[MeanGreen1LE]

Well here it goes; another entry in my personal My Car Hates Me journal. Still chasing what I feel like are sporadic vacuum leak issues. Lean below 2k, increased bucking in 1st and 2nd, (manual) slight rev hang….when previous drive none of that was really there.

So anyhow after retorquing my stupid msd after completely removing and separating halves and all that and putting it back on for the same reason. (I’m not a fan of the manifold, can ya tell?). I was checking the gaps between the halves and looking at where the runners seal to head when I noticed there was oil on the side of the head up under the manifold.

For various and usually infuriating reasons I’ve had the manifold off the car several times and every time there has been oil on the heads and valley and with some film in a few intake runners. It’s always seemed excessive but I’ve always chalked it up to the fact about how dirty these engines are known to be. I have the Mighty Mouse mild but still saw some evidence of it pulling some oil through TB from factory catch box system.

However!! The last time I pulled it all apart I got rid of pcv system altogether running breather in center port of factory catch box and a baffled breather from oil cap location to Mighty Mouse to make sure I had enough venting.
So where is the dang oil coming from then?
Recently I’ve seen a post on a Facebook group about blocking off the extra lt4 bolt holes on cid heads. I don’t have those heads and mine are lt1 specific but is it possible that oil is wicking up from the bolts on these holes? I know it is an occasional issue on gen 1 sbc and other v-8s in the past. Picture is from a previous time and it sure looks suspect to me. Any thoughts?

[6spdhyperblue]

I would get a LT2 intake based on how you’re viewing these issues.
Put the pcv back to stock with just the catch can.

Hopefully you still have meat on the intake threads on the heads..

Be happy by having a one piece oem intake and give up a few ponies up top

Just my $0.02

[MeanGreen1LE]

Yeah I’ve been considering the lt2 route. It’s just hard to plop down another 800 or so after spending 1700. But if it will finally run right it would be worth it. Gotta figure out where that oil is coming from. Will try and look into it this weekend.

[Spudsmaro]

Originally Posted by MeanGreen1LE

Yeah I’ve been considering the lt2 route. It’s just hard to plop down another 800 or so after spending 1700. But if it will finally run right it would be worth it. Gotta figure out where that oil is coming from. Will try and look into it this weekend.

Get the lt2 intake from rock auto for $200. Super easy to modify it to fit on the lt1 as well. Just need a grinder or Dremel tool. Phastech sells a lt2 manifold installation kit for $40 that gives you everything you need to adapt it to the car and stock tb goes right on it but I went with the 95mm from zr1 and a solar performance adapter. Worked flawlessly and the tuning was done fairly easy.

[MeanGreen1LE]

Well I took the intake off and the bolts are definitely blind and the rocker arm bolts are nowhere near intake ports. However there is at least a capful or two of oil sitting on valve. I’m really thinking I have bad valve guides. Likely because of my failed attempts at fly cutting. Ugh. Hope they can be fixed.

[driftking123]

Originally Posted by MeanGreen1LE

Well I took the intake off and the bolts are definitely blind and the rocker arm bolts are nowhere near intake ports. However there is at least a capful or two of oil sitting on valve. I’m really thinking I have bad valve guides. Likely because of my failed attempts at fly cutting. Ugh. Hope they can be fixed.

What spudsmaro said.. Also check out this link. This guy gives a great how-to. And links.



I'm hoping to complete this on the weekend.

[Junction65]

Originally Posted by driftking123

What spudsmaro said.. Also check out this link. This guy gives a great how-to. And links.

Great informative video, that's absolutely how you do a "how-to" video for sure.