smoking under car

[scott bensinger]

the engine is smoking and attached is a photo of the (wet) pipe , I cant find a gas or oil leak and advice or thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks in advance
scott

[David Jones]

Check the screws below and front and rear of carburetor that hold the sheet metal in place. One of them may have come loose. If not that, then because it is on the same side as the oil cooler it could be from the base of the oil cooler. Better hope that is not the cause.

[Mike Wilson]

Check to see how far up it is wet, as David suggests, it could be a couple of things. A lower leak might suggest a push rod tube seal or valve cover gasket.

Mike

[Geoff Fleming]

...or the more insidious leaking through dried and split lower head bolt seals, which appears to be leakage of the pushrod end seals.
You can replace the head bolt seals with the engine in place, doing one at a time and re-torquing each after the new seal is in place. Trickiest part is not losing the special washers which lie beneath the head bolts...remove with a wand type magnet and when re-installing a bolt, attach the washer to the bottom of the bolt with a heavy grease which will hold it in place long enough to get everything situated. Replace rocker gear, re-set the clearance and you are back to normal.

[Martin Benade]

If you have to do the head bolt seal, watch carefully, usually the washer will stay in the head. As long as you are positive it is in place, there is no reason to remove it.