Reply to "500 BHP 351 Cleveland"

Thanks for the good advice, folks.

Well I finally got results from Tommy Hodges who did the leak down test today.

All cylinders showed a consistent 8%-9%. This at 40º F California weather in an engine that hasn’t run in weeks. Warm we believe this would be down to around 3%.

A stethoscope confirmed air leaking into both the oil pan and valve covers.

Oh yeah, the plugs (almost two seasons old) were oily, but in decent shape.

So the expert opinion is that the angle of the 408 stroker, the 6" con rods, the chrome moly rings and the still limited mileage (less than 5,000 miles) contribute to a fact of life I may have to live with. And I'll keep on adding oil as I go.

The motor runs well, is extremely tame and streetable, yet kicks some serious butt. I have never lost a street race yet (Porsches, Vipers, Ferraris, NSXs, Vettes and a few carefully chosen rice rockets).

We've come to the conclusion that the guys who did a god job building a nice loose hot rod motor to give me this kind of performance (522hp / 510 ft lbs of torque) didn’t really care about adding oil after every 1/4 mile run. So be it. I'll just continue to carry oil with me.

Now all I have to do is figure out how to avoid the yellowing across the rear face above the bumper. Here are some options. I am open to comments and suggestions.

1 - use synthetic oil that yellows less and is easier to clean
2 - extend the rear exhaust pipes slightly
3 - modify the exit angle of the pipes
4 - fab an undertray to boost the airflow and oil away from the car
5 - find the stuff they use to protect new cars in transport; cut a bunch to fit the rear face; then stick it on before a long trip and rip it off when I get there
6 - drive shorter distances
7 - bring my wife and a spray bottle of degreaser whenever I travel

My engine build details and parts list along with dyno info is attached for any experts who wish to investigate further.