Proactive Oil Burning Prevention:Head Gasket Oil Drain Issue

Well, the car is back together after 4 weeks. New pistons, new rings (honed cylinder walls with new cylinder hone, up & down for a slow count of 10 each), new rod bearings, newly rebuilt head, new head gasket (Felpro...more on that in a minute), new oil pump, water pump, timing belt, timing belt tensioner, clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing, pilot bearing, flywheel, CV axles...I think that is everything.
I put the new O-ring in for the water tube yesterday. Filled it with coolant. Put 4 quarts of Valvoline 5W-30 Conventional Oi (I know 3.5 is the correct amount, put 4 in for priming) in this weekend. Hooked up the battery, removed the coil plug & turned the engine over for a few seconds to attempt to prime the pump. I then put the coil plug back on & started the ignition. Car cranked right up. Ran just a little rough ( need to check the ignition timing). I heard a tick that maybe either the lifters or an exhaust leak ( hope its the leak). I let it run just a minute then shut the car off.

I am still worried about this car. After all this work I came across the threads dealing with the problems with AFTERMARKET HEAD GASKET OIL DRAIN HOLES. I put a new Felpro Gasket on it which is offset from the hole slightly. I AM SO PISSED!!!
Evidently this causes an oil buring issue. Why is the gasket designed that way? Anyway, I am contemplating taking the dipstick tube out, putting a 1/2" hose on the dipstick tube & hoping that helps the oil drain back issue. See post #8 in this thread


http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=912125&highlight=oil+burning

ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS?


I DON"T WANT TO PULL THAT ENGINE BACK APART. Before some of you think "This guys is a lazy ass" I have too many other projects that need attention

1. 1997 Camaro Z28 M6 (painting, interior assembly, starter installation, rearend installation etc.)
2. 1997 Mustang Cobra ( need to replace starter).
3. 1997 Saturn SC2 (GFs car. Needs new motor mounts).
I am not so sure I like these Metros. Parts are impossible to find & it seems like once those parts are found, they are mismatched or poorly designed. Sorry for the long post & rant but this little car has pissed me off more than anything I have ever owned.
/rant.

Beast i feel your pain, when i did my rebuild. I took the old gasket and compared it to the new one and they were the same, so i thought what the heck the factory gasket had small holes so im putting the new one in as it is. But my problem was upon doing the rebuild (had block attached to engine stand) i rotated the block and my restrictor came out. Not knowing this i put it together and wow SMMMMMMMMMMOke SCREEEEEEEEEEEEN. i went back to my didital photos and sure enough the restrictor was gone. So i bit the bullet yanked the head got new gasket enlarged the holes and all is well. Good luck! Dont give up on the metro they are great little cars, had mine since new in "92".

I did a lot of research before I did mine and that is how I learned of the head gasket hole issue. I checked mine (it was a Felpro) and the hole was correctly cut so I got lucky. The little car will pay you back in the long run so don't give up just yet. You might even get away with re-using the head gasket, but I am not recommending that even though I heard of it being done.

Well thanks for the encouragement guys. I had to rant though.


But let me ask this. It seems the people that have had the smoke screen issues have all had their check valves off. I know mine is on. So is there any chance that I might be OK with the drain hole like it is? I have an extra head gasket (did not like how it looked & bought the Felpro thinking it was a better brand ironically.)

Taking the head off is really not an option

OH, AND THE O-RING IS LEAKING AGAIN!!! The larger one I got was too big so I tried using one the same size as the old one. Again a small leak


Argh.

From what I have learned, the oil check valve is more important than than enlarging the head gasket. Without the oil restrictor valve, too much oil is pumped into the valve cover. If you have the check valve in, the unmodified head gasket can handle the amount of oil. The head gasket holes become more important on higher mileage engines. Why this is, i don't know. If you have some time, do some searches over on teamswift.net They have beat this to death several times over there. I think your just fine. Get the thing timed properly. Remeber that Doctor Bill had issues with his rebuild burning some oil for about 1000 miles, now his doesn't use any oil.

I just recently rebuilt my engine and had a head job and I had the small holes issue for the oil and it did cause big problems on the highway especially abour 65. got pissed janked the head off and had a extra head gasket. cut the holes bigger with a metal hole punch. then put it bqack together WOW new engine more power and runs like the dickens. no problems.

Now to the ticking noise if the rebiult included new lifters as it should have they will tick for about 10 min untill the get built back up this is not a problem mine ticked for 15. then no problems.

since you just installed the head pull it back off and fix the head gasket. should be able to re use since you only ran it for a min or two. make it easy on your seld and leave the intake manifold and carb atttached to the head when you pull it can be done in about 3 hours and running again.

hope this helps

Thanks again guys.

I think I am going to see how it goes. IF I have a problem with it, I will pull the head back off.

The lifters are the same ones I had in it if I am not mistaken (not something I normally do). The head was completely reassembled by the machine shope including the cam & lifters (checked the torque on the cam bearing caps & cam sprocket to make sure). I am assuming that since they were bone dry after cleaning, they just needed time to pump up. Seems anytime I have let any OHC engine I have owned set for a little bit, I hear a little ticking.

Thoughts?