I installed my fresh 383 last summer and it's got less than 2k on it now. I broke it in with 5w-30 for 20 min between 1500 and 3000 and changed the oil and filter after that. I still get a lot of smoke at start up and some when it's running now. Is this something to be concerned about at this point? I don't think so but figured I'd check. I believe the builder used moly rings.

What would be a good number of miles to hope to stop seeing smoke at? Right now I'm losing about half a quart every 150-200 miles but I also have a valve cover leak. Nothing major though so most of it's burning past the rings I believe. The AFR heads were also freshened up with new seals and all last summer.

 

i'd leak it and run compression test. moly rings seal fast, very fast. i'd guess you have an intake leak

 

Smoke at start-up almost always is valve stem seals.

But, using that much oil, it may be going past other things as well, including the intake as ede said.

Were the heads shaved or block decked?

 

I'm fairly certain they checked out ok and didn't need to be decked.

What's the best method of checking for an intake leak? Leak down test?

 

you said the guy used moly rings, and somtimes when the block is honed if the guys didnt hone it for moly rings and then used moly rings it will smoke like that too.

 

Ok talked to the engine builder last night and he said he used Teflon positive valve seals so I think I can rule them out. I'm guessing I have an intake leak or PCV problem. I had a really hard time tuning out a bad idle that would shoot up to 1500-1800 and not come down without dying.

Any way I can test or check for either one. I was gonna try to pull the plugs this weekend if I have time to see if it's all the cylinders or just one or two. Problem is I have to drive the car for the next week and a half while the trans valve body is being reworked on my daily driver.

 

"I had a really hard time tuning out a bad idle that would shoot up to 1500-1800 and not come down without dying."

sounds like a vaccum leak to me.

Eric B

 

Yeah that's what we thought too. But like I said we couldn't find any external vac leaks. That's why I'm really leaning towards a bad intake manifold gasket that's leaking internally.

I might try pulling the plugs sunday. Problem is my daily driver is off the road until next weekend so I can't disable the IROC to replace the gaskets until after that....plus I'm dreading have to remove that Super Ram yet again.