You know, I never thought of the steel wool thing. In Classic and Exotic (hemmings) a couple of months ago they did the same for an old MG. That would work nicely int eh V8. I'll pull a set of vasve convers off the spare and see just how tough that would be.
Tony
----- Original Message -----
From: "urq" <urq@pacbell.net>
To: <v8@audifans.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 9:48 PM
Subject: Re: [V8] Engine rebuild options
IMO we're not talking about the head design, rather the design of the oil vapor recovery system that sits in the valley between the heads. Years ago Scott and I compared notes on this ... What I found in my research of oil vapor recovery systems was that some manufacturers use brass or steel wool as a surface onto which the oil could collect ... where it would hopefully drain into the return galleries as Dr. Oeldrucker intended. What happens on acceleration is the oil sloshes up to the line where only fumes are intended to pass. One time I pulled the line at the front of the engine where the oil recovery line attaches to the intake manifold and saw signs of liquid oil. If someone wanted proof positive they could block the line at the intake manifold, feed the vapor recovery line to some sort of container ... and then go around and have some fun for a little while ... decelerating down long hills and then punching it at the bottom, or replicating any other sequence that in the past has caused a smokescreen a battleship captain would be proud of. I suspect the issue will be resolved ...
My theory as to why a rebuilt motor resolves the problem is that the tighter rings/valve seals reduce the amount of blow by gasses, which leads to less oil vapor to build up in the recovery system. I have a pad of brass wool which I was planning to drop into the recovery system on the PT I have sitting in the garage (that engine that came from #2).
Steve B
San José, CA (USA)
