Blue smoke! Here is what it is doing:
When I start it up, as soon as the cylinders get hot enough to burn oil, the smoke starts.
It is smoking near all the time now, although after a drive it doesn't seem to smoke too bad when at stop signs and lights.
When starting up after it has sat WHILE UP TO TEMP., the thing smokes like a freight train.
I have developed a small rear main leak.
I changed to 5W-40 oil with Lucas additive (which made the cold oil pressure rise to 75 psi). It goes down to around 52 psi when warm, 22-ish when idling warm.
What I have checked:
The piston tops (peeping through the spark plug hole) look as clean as when I brushed them off and put the head on about 1500 miles ago.
There are no wet spots in any position on the piston tops.
There is NO oil or residue in the bottom I/C hose.
When I pulled the downpipe, the swingvalve was TOTALLY dry. O2 looked great (NO moisture).
I pulled the VC and all of the valve seals appeared to be intact.
The spark plugs are not oily; there is a recent pic of them in my gallery. They are a nice tan.
I am getting no detonation that I can hear and the van pulls well.
I just drained my catch can, there is nothing spilling over.
Any ideas guys, this is driving me crazy! Import Showdown is tomorrow and I at least wanted to drive it there!
-Les