[DeTomaso] Pandora update: Scottsdale or bust!

[Christopher Kimball]

I got Pandora back today from Larry, my mechanic, and the car runs well, except for some dieseling after I turn her off.  I think that should be taken care of with some tweaking.  Larry worked on it for a longer time than he thought he would, including moving a fuel filter to underneath the car from its previous location in the engine bay next to the hot headers.He found that instead of one, good gasket, the intake manifold had two gaskets that were not very good between the manifold and the block, and, in fact, there was a bunch of silicone rubber squirted in there, too--right by cylinder number three, which was the one which burnt oil.  He suspects that the oil was being sucked right into the cylinder through the faulty gasket.  He said it appeared other cylinders were also suffering from the same malady, although to a lesser extent.  He also pointed out that the manifold was held in place with some ARP bolts (as opposed to the AARP bolts which hold me together...), but they were far too short, and because of that had gotten very loose very quickly, also probably contributing to the oil problem.
He also tried tracking down a small oil drip that is very elusive.  The only conclusion he could come to was that the oil was actually weeping out of the fuel pump somehow, since the pump seems to be sealed to the block OK, yet the oil is definitely coming from the vicinity of the fuel pump.  I told him next time he had the car he could try replacing that to see if it solves the problem.  It's not a big deal at the moment, just a minor annoyance.

All of these problems, as far as I can tell, originated when the engine was being built a couple of years ago.  For nine grand I would have hoped for a better-quality job.

He also replaced a phenolic spacer between the intake manifold and the carb with a shorter one because, he said, since I already have a high-rise manifold, I really didn't need the extra inch or so that the phenolic spacer provided.  It wouldn't have been an issue, except that the throttle cable was positioned at such a steep angle, the cable was gnawing it's way through the sheath.  He made a new bracket, too, so now the angle is much more appropriate.
He probably spent at least 20 hours or so working on the car, not including parts, and said $550.00 should cover it.  I gave him $625.
I tried looking out the rear-view mirror as I punched it driving to church tonight (I had to go there straight from his shop due to timing; I think my wife and sons heard me coming...), and I didn't see any blue smoke, which is good.  The true test will be when someone I know is driving behind me.  If they detect that familiar Pandora smell of burning oil, then the problem must be something else. 
Assuming things are as they should be, however, I will be leaving on the 21st for the long journey to the POCA Fun Rally.  I'll start coordinating various meetings along the way with other Pantera owners so I can travel in a pack, although there is a gentleman and his wife who are trailering their Pantera down from my area, and I'll primarily be traveling their route since in addition to the Pantera in said trailer, they're packing a myriad of tools, too!
See you all in Arizona (I hope!)
Chris KimballPNW President