Oil Usage Problem

[Hotfingrs]

I've had an excessive oil usuage problem for months now. Blue smoke whenever I start engine...under WOT etc. Was using 1 qt of oil every hundred miles. This is on an engine that was brand new in June. Pulled intake and resealed gaskets. still using oil. A couple of weeks ago I had the heads off..AFR 227's and had a trough cut along the header side for oil drain back and also had the drain back holes front and rear lowered 1/2 inch. Thought because of cam, oil was being pulled back through the valve seals. I've also had carb problems the last couple of weeks, car was running like crapola, sometimes, but in garage everything ran fine.

Then during the blackout on Thursday I got stuck in traffic waiting for lights that weren't working...car really started running rough...thought I had fouled a plug. Friday morning I went and got a new set of plugs, put them in and car still didn't run right. Went over to the engine builder and when I got home noticed a puddle of gas and oil under the car. Started car to see where it was coming from, fuel pump. Pulled the fuel pump off, took it apart and there as a 1/2 rip in the diaphram. Mechanical pump. Went to Summit and got a new one and put it on...Car runs great and no blue smoke. Pump must have had a pin hole in it for weeks and was sucking oil through the backside of pump...then when it got bigger...started pushing it out the pump and into the oil pan...and onto the ground....but was seriously going to pull the engine and take it apart to find where the heck the oil was going....and would have if the diaphram hadn't ripped more.

Just something to think about next time someone is using a lot of oil and can't figure out why......