[Choda]

https://youtu.be/gkWY1JiScMg"]https://youtu.be/gkWY1JiScMg"]https://youtu.be/gkWY1JiScMg

[parish8]

Hmm. I agree it doesn’t seem to be the catch can or a turbo seal. I don’t see how it could be the rocker bolts. The oil would have to get past the bolt, up the port and out the gasket all while under boost.

I would look at the valve cover seals.

[Trochoidal]

The one thing that had me scratching my head with your oil spray was the fact that it was all over the place. It’s not like it was isolated to one area. You clearly highlighted the wet gaskets on the intake manifold. They were what I’d call “sloppy” wet. Too much considering this is a fresh build and using (I’m assuming) stock hardware.

You could always do some simple math to confirm those holes were drilled and tapped at the right depth. (Also as you said you’re going to check).

The other night when you posted about thinking the runner gaskets were leaking, I was thinking feeler gauge around those ports. However that gap could be small enough that a feeler wouldn’t pass between the gap and still let oil out.

So the machinist in me has a question. Were the chamfers on the intake manifold bolts “shiny”? (Usually only happens with steel on steel contact) Did the bolts have aluminum deposits from the bolts bottoming out in the head in the event they were tapped shallow?

As for the oil coming in through the rocker stud I’m thinking that would only happen when you had vacuum.

Another observation I had was the picture of the tap in the hole. That was a 4-flute hand tap. That style tap pushes the chips into the bottom of the hole. If they tapped them “under power” the tap would not be able to achieve enough depth because of those chips being in the way. This of course would cause the tap to break if there was probably more than 1 pitch (1turn) of the tap after the interference. So if they hand tapped the holes they would have stopped threading the hole when that tap bottomed out. This would cause a shallow thread.

I’m speculating at best but your theory of shallow tapped holes sure seems very plausible.

[Choda]

I ordered intake, valve cover and tb gaskets. Damnit, just checked shipping and I actually never checked out the parts. I did on lunch and now I wont be able to put it all back together this weekend. oh well

Trochoidal - That pic is from an old engine where the machine shop was plugging the DOD holes in the valley. As for signs of the intake bolts bottoming out, I didn't look and don't remember any chamfers looking shiny. I'll check again this weekend. I would think the intake manifold bolts are specifically made and used so the metal collar does tighten down onto the head. I could always pull the collars out and use reg bolts torqued to spec.

[Trochoidal]

I agree those collars are definitely part of the assembly for torquing down. I’m sure to keep the manifold from getting crushed.

Sorry, I was trying to explain the intake bolts hitting the bottom of your tapped holes and giving you false torque reading. In other words the shoulder face of the bolt isn’t tightening against the collar and making intake squish the gasket.

[laynlo15]

Dam Choda, like a never ending battle.

[parish8]

Originally Posted by laynlo15

Dam Choda, like a never ending battle.

It’s all part of the fun.... right?

No really, I find this stuff fun. Not blown up motors but working through issues and making it right. Then as soon as it is working well you turn it up another 200hp and find more issues.

[Choda]

Originally Posted by parish8

It’s all part of the fun.... right?

No really, I find this stuff fun. Not blown up motors but working through issues and making it right. Then as soon as it is working well you turn it up another 200hp and find more issues.

Yeah me too. It makes the “win” so much better. But at this point I’d really just like to enjoy the car this summer. Cruising and racing around.

[Choda]

Oil mist issue found and solved! The LT4 intake manifold bolts go through into the head. I dont use them and never plugged them. $20 bucks for 10 M6 allen plugs and were good to go.



I reinstalled the rockers with the same GREY rtv. torqued to 22ftlbs. rotated engine 90* by hand. re torqued. rotated engine 90* by hand again. Re torqued. rotated engine 90* by hand one last time. and triple checked the rocker bolts. All looked good and I wanted to spin the motor over using the starter just to make sure.

Pulled the fuel pump fuse.
Hit the key.
It fing farted/fired for a second without the intake manifold on.
I def didn't expect that but it makes sense now that I think about it. It had fuel and spark.
I go back under the hood and inspect the rockers and noticed this.

6 of my rags were sucked into the runners and wrapped around the valve. Mother Fer. I used thin long picks and rotated the engine around to open the valve. I got most of it out but there are a couple pieces still in there that are stuck. The only way to make sure all the pieces of paper towel are out is to basically pull the heads. I could try to put air in the spark plug holes and open the valve/pull the valve spring but at that point I might as well pull them off.

[Choda]

Ugh ugh ugh

So get this. I usually use blue painters tape on the runners. They were still dirty and i was lazy to clean them so the tape didnt stick. I threw the tape out and pushed paper towels in.

before I hit the key, i thought to remove the rags. Then thought, well its not going to fire it should be fine.

two stikes already should have reg flagged what i was about to do. lol

[Choda]

so now im thinking, no matter what, the turbo kit has to come off.

If I bring the piston up in the cly.
Buy a spring compressor and take the valve springs off.
let the valve drop down and sit on the piston.
put air in the spark plug hole.
it should blast the paper towel back out of the runner.

Maybe I can leave the heads on.

I looked at ARP exhaust studs because I accidently bought arp bolts over the winter and they suck installing. Summit has them for $112. WTF. 10 studs with nuts and washers.

[parish8]

Started out a good day. Found your problem. Then things went to shit. Bummer.

I have done stuff dumber than this working on cars at least a dozen times over the years.

[Joshinator99]

Damn Choda, hopefully you get out of this without any carnage. :(

[Choda]

Tore it down. I’ll clean them up tomorrow and wait for parts for reassembly.