The truck is still running great and I daily drive it to work everyday. No issues beside my tune not being complete (since I pieced it together) and #2 seems to be burning a little oil. Not enough to foul the plug, but enough to leave a burned white crust on it. It also gives a puff of smoke on start up. Especially after running it hard, it seems. Hard to tell since I run it hard pretty often.

At first I just figured it was because I reused those 165k mile piston rings (which would be expected) but then I found that the oil was on top of the intake vavle. So that drew me away form thinking its the rings. I had pulled the intake for something else and found that the #2 cylinder intake valve was closed and there was a puddle of oil on top of that valve. #2 is the only one burning oil.

The only ways that I can think of for oil to get on top of the intake valve is that:

- Leaking oil out of the rocker bolt hole that I cut open when porting.
For those of you that don't know, it is normal to cut into the threads of the rocker port when porting your heads. I thought it was sucking oil down the threads at first since I hadn't use thread sealer, but I've since RTV'd the bolt threads and still have oil burn. So I don't see how it could still leak.

- Oil blow by from the PCV system and sucked into intake
I doubt it's the PCV because that is at the opposite side of the engine than the PCV vacuum port. But I do have the normal excessive oil coating the inside of the ports from the PCV. So I swapped out to the LS6 valley cover and PCV pick-up to reduce that. I plan to install a catch can also.

- Bad valve stem seal (praying for it to be this one)
I plan to change out the valve stem seal soon.

- Bad valve guide
Valve guide will be a last resort.


I'll update after I change out the valve stem seal or once I find the source.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

 

Thanks for the Update!

Let us know what you find.

 

Here's a picture of that coincidental moment when I found the intake vavle closed on #2 and a puddle of oil on top of the valve. I was surprised to see this and thankful that the valve happened to be closed when I pulled the intake.

 

I've since changed the valve stem seal on that cylinder and put some thread sealant on the rocker bolt. We'll see if it still leaks oil onto that valve.

Besides that, I've got a video of this engine doing work disposing of some old tires. Enjoy.

 

neighbor guy: What the Fu#K are you doing ??
GH4L : Just testing out my new valve seal....Yep she works...

 

I wish my neighbors were as cool as yours!!

 

Haha That cracked me up!

Well those weren't my neighbors. I told my buddies that I was looking for a place to roast tires until the popped and have enough time to change the tires before the cops came and my buddy volunteered his place. I was surprised that we never saw the neighbor.

 

glad to see it's still holding together! enjoyed the tire carnage man.

did you ever get any closer on an 8.8 for your thirdgen?

 

Thanks OutlawDrifter! No progress on the rearend for hte '92 Camaro yet. I was redirected when someone gave me a 9" housing and some guts for it. I'm not set on it, but I'll likely buid this 9" instead of a 8.8". IDK we'll see.

All of my time has been eaten up lately by building the trubo hot side piping for the '92 Camaro. Its about done, just a couple more inches left. Then I'll pull the mock up motor and drop in the rebuilt 6.0.

At the same time, I'm getting pulled from that turbo build right now to get AC installed on my truck. I've got to have it ready for the Hot Rod Power Tour in June. My 9 year old will be with me and I need to keep her cool. She got sick from the heat the last time I took her on the tour. Not good.

 

I ditched the 9" route and went back to the 8.8. I'm currently building two of them in two different ways. Man, that's fun stuff!

 

Update on the truck's smoking issue. I replaced all of the valve stem steals with stock 5.3 seals last fall and so far, I haven't noticed any oil burning at all. Level hasn't even dropped the usually amount between oil changes. Almost too good to be true.

But, I'm not accepting that answer yet, since it was winter. As summer comes in and it gets hot around here, we'll truly see if it helped.

The valve stem seals that were on the motor, were replaced when I had the machine shop put the larger 2" valves in before the engine swap. I had them install comp seals also.

Right now it looks like changing out the valve stem seals, although they were new and Comp, my oil burning issue is gone. I'll update here again after this Summer.

 

Nice truck man!

 

Have you had any trouble from the Comp trunion upgrade you did? Some folks have. I did similar to mine but haven't run it yet...

 

Thank you!
I've really been enjoying it man.

 

Nope! Havent had any issues with them yet.
I also did them on my turbo Camaro project, but I haven't driven that car yet.

 

I know this is an old thread. .....but did they ever recover your truck?

 

also did you ever have it balanced after adding the flat tops....I wanted to do the same but I wanted to add these 200cc ls1 style 64cc heads

 

opps meant to say 210cc

 

Hey Mark, was wondering what kinda numbers your 87 Chevy P/u makes if you haven't Dyno it , how does it compare to your old 84 c10