-2007, 02:24 AM

My engine will go through about a half a quart every 1000 miles. It's mainly short trip city driving. It's a 35,000 miles stocker and it's done this without variation since new.
Always try to diagnose what's going on before pulling the motor. Hate to spend 6 gadzillion dollars just to have the same problem. And it's a possibility in this case. If you are really spitting tiny drops of oil out the exhaust I doubt you would get that far on a quart of oil.

**99bluebird** · 06-03-2007, 01:04 PM

Thanks a lot for all the help. The only times it smokes visibly is upon flooring, and then its only a small black puff, then nothing.
I am pretty sure its just condensation since it 'seems' to stop after warming up all the way (vaporizes I guess). I will check into the PCV system.

**blackSS01** · 06-03-2007, 01:09 PM

I don't know about that GM bullitin being right. I have a 01 with 68,000 and don't use a drop of oil in 3000. My buddy worked for a GM dealership and would have told me if such a thing existed.

**Bill8706** · 06-03-2007, 04:12 PM

there are a ton of service bullitin's for every car, just because there is one out there, that doesnt mean its going to happen to your car. our M6 (T56) tranny's have one on the shift fork (its aluminum & when its hot it will sometimes bend causing it to be too short and grinding when shifting up into 3rd & down into 4th), mine had this problem and i ended up tearin the shit out my 3rd gear. long story short i got a new 3rd gear and a heat treated shift fork. cost $2000, but most people with T56's will never experience the problem.