SBC 355 uses oil plan to pull and diagnose this winter...

[blackdot25]

Install the following 2 years ago into a 1984 2WD Square Body Short box 355CID Block #14010207 with Vortec heads Casting #10239906.

Engine was built and ran briefly in a Corvette by builder then removed and sold to me. And it seem to use oil right from the start. Not that it could be seen or smelled while following and it wasn't leaking. This past summer oil consumption while driving 60-70mph on the highway would amount to 1 litre per hour. which to me is way too much.

These are my plans to try and location the reason for the oil consumption.
1. pull carb and scope the intake runners to see if oil is making it way into the intake at the heads
2. pull plugs scope the cylinders for comparison
3. ensure all valve seals are in place and not overwhelmed by slow oil drain back in heads.
4. compression test cylinders dry & wet
5. leak-down test each cylinder

If anyone has anything they would add or just a comment please feel free.

Thanks in advance, from New Glasgow Nova Scotia.

 

[Ricko1966]

Put a vacuum gauge on the dipstick tube. Then tape over or plug all valve cover openings PCV,breather,oil fill. Start the engine,if you pull a vacuum on the vacuum gauge you have intake gaskets leaking on the bottom side. You do have a pcv valve in one valve cover and either a vent tube to the air cleaner or a breather in the other don't you?

 

[blackdot25]

Yes as seen in the attached photo there is a PCV in the passenger side valve cover attached to the carb base manifold vacuum and there is a fresh filtered air inlet in the driver side valve cover.