It's funny because people are getting the wrong impression of this build... trust me when I tell you - the quality of the overall build is TOP TOP NOTCH.... it's just the little mechanical details where the shop really bites it. I know plenty of guys that can't seal a simple SBC intake... they blame their lack of skills on "SBC's always leak - they leaked from the factory".... etc. This was worse than that because there was not even a semblance of an attempt to do it right.
Either way -- it's no big deal to pull the intake off - clean her all up nice - and do a PROPER job. Trust me when I tell you -- SBC's do not always leak... from the top or the bottom! I have a couple of them and there's not one itty bitty tiny leak ANYWHERE. Now that the '32 is sealed up - it doesn't leak either!
I can tell you that the drivability - and the EZ EFI - is certainly a lot happier! It's tough for EFI to deal with uncontrolled intake air! And there is no more blue oil smoke out the exhaust either! I took it out for a nice long drive this afternoon and it's 500% better. I'll pull the driver side exhaust next week and do the same re-fit / bolt grinding exercise with it - just to be happy with the over all job.
With this fix - there are no more funky things left. Now it's a nice little hot rod!
I will say that the "vented tube" they made for the rear end is dang near a work of art... all hard lined - with brackets welded on to keep it still - and a nice little K&N filter on top the 1/2" tube..... it amazes me that they can build such wonderful little details - but can't change a f'n spark plug without messing it up. The work Tim Bruning did on the exhaust should be on display at the Smithsonian...
I also changed oil - I use only the cleanable reusable screen style billet oil filters (from Pure Power)... this allows me to peer into the motor a bit via the crud in the filter if any. I'm happy to report there was ZERO crud. There's only 1000 miles on the motor now - but regardless - I've been on pins and needles since the idiots ran it without oil pressure. SO FAR - SO GOOD. The valve train got a thorough inspection during the intake reseal job - and it's sterling as well. As long as all the plugs were out - I did a cylinder pressure test -- and a leak down test. Both were perfect.
Here's the cylinder pressure.....
And here's the leakdown - with 100 psi - only air to be heard was past the rings (that's the CORRECT place to hear the air!)....