IDI Wizards, your best guess please...

[DOE-SST]

A friends 1994 E350 van, with 7.3 NA, auto trans and 380K miles.

Suddenly started putting substantial blue smoke out the tailpipe, but the smoke stream has gaps in it, like most of the cylinders are smoking but 1-2 cylinders are not.

There was a very light rhythmic ticking from the engine for years. Now the ticking is louder. When the oil filler cap is removed, the ticking is 10 times louder and sounds like two pipes of pipe being hit together very fast.

These is a lot of smoke coming out of the oil filler pipe as well.

I've given him my diagnosis, but he doesn't want to believe it.

So, perhaps some of you experts can offer your opinions, and if a consensus is reached, that may convince him.

We await your verdicts...

 

[Kizer]

Disclosure:

I'm certainly no "Wizard". I have trouble catching gremlins.

My best guess: Time for a re-build.

 

[frankenwrench]

X2

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

I don't have any clairvoyance: I would start with a compression test and see if any cylinder(s) seem low.

Maybe he'll get lucky and it's just a valve issue, but with that kind of mileage, I have to agree with the two posts above: it might be time to think about an overhaul.

Good luck

 

[Jason1377]

Not wizard a young jedi maybe

Oil change glow plug change fuel filter change with some ATF let sit over night or some hot shot secret like Thewepual and a few others use a compress test pictures would help as well. I would also talk to @Thewespaul @typ4 and others before a rebuild. Best of luck though

 

[Knuckledragger]

Sounds like a valve train noise. Perhaps a lifter pivot has worn out, a pushrod has bent, lifters have collapsed, who knows? With that many miles on it, it could be a combination of things. Broken rings, cracked valve margins, whatever.

Has he checked for oil/water where it does not belong? Maybe block worm. Bent rod(s) will run but badly.

 

[riotwarrior]

My best technowizardry....bad valve guids going badder still

JM2CW Eh

 

[DOE-SST]

All fluids are normal, except oil quantity. He took it out for a test run. At low rpm it sounds like 1-2 cylinders are not firing. At 75mph it sounds smooth and strong. Lots of blue smoke at every speed.

I suggested he park it until he can overhaul it or sell it. He still needs to use it daily. I'm going to shoot the engine temps with an infrared thermometer to see if there are dead cylinders.

 

[riotwarrior]

Rings or guides are really only ace u get oil...if blue down hiway...rings....

 

[catbird7]

Could it be as simple as a clogged cdr valve?