George,
I am really BUFFALOED by this problem. I will call you next week and maybe we can TACKLE it. After its fixed, some RECORDS might be broken. Right now, I'm ready to make a GOAL LINE STAND to get to the bottom of this. It was nice to C U at PPIR a few weeks ago, by the way.
To let others know - Cylinders 5, 7, and 8 were sleeved and all are bored .030 over. On break-in and some driveway running, some
oil smoke was evident from the left bank from the beginning. After putting a few miles on it, however, it suddenly started to pour smoke and an intake leak was suspected. Sure enough, it was leaking. The manifold fit was close, but to be sure, we machined the manifold and buttoned it up with good Felpro gaskets. Although all of the left bank plugs looked bad, 5, 7, and 8 looked really bad but I was also running plugs that were too hot. It is my understanding that intake leaks are not unusual on FE's when you are mixing parts and with machining. My block was decked .010 and I am running Dove F5 heads with a Blue Thunder intake. As I said, the fit was close but since it leaked once, machining was prudent.
I cleaned the plugs every few hundred miles and then let them go. It still had some
oil smoke but then I've seen more than a few FE's that blow a little smoke. At 2500 miles I was a little frustrated while trying to set my jetting with a new O2 sensor and finally pulled the plugs. 5, 7, and 8 were severly fouled. I replaced them and my mileage went from 10 to 15 and tuning made sense.
At first,
oil consumption was in the quart per 300 mile range but now it is much better. Another potentially related problem is that I have been suffering from Holley float problems at our altitude in COLORADO. Something that can even affect the performance of athletes, much less cars. At lower altitudes like Topeka there is no problem but up here, it will on occasion severly flood. Contrary to what others have posted, severe flooding will wash cylinders and even ditlute oil. After a severe episode, my oil pressure dropped by 20 psi and the oil smelled strongly of gas. I had to change it immediately. I am working with Holley this winter to figure this one out. They of course claim that this has never happened before but another guy I know up here has the same exact symptoms.
Compression is even in all cylinders - 165 I think but its been a while. I just remember that they were all within 2 pounds of one another.
Go 'Huskers,
Gary