Thread: 350 Engine question

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I'll agree with Glenn. Doesn't sound like that much of a deal.

While we're at it, if you don't know this trick, put it in your memory bank.

Take your handkerchief, hold it on one corner with your thumb and forefinger with about and inch hanging free. Hold it about an inch off the end of your tailpipe during idle. If the exhaust makes it just stand pretty much still from the exhaust pressure, valves are ok. If that tip does a dance towards the pipe end and back (flutters)you've got a leaky valve.

The reason I mention this now is that a leaky valve will not permit efficient combustion of course, which means some unburnt goo will be put in your exhaust.

That goo might be on your trailer.

You be the judge!

i have a 350 engine where can i locate the year of it its hard to order parts not knowing what year it is

look on the back drivers side of the engine. there should be a set of letters and numbers. than run the set and it will tell you the year.

Rootsgroup, I did the handkerchief test and it flutters on both pipes. When you say a leaky valve do you mean seals or valve seats? It seems that both pipes are about the same. Looking forward to getting this nailed down.

That's the old-timers curb test for burnt valves. Time to do a compression test and a leak-down test and go from that.

Valve overlap (big cam) or a weak fire can do that too, it's just that if you get a momentary suction that will make the kerchief pull in. If a cylinder doesn't take its turn and fire, all it's got to offer is a half-assed suction. Hence the kerchief dance. I suppose there is things like open egr circuits, tight valves, and so on that can mess with you as well.

Good luck!