Doc and Keith,
You both have been most helpful and we will be guided by your suggestions and ideas. I think this is a '64 center oiler block and may well have inconsistencies in the alignment of seal to journal. We still have the FelPro circular and straight seals installed. The seals we pulled out, look almost new as though there's little contact with the seal surface. Last night, Dave and I plugged all openings and stuck the shop vac on the
oil fill tube and pulled 3.7" vacuum. The maximum the shop vac could produce before the hook-up was 3.8". This would indicate to us that there was very little air leakage into engine cavity. Anyway, we started motor and watched for leakage. After quite some time, we observed leakage - about 50% less than w/o the vacuum applied.
We are perplexed as to go with FelPro Sleeve and new FelPro seal or go to rope??? We also may try a PVC hook-up. Both may be half fixes but can be done w/o pulling motor and allow Dave some leak-free driving of his Cobra. Thanks again.
Paul