550 5eK Cat smoking/missing in cold temperatures.

Didn't know the e blocks still had that problem. As far as I know the new head is fine but will try a bubble test. It was the old head we found was cracked when we removed it.

 

So you did an overhaul and decided to reuse a million mile head?

 

No, after we replaced the injector and it didn't fix the problem we decided to tear it down. We did a bubble test before and nothing showed up. We had a bit of blowby and saw from the bottom the liners were far from new. When we took the head off there was coolant "gunk" built up. It wasn't a huge crack so figure once it warmed up it would tighten the tolerance and not leak as much. So to clarify the old head was scraped while doing the inframe. New head is fine so far.

 

@wore out

 

Gotcha. The bubble test needs to get the engine hot enough to kick the fan on and the air should be bled out completely with the discharge from the air compressor disconnected.

I've seen them not bubble and seem fine before they got hot. Then once the temp gets up high enough to trip the fan it would start bubbling.

Obviously the fan won't turn because the air is bled out but you should know what temp the fan kicks on before the test and go from there. I still bet you have another cracked head or liner lip.

I always send my heads out to get pressure tested under temp before installing them. It's worth a couple hundred just for peace of mind.

 

I dont think it's your problem but your fuel pressure is a little on the low side for my liking.. Facebook Cat engine masters has some pretty smart cat guys. some idiots too....

 

like Lester said fuel pressure is on the low side shim the pump up a tad

 

almost sounds like a cut lower o ring on injector pull the exhaust manifold off look for the smoking hole

 

Some of the "old guys" that had to do things without technology, could tell a lot by the smell of what comes out the engine breather tube. If fuel is not in the oil or coolant, and coolant is not in the fuel or oil, but combustion gases are in the crankcase, they could smell it. The breather would not have the fresh oil change fragrance.
QC at the parts manufacturer are not what they used to be. Even new Cat parts can have a defect.

 

Any updates?