Try adding a can of STP to the oil to stop the smoking. It has worked for me.

What color is the smoke? If it's blue, it's burning oil. The STP may help that.

If not, you might have bad rings (a PITA to fix) or bad valve guide seals. Sometimes you can replace the valve guide seals without removing the head from the engine if you have a way to compress the valve springs from the top (I know some Volkswagens use tools to compress from the top, or you might be able to make up your own tool). Make a compressed air fitting to hold the valves up while you change the seals. Take an old sparkplug that fits the head and break off the insulator. Knock the insulator out of the threaded section. Take a quick-connect and weld or braze it to what's left of the sparkplug. Screw the sparkplug into the cylinder. Make sure the cylinder is on the compression stroke. Connect a compressed air hose to the quick-connect you screwed into the head. About 100 psi works good, usually. Now you can compress the springs and remove the retainers, springs and valve guide seals - the air pressure will hold the valves up.

If the smoke is white, you have water (coolant) flowing into the cylinder. This could be a bad head gasket (PITA to fix) or a cracked head (PITA and $$ to replace the head) or block. You can fix these leaks, sometimes, with the liquid glass block sealer products. They cost about $10 at most auto parts stores. Be sure to follow the directions exactly, or it won't work.

Blue skies,

Patrick

Overhead valve springs compressors > *

I just hit the top with a socket to pop the retainers, :p We'll have to see, of course.

Yup. That is one way to take them apart, but not ideal, because you can damage the keepers, valves, or retainers. Don't forget, you have to put it back together, too. :D

Blue skies,

Patrick

Indeed, you joined after i took apart my one head in that thread of mine. I got so fed up looking for compressors small enough i just used my hands,:)