MacDaddy
05-19-2005, 10:37:00 PM
Just want your guys' opinions on this.
My engine has been consuming oil (about one quart a week or week and a half). It seems to only occur when I am in a high vacuum situation, like cruising on the highway (I barely have to give this thing any gas when cruising at 70...just barely crack the blades open at 3000 RPM) or coasting down a steep hill in first gear with the throttle blades fully closed. If I drive around on normal flat streets, the engine still burns oil, but at a much, much slower rate. Almost undetectibly slow.
I am running a PCV/breather setup, similar to stock configuration, only the breather does not run to the air cleaner. The valve is working normally and I am using baffled rocker arm covers. That rules that out there (I think).
Next, I suspect the valve seals. Not even 10,000 miles on the heads yet, and there are no puffs of blue smoke coming out the tailpipes at cold startup. I think that is ruled out.
This leaves rings or intake manifold gaskets. I am really hoping it's not the rings (they don't even have 10,000 miles on them either, and piston to cylinder clearance was good).
So today I took off the intake manifold to inspect. The bottom halves of the gaskets were pretty oily, and it looks like MAYBE oil could have been sneaking in that way. I shone a flashlight into the all the valves, and they all look like this (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/macdaddy1660b/album?.dir=a1d2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/macdaddy1660b/my_photos)
I also checked the machinework on the intake itself. It checks out ok. I used a feeler gauge to see if there was more clearance between the botom of the intake and the heads than the top.
On the right cylinder bank, however, there did seem to be some threads etched into the upper part of the bolt holes on the intake. Almost like they aren't big enough to permit a good seal. SHould I drill these 1/16" larger? IT should be noted that I never had any problems getting the bolts to line up and thread when I put the intake on last summer.
I just want to make sure this is the problem before I button it all up. If the cylinder heads are toasted, then I will already be half way to having them off.
BTW, I'm using Valvoline 10W-30 and AFR 180cc heads with Corteco intake gaskets. They're the stock replacement gasket for the '79. I read on AFR's site that they require a bit different gasket. Oops. I got the right ones today though.
------------------
Gordon
1979 Camaro Berlinetta
[This message has been edited by MacDaddy (edited May 19, 2005).]
My engine has been consuming oil (about one quart a week or week and a half). It seems to only occur when I am in a high vacuum situation, like cruising on the highway (I barely have to give this thing any gas when cruising at 70...just barely crack the blades open at 3000 RPM) or coasting down a steep hill in first gear with the throttle blades fully closed. If I drive around on normal flat streets, the engine still burns oil, but at a much, much slower rate. Almost undetectibly slow.
I am running a PCV/breather setup, similar to stock configuration, only the breather does not run to the air cleaner. The valve is working normally and I am using baffled rocker arm covers. That rules that out there (I think).
Next, I suspect the valve seals. Not even 10,000 miles on the heads yet, and there are no puffs of blue smoke coming out the tailpipes at cold startup. I think that is ruled out.
This leaves rings or intake manifold gaskets. I am really hoping it's not the rings (they don't even have 10,000 miles on them either, and piston to cylinder clearance was good).
So today I took off the intake manifold to inspect. The bottom halves of the gaskets were pretty oily, and it looks like MAYBE oil could have been sneaking in that way. I shone a flashlight into the all the valves, and they all look like this (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/macdaddy1660b/album?.dir=a1d2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/macdaddy1660b/my_photos)
I also checked the machinework on the intake itself. It checks out ok. I used a feeler gauge to see if there was more clearance between the botom of the intake and the heads than the top.
On the right cylinder bank, however, there did seem to be some threads etched into the upper part of the bolt holes on the intake. Almost like they aren't big enough to permit a good seal. SHould I drill these 1/16" larger? IT should be noted that I never had any problems getting the bolts to line up and thread when I put the intake on last summer.
I just want to make sure this is the problem before I button it all up. If the cylinder heads are toasted, then I will already be half way to having them off.
BTW, I'm using Valvoline 10W-30 and AFR 180cc heads with Corteco intake gaskets. They're the stock replacement gasket for the '79. I read on AFR's site that they require a bit different gasket. Oops. I got the right ones today though.
------------------
Gordon
1979 Camaro Berlinetta
[This message has been edited by MacDaddy (edited May 19, 2005).]