Just built new 383 stroker. Piston to wall clearance within range, rings properly gapped. AFR 195 street elim, full roller. When i start engine up, smokes fair bit. Every time hit throttle smokes a lot. Drive about thirty miles and got to add about a quart. Has about 200 miles on build, if that. Not leaking any serious amounts, just couple drips on floor after sitting for a day. Please help! Getting desperate. Spent ridiculous amount of money on motor (for me), just wanna drive it!

 

who assembled it? New heads or used?
What color smoke?

 

It was assembled by my brother, licensed mechanic, so unfortunatley no warranty.
Heads are used. Bought them with the block from buddy who originally had motor as 383. Did not burn oil then, but heads were off motor for maybe a year... valve seals??? All valves were lapped and inspected prior to assembly.
Thick blue smoke is the color.

 

There is a chance that the rings didn't seat. That would cause it to smoke excessivly. Valve seals usually only smoke on start up, unless they are really bad. Even bad guides don't smoke a ton.

How was the motor broken in? What kind of oil did you use?

 

Engine was warmed up to normal running temperature. Then cooled down. Then ran motor, started tuning it and driving it easy. Has had foot put into it too occassionally. If rings were going to break in, they would have by now... correct?
Been running regular 10W30 in it entire time.

 

It's time for a compression test.

 

Ya so a comp. and leak down test. As said above if it was seals its usually just at start up. Unless those heads are really jacked up guide wise.

Do you know if the ring gap was staggared correct? Deff. sounds like blow by.

As for break in. Its All personal pref. You have the guys/shops that say Take it easy varying the rpm driving range for 500 -1000 miles to seat the rings.

and you have the guys who say just run it.
Ive personally done both. and never had any problems either way.

only thing I worry about breaking in is a Hydrolic flat tappen cam for 20minutes on 1st start up.

 

normally whe you seat rings, you run it up to 4k in first then let it coast down, do that about 4 times then go to 2nd gear and do it again. then 3rd gear and so on. the rings wont seat if you get let it idle and keep shutting it off. do a compression test. Also what kind of rings do you use? cast iron? or mallory aluminum rings?