After 2 years and checking everything on my black car, we're closing in on the issue.

History: August of 2003, JPR heads with a 224/230 cam went in at JPR. Car made 375/363 to the ground through ASM headers and a cat on the first pull, first tune. Second pull detonated hard up top, done for the day. Immediately thereafter, car started running rich, stumbling, surging, low vacuum, fouling plugs, just running terrible. Get car down to FBC in Baltimore, they troubleshoot to two dead cylinders. AP Engineering shortblock goes in spring of last year along with a custom Joe O cam, and end result is car was running EXACTLY like before. Fast forward to May of this year, Alvin@PCMForLess was talking to Chad at Golen Engine Service and thought to run my problem by him. He said "I know EXACTLY what the problem is." After some pictures and descriptions, we verified the problem:

When my heads were ported by JPR, they were milled approx .015" (as measured by the combustion chamber size of 52cc), although it's unclear if they were flat or angle milled. The intake manifold was NOT cut. I wasn't getting a good seal along the bottom part of the manifold sealing to head surface, thus sucking oil and oil vapors into the intake runners where it was subsequently burned, causing all my problems.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...94571655YCxCWF
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...94571720brKftM
See the oil leak pattern? That was after less than 10 minutes of run time last time around (just a few weeks ago), and after we cut the manifold down .015 on each side also.

So.......now the car sits as THIS. I pulled the heads off over the weekend, and Golen is taking my heads and manifold and mocking them up on one of their decked blocks (we verified my block was indeed decked) and going to cut as necessary to make sure we get a good seal. It's been a long road and hopefully this is signalling the end of it.

 

All I have to say is FINALLY. I remember reading your threads when I just lurked around here without posting. Hope this solves everything.

 

I wished I had your patients.

 

Nice to finally see thelight at the end of the tunnel !!! Are you using that intake you got from that super great guy in N.Y. ?

 

see you at island on aug 14th

 

No, I'm using the one I picked up off Ebay for $79 from Lingenfelter about 3 years ago. I had that one powdercoated red and the fins polished. PIC

But, the manifold I picked up off of you is sitting standby right now just in case we screwed up by cutting my other manifold in the first place. If it's not needed, I'll relegate it to the original plan: Port, and exterior polish for my purple pearl car.

 

Looks like some nice stuff in that engine bay !!

 

Who? Me???? Doubtful. I've got to send my headers/Y-Pipe to Jet hot still, and I'm not expecting my heads/manifold back from Golen Engine Service for at least a couple of weeks, and then it's the matter of getting all the little parts I need to put everything back together and the time to put it back together.

Side note:

I want to give a HUGE thanks to Chad at Golen Engine Service. His diagnosis of my problem was spot on, and the customer service has been nothing but outstanding.

 

It's got a lil' bit in there. What you can't see is that nasty Joe O cam waiting to be unleashed.