Club Cobra - White Smoke Follow Up

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White Smoke Follow Up

Well, after having the motor leak tested and a compression check - everything looks fine. The head gasket is OK and it seems the reason for the smoke is just that the rings have not seated yet. The motor has 800 miles on it - does this check out with what you guys have experienced ? I'm being told that the rings will not be completly seated until 1000 or 1500 miles...

Now the bigger question. OIL LEAK...The rear main and oil pan gasket were both replaced during the 500 mile service. Rear was a 2 piece which was no big deal to replace...However, it's still leaking oil !!! Dye test will be done in the morning, they seem to think it is one of the other plugs (cam possibly) at the back of the motor - if so - they have to pull it....OUCH. Any thoughts guys ?? Thanks in advance.

They woudn't have to pull the motor; just yank the tranny, bellhousing, pressure plate, disk, and flywheel and there they are. I have seen several fords leak from the galley plugs at the rear of the block alongside the cam. The cam plug is a definate possibility as well. The dye is the only way to find out where that oil is getting out. It will creap along the seams and drip off the lowest point, often originating at an intake end seal or valve cover gasket, when you were pretty darned sure it was the rear main. Who's oil pan is it? I would have checked the rails for flatness for sure, most oil pans are not flat. Alot of 351 windsor oil pans leak from right behind the starter, it runs back and you don't know where it was getting out of until you put the flouro dye in there.
You could be sucking oil past your valve guides as well, depends on which valve stem seals were installed. Sucking it though the intake ports from the lifter valley is one more possibility. Don't worry unless it doesn't go away or gets worse in the next 1000 miles.

..the oil pan is a custom pan from Coast High Performance, the same guys who built the motor. I upgraded to a 7 qt baffled road race oil pan with a windage tray...House of Cobras is doing all of the work and they already replaced the oil pan gasket...Dean is working on it and he knows his stuff, to say the least...He seems to think they will have to pull the motor and is pretty sure it is either a galley or cam plug...I guess we will see. Thanks again for the info - Anything else ???? As usual, your replys are always informative and very accurate...