New vvt cam installed big problem now. Please help

[Brian Wilson]

I just installed a eps vvt cam in my 2007 yukon denali. 6.2 6 speed non afm/dod. Blackebear tuned and MIT airaid and catch can. It sounded great when I fired it the first time. And I had lots of oil pressure. Almost 50 at idle with 5 w 30
I figured while I was changing the cam I would change every gasket and only used factory gaskets and replaced all the bolts with factory replacements except ARP crank bolt and exhaust bolts.

I installed a custom cam, comp phaser limiter kit (the correct one for my phaser), ported and shimmed oil pump and new oring, new hd timing chain and tensioner, new lifters, rockers, and pushrods, I also installed 1 7/8 long tube headers and an off road y pipe that merges to a 3.5 inch exhaust with a flowmaster 40. So I deleted the rear O2 sensors and the cats. Mobil 5w30 synthetic with a bottle of break in lube. Also plugs and wires and paper air filter.

I started it and it roared to life. Huge lope at idle, idle is rough. And a little white smoke and water from the exhaust. And 4 codes which were all related to the rear 02 sensors.

today I decided to drive it to the gas station 3 miles away. Never went above 3k rpm. Really granny like. Every time it stopped after it warmed up, the white smoke would start from the exhaust. And the oil pressure dropped to 20 psi at 600 rpm when hot. On my way home the white smoke got really bad and when I parked I revd it to 2500 to see if the smoke would clear up, which it didnt. It looked like I was seafoaming it. Also I got 2 new codes
p0011 and p0016 which appear to be related to the cam position or maybe the vvt malfunctioning.

my question is, what are the posible causes for the smoke and will the new cam and phaser limiter I installed have caused the new codes or did I screw something up and have to tear it down again

the smoke I think could be oil, residual antifreeze in the engine and exhaust from when I pulled the heads, a blown head gasket, or oil from inside the new headers burning off. But I think it would have cleared up by now if it was anything but the head gasket.

looking for any tips ideas or something to help identify and correct these issues. The drop in oil pressure scares me but I hear 20 psi is still ok. And the 2 cam codes scare me alot. But the smoke is my main concern

 

[kbuskill]

Have you checked your oil to see if there is any water in it?

 

[Brian Wilson]

Looks like no water in it. And no air stream in the overflow tank. But putting my hand overy the exhaust I get watter, and it tastes like antifreeze. I also did a few temp tests on the headers and It looks like both head gaskets are leaking antifreeze into 3 of the 8 cylinders. I used stock gaskets and bolts. I followed torque pattern and specks 100%. Is there a better head gasket available or will copper spray or arp bolts help? This is so depressing after spending so much time and money on this upgrade.

 

[kbuskill]

Looks like no water in it. And no air stream in the overflow tank. But putting my hand overy the exhaust I get watter, and it tastes like antifreeze. I also did a few temp tests on the headers and It looks like both head gaskets are leaking antifreeze into 3 of the 8 cylinders. I used stock gaskets and bolts. I followed torque pattern and specks 100%. Is there a better head gasket available or will copper spray or arp bolts help? This is so depressing after spending so much time and money on this upgrade.

Did you have the heads checked at a machine shop?

Any time I pull heads I send them out to be magna fluxed and resurfaced and have a vacuum pulled on them to check the valves.

 

[Brian Wilson]

I did send them to be resurfaced and have 2 exhaust bolts removed. And get the valves clean and do a valve job. I assume the would have checked for cracks as well, but I doubt they were cracked. I never had any problems before with them

 

[Speck]

It does sound like a head gasket has gone bad. But with the fact that you checked the oil and there is no water in it is suggesting something else. I hope the best for you as I too have been considering a new cam for my 6.2 and wanted to add all of the same mods that you have done to the engine.

Joe

 

[kbuskill]

Could also be intake gaskets leaking.

 

[bottomline2000]

I did send them to be resurfaced and have 2 exhaust bolts removed. And get the valves clean and do a valve job. I assume the would have checked for cracks as well, but I doubt they were cracked. I never had any problems before with them

The heads may not be flat. They should have just cleaned them up if you weren't changing the deck height. I used MLS head gaskets with arp studs and got a tight seal. How did u clean the block before putting the heads back on? The coolant can leak into the cylinders without mixing with the oil, but it's only a matter time before it gets past the rings.

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[Brian Wilson]

I used standard victor-rinze gaskets and cleaned the surface with kerosene and a micro fiber rag. Thats all it takes on these motors and stock gaskets. I would never sand or use a scraper on these aluminum blocks. The shop only took off .005 from the heads. They were straight and they just took enough off to clean them. The exhaust side they took off .025 because of pitting. But that wouldn't affect the issue I am having

 

[bottomline2000]

With all things being equal it seems u have failed head gaskets. It's strange that both sides failed but if u trust the shop that cleaned them up and u didn't have a problem before it's got to be the gaskets. I never heard of that brand before but did read some FORD diesel people having problems immediately after installing them.

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