[brider]

Came in this morning and was suprised to find more entries on this thread!

Compression checks high and consistent, last I checked was 150-ish. This engine pulls steady 21-22 in. vacuum at idle.

I'm reading oil pressure from an aftermarket mechanical guage. Pressure is high at idle when cold, 50 psi+.

At hot road speed (misleading choice of words when talking about an F-engine 55), pressure is a comforting 30-40 psi.

Hot idle is low, maybe 10-15 psi, but the guage isn't that finely calibrated; the needle does drop to it's stop when I shut it off, so I know there IS pressure at idle.

But like I said, the pressure isn't my concern, I'll run this engine until it destroys itself, then look at it as an opportunity to upgrade to a 2F. My concern is the big cloud of smoke at startup. Thevalve seals sound like something I could do when the rig is down for the salt season. but if there was an additive that anyone had luck with, I'd like to try that now, while I'm still driving it.

THAT was my primary question.

Thanks!