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Oil thirsty FE

3K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  '68 S code 
#1 ·
OK here we go. I had my 390 built in '94. It used oil at an alarming rate since day one. Every time I would drive the car, maybe 100-200 miles, a quart of oil would disappear. I say disappear because it didn't smoke nor was there a puddle of oil under the car. Since '94 only put about 10K miles on car and countless quarts of oil. Seventeen years later my engine builder took it back apart to find that oil had been getting into the manifold between the head and stock intake. There was alot of oil in the intakes runners. We went back with an Edelbrock RPM and a Canton road race pan. To make a long story short, it's still making a quart of oil disappear every time I drive it. What in the hell is going on?
 
#2 ·
Reminds me of a old 454 I had. The aftermarket valve covers I was using had only a pcv grommet in one and a twist on oil cap on the other, which caused a vacuum and sucked oil like crazy. I went back to the originals that had the extra vent to the breather and all was well.
 
#3 ·
I've been running factory stamped chrome valve covers,which have provisions to keep oil out of the PCV valve,since it wasbuilt in '94. When I took it back and they figured out that the oil was getting between the head and intake, we changed the factory intake and went with a RPM. Also put new valve covers on, which also have baffles to keep oil out of the PCV valve. It must still be getting into the intake between the head and intake. Since the intake is new I would think the problem is on the head side of the gasket. Guess I'll have to take the intake off and look at the gaskets. There should be a lack of a "ridge" where the gasket isn't seating properly aginst the head or intake.
 
#4 ·
How are the valve seals? Stock type umbrella seals can ride up on the valve and allow oil to pass and burn throught the valves. Or if they are old and brittle/broken or were left out? Or loose/worn valve guides? Excessive oil could be pooling under the valve covers also. Head drainbacks could be blocked with old seal particals or poor drainback due to this and or missing drainage tins under the rockers. With the new intake replaced and still a problem i'd be looking at some other things as well.
 
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