Read the instructions again today,remove one plug installed gauge crank engine over until needlle on gauge no longer moves, write down reading replace plug go to next cylinder and repeat. But just for giggles I removed all plugs and took reading, Got same reading as with the plugs installed, Also checked gauge by installing it in the stock 440 in my Daytona got a reading of 130 only checked one cylinder, but is the readings I felt I should be getting on the Challenger engine

If it wasn't flooded on start up and the hone was done by somebody reputable I doubt if if killed the rings. Pull the intake, 8 bolts. I'll bet its sucking oil.
Doug

O.k. talked to the owner of the car today and got a little more history about the car,He was not sure what cam is installed but the guy that built it told him it was a big one. Ask if had any other problems in the past and he told me that he had a electric fuel pump on it and it ran 6psi , which I think was fine, but he said they took it off a couple of weeks ago and put a mechanical pump on because after the car set over night there would be gas on the intake, he said it was like pressure would build up and push it out thottle shaft. Changed to a mechanical pump and no longer has gas on intake, So my thinking is it was probably leaking gas into intake and was washing the cylinder walls down and it got the rings. And that's the cause of the low readings.I am going to try a leak down test the next day or so.

Already changed gasket and it made no difference, the old one looked as it was sealed fine.

If adding oil didn't fix the problem, it isn't the rings.

Several months ago, there was a rescue story in Hot Rod. The guy's Cobra was running so bad that he never drove it, it sat in the garage. It had a really rich condition and compression was low. The expert used a borescope and looked inside the chambers. He found "loose, fluffy carbon deposits" that were keeping the valves from seating all the way.

They got the fuel problem fixed and put several hard miles on the car, and compression went up to where it should have been. They mentioned that back in the day, it was thought necessary to take a car out on the road and "blow the carbon out". I had heard this too and thought this was a gasoline-fume-induced myth, but it seems to have some basis in fact.

R.

I've heard that referred to as an "Italian tuneup"

Wrong stagger on rings would be a impossible thing. even if installed with all the gaps lined up with in about 10 revolutions they would no longer be in the same position as the rings constantly turn in the lands. Remember that this is engine that had been running good so IMO this eliminates a improper cam install. A blown or leaky head gasket would not effect all cylinders either.

what do the plugs look like ? if it is burning any oil you will see it... bad valve seal-s guide issues ?? a large cam with pistons in the hole a mile and big open chamber heads can get you 100 psi all day long...

Back in the day the literature frequently referenced "taking it out & blowing the carbon out of it" With the oil burning happening all of a sudden I'd stay after that as some gasket somewhere let loose & I'd find/fix that then onto the low comp. I would do a leakdown tho I'm wondering if fubared oil rings will show definitively on that % & I'm sure it will to some extent but we gotta keep after it with what we got till something develops. As said it might be as simple as low DCR but that is real low numbers. keep us posted!

Plan on leak down test tomorrow. when I done the compression test (I have done four so far and got same reading each time).If it was just blue smoke I would say oil.But it seems to be more bluish gray.Vacuum gauge shows 5 to 10 very rapid between the two at idle.bring engine up to about 2000 rpms and vacumn smoothes out at 15. It is like the exhaust valves are not closing all the way.I could see this happen to one head but not both. Leak down test tomorrow we will see.

the grey points more toward fuel enrichment, like you see when your behind someone & they floor it.

I know and that is what at first i felt was wrong. Changed carb and intake ran the same. You stand in smoke and it doesn't smell rich and there is just enough blue to it make you think oil.

Alright, I keep coming back to the valley pan tho not sure about valve stem seals (not convinced but I would check them) & they as the culprit would be more likely to show up on decell (I'm assuming it smokes all the time)

Ditto. It makes us feel better we stagger them when we assemble but you are correct, they turn.

That is a very large jump/swing in vacuum. It sounds to me like it has poorly seating valves, sticky valves, worn guides, worn springs, a burned valve, or some combination of this. Some valve issue IMO. You need to check all 8 too, 1 may be higher or lower and tell us something.

I went to borrow leak down gauges from a friend today and his was kid was having surgery today so he was not at work.Said to come by Monday and i can get them.So I decided just to go ahead and pull the heads and see what I find. When I pull up the intake I could see in the intake ports and they look wet with oil so maybe the intake gasket I installed did not seal.After seeing this I feel it going to be intake seal or rings. Anyone have any good tips on installing intake gaskets I have installed maybe thirty intake gaskets on 440 & 383 in my life and never had a problem. But looking at the valve this doesn't look like all of sudden thing. Carbon build up on valves very black tar looking . But I am half way of pulling heads so maybe pull them and have them worked and worry about sealing intake after reinstall of heads. I would hate do all of this and it turned out to be the rings. Anyway maybe get heads off tonight and what I have.these are the plugs after abut thirty minutes run time on new plugs

Dead rich. Needs more timing.

You say valves but you show us plugs. Which is it?

And did you remove just the intake manifold or intake plus heads? It's confusing how you are telling the story.

It doesn't take long at all for such carbon deposits to form if the engine is running max rich.

I just don't believe it is rings with what you've told us. But if it is, you have to take the heads off anyway, right?

For valve stem wear, Chrysler had a test in the FSM, with no spring on and valve closed how much would the stem move sideways. That would be quick and dirty. Then get some lapping compound and lightly lap the valves to see if there are any spots that aren't seating. I mean the carbon should be gone by this time and what I'm looking for is a nice shiny ring on the valve seat and the valve face. I'm not suggesting you do any more than find out if the valves are seating.

If they are and if the valves pass the sideways test then reassemble with new valve stem seals, stock type are OK,and get ready to reassemble.

Bigblock people will be happy to tell you their tricks for intake sealing.

R.

Photos show plugs darker in photos than they are, I showed plugs because someone asked what they looked like and to show it was not rich. That didn't work out from the photo. I couldn't get the camera down in ports to show the valves so plugs was it.As far the timing goes . When it showed up the timing was one of the first thing I checked. It was set at 42% btc. And the advance was not working. It has MSD distributor and someone set it up with the advance locked out and weights removed. The car started fine the starter spun over fine , Makes me think the cam wasn't degreed in when built. The owner had the weights and spring so reinstalled them and now I have 18 btc at idle and 34 btc at 3000. So much on this engine is over done for the way the guy drives it. Six pack carb setup ,big tube headers,3 inch exhaust,big cam, 5 speed Trans he never turns over 3000 rpms , Drives it a lot on interstate said it turns about 1800 at 70 MPH. With the A/C on

This is great feedback. It tells us many things. For one, there are often more than 1 way to get great results.
2, you have a great starter and battery.
3, There will never be a mix up of firing order with your method.