Hello experts,
I bought my car this winter and drove it home 2000 miles with supposedely 600 miles on a rebuild. When I got home I noticed oil leaking in the driveway so I replace the manifold gasket (seemed to solve the leak). I then started to get backfire and bad performance so I checked the plugs and the plugs on the drivers bank were COVERED in carbon. I changed the plugs and all was fine, I went for an oil change about 2 months ago and decided to check and replace the plugs and wires today because of excessive smoke like before. Now on the drivers bank the plugs have oil on them and I was low 3 quarts of oil I don't know if I am burning it or what is going on, no oil on the driveway but no oil in the car???

 

I once had a 77 malibu that did the same thing and it turned out to be bad valve seals and worn guides .It seems that the oil runs down onto the plug after shut down because it never fouled a plug until I shut it off. This might not be your problem but you might want to check it out.

 

Could it be possible that the valves didn't set right going 80MPH for 2000 miles with only 600 on the rebuild? It seems the engine problems are getting worse everyday

 

try checking the intake manifolds bolts to see if they are torqued to the correct specs. If it's loose you may be sucking oil from the valley into the cylinder.

 

also a posibility that it wasn't rebuilt and/or the heads where not touched up.
if the heads didn't have anything done you might be leaking from the valves

 

I will try that, I replaced the manifold gasket about 2 months ago because it was leaking and the bolts just may have come loose.

 

This was my first thought too. Its possible that the gaskets got torn, misplaced, or ripped when installed.

 

is your coolant clean?

 

I suppose anything is possible but it was put on very carefully by myself and my mechanic buddy.

 

When I replaced the gasket, I emptied the rad and ran the collant through a screen so it should be clean. I would have to drain it again to inspect it if you tell me what I am looking for?

 

just wondering if it may have had some oil leak into it, possible head gasket failure or something. If it looked ok, then forget about it.

 

Dang,
Not only were the intake manifold bolts loose, the valve cover bolts were loose, and the header bolts were loose, and I am checking everything as I go through. I am crossing my fingers that this will take care of it