oil in overflow tank?

bad piston rings will allow oil into the cylinder and will make smoke

Can I get some preliminary information from you?

It isn't likely a cracked block, first of all.

What year is the truck, how many miles, and what engine?
I'm guessing a 2.2 due to the rocker swaponover

What proceedure did you use to retorque the head? Was the head cold, or too hot to touch?

Have you done a compression test?

You may need only a head gasket, (maybe not) but as easy as it is to re-ring these motors in the frame, you might not want to stop there.

it's a 1987 with the 2.2 liter, everything stock, only changes i've made are solid lifters, new o2 sensor, and new valve stem seals. it has 257,000 miles on it, but stilll runs well head was cold, and used a torque wrench set at 70 lbs. not yet done a compression test.

Thanks for the update. . .

250k is a lot of miles.

{The oil control rings are probably worn out, no matter what compression you find. So that is going to be an issue with respect to the smoking.}

I don't know what you did with regards to your retorque, so I am going to list what I do to *sometimes* avoid head gasket replacement. If you did things this way and it still is problematic or continues to be, then you got to it too late, or maybe there are other issues. This is worth the effort to maybe save a head pull.

With the engine warmed up (still can hold a hand against it, like just when the thermostat starts to open).

Shut it off.

Remove radiator cap and sparkplugs to remove gas and water jacket pressures.

10 8
6 4
1 2
3 5
7 9
|
YOU @
FRONT,
FACING
MOTOR

Loosen each numbered bolt so it is free of thread bind, then tighten first to 40 Ft-lb, then 70.
3 steps. . .loosen. . .tighten partially(40), then fully (70).

DO ONLY ONE BOLT AT A TIME.

If you don't loosen the bolt and make sure it is first free to turn, you are likely to be turning the bolt against internal corrosion. If it's stuck to start, it isn't going to tighten. That equates to a false torque reading.

Did you use a beam or a verified click-type torque wrench?

verified click, but i didn't loosen bolts before retorquing(sp?)
and thanks for your help, but when i do go to replace the piston rings, what else is involved?
and while i'm replacing alot i was thinking about doing a holley 5200 carb swap, know anything about that process what gets removed what stays, etc...?

also, when you say. loosen, tighten to 40, then to 70. is that one bolt at a time, before loosening the next one?

Don't loosen all of the bolts as an entirety.

DO ONE BOLT AT A TIME.

#1 bolt.
loosen
tighten
tighten
#1 is done

before TOUCHING
BOLT #2

#2 bolt
loosen
tighten
tighten
#2 is done.

Do this for the remaining 8 bolts, in the order from the previous post.

ONE BOLT AT A TIME.

ONE BOLT AT A TIME.

ONLY
ONE
BOLT
@
a
time
!!!!!

good info in this post!

as in the oil rings on the pistons?

haha, sorry for seeming so stupid.
i just like knowing without a doubt in my mind what has to go down before i get in there, ya know!?

so thanks for being patient and giving me your helpful information tweaker.