passenger side, smells like oil....

whaddaya think. rings are only about 5000 miles on them.

Can an intake manifold gasket cause this?

 

It's possible, I guess.

I'm thinking either valve stem seals or the intake gasket. Rings should be ok.

Two questions to get us started:

1. What type of valve stem seals did you use?

2. What type of intake gasket did you use, and what torque did you give it?

Ok, 3 questions.

FWIW, when I assembled mine, I used some Permatex Copper Spray-A-Gasket to glue the intake gaskets in place and prevent leaks. So far, it's worked well. This stuff, when dried, really sticks stuff together well. When I took the intake off my 360 after using this stuff, the gaskets stuck to both surfaces and came apart. I cant say enough good about it.

 

I believe the seals are the ones that came with the complete Edelbrock's. Unless the local machine shop changed them when they swapped the valve springs....

It seems to be only the passenger side, which is why I'm leaning towards the intake gasket.

If anything, I overtorqued the manifold an squished the gasket into a port or something.

I used the Fel-Pro print-o-seal that seems to have a sketchy history with FTE users.

 

The reason I ask about the valve stem seals, is that the stock type umbrella seals will squish at full valve lift with high lift cams, such as yours. If that's not the case and you have the teflon seals...

the solution is obvious. Take the intake off and get the Victor intake gaskets form Napa. That's what I used. You know my sealant recommendations. In addition, you can cure your oil leak problem too!

 

Yeah. I guess I was just waiting for an excuse to go back in there....

Might as well send the heads off to K.C. and order the 941 cam....

 

Bummer Dude!

Anything show up on the plugs? Is it getting noticably worse since it began smoking?

 

I have not puylled any plugs yet. I think it is getting worse. I dont drive it a lot. But it appears to be getting worse, and effecting how it runs. Harder starts, lower idle and vacuum, harder to accelerate (that may have to do with the accelerator pump actuator getting bent when the motor mount came loose at the track...)

Whatever it is, looks like I'm going back in....If I get frustrated keep an eye on eBay for some bargains:-)

 

Well bud machine shops make mistakes too. Back in the 80's I was bracket racing and went to build a new motor. I figured I'd use the local bargin guy (thinking its just machine work) anyway I asked him to bore it 30 over because I bought 11/1 pop up pistons and rings for 30 over. Put everything together and had this constant oil control problem. After about 5000 miles (I drove this car on the street as well) and countless trips to this shop, I finally gave up and took it to someone else. The guy called me and told me the reason I had an oil control problem was that my block had been bored 40 over. Anyway armed with this info I went to the other guy and got everything straightened out. I also have a friend right now dealing with a simular problem, come to find out a few of his rings were installed upside down. I'm not sure if this info is correct, but I was told that if it smokes on start up and clears up then thats an indication of leaking valve seals or worn guides. If it smokes a little all the time then its probably ring related. Anyway goodluck I hope you get it figured out use this info as a basis for what to look for, I don't claim to be a machinist or a mechanic

 

yeah, smoking more at startup is usually the valves, unfortunately smoking all the time could be either. If you can run a compression test to see if it's rings of valves. If you can time it to hold compression, see if it's bleeding down on any one cylinder. Seems If it were both sides then i would think that the machine shop was messing you up, or that the umbrellas were squishing, but just one side, and I think it was an incorrect installation, or like you were originally thinking a gasket. I guess the shop very well could have messed up one cylinder, but seems more likely that it's a fulty part, or just incorrectly installed. Gaskets are cheapest though, so check them first.

 

Other people have seen problems with the Fel-Pro print-o-seals....I hope that's the issue. EVerything else is so new...around 5000 miles or less.

 

So what kind of valve stem seals do you have?

 

I don't know. I believe they came with the complete Edelbrock heads.

 

Yer gonna yank the heads and send 'em to KC anyway, so take a look when you take her apart.

-Scouder

 

I don't know if this changes the diagnosis..but it seems to smoke only after things are warmed up.

 

Just a thought Greg....I bet when they upgraded your springs the left the stem seals on it that were cut for a .600" max lift cam or there abouts... and also your new springs probably have a lower compression height that the Old springs??

Just a thought ? I maybe way off..but seems like it could be?? I know my Kaase heads..are only good for a .650" lift cam and they adverstise more..but it a crock of crap!! So I bought mine bare...And will build them with the right stuff after port on them and the Tunnel..

And some of the Head porter's said the CompCams XR292R would be the best for my build....So that was another Part I never used and had to sell...

Seems to me I have sold more dam parts than I've bought?? cause I keep buying and the pile is getting smaller?? LOL!!

I hope your going to have KC do a Max effort on your heads...More cam..more carb...YeeHaww..More Hp and TQ!!! Ya just gota love it!!

Ya also might want to check your Vacuum modulator to see if its leaking tranny fluid into the Vacuum line??

Good Luck Greg!!

Russ