[DeTomaso] Pandora update: Scottsdale or bust!

[Mikael]

"yet the oil is definitely coming from the vicinity of the fuel pump", is
this a Cleveland? Oil filter and one oil passage plug is right close to the
fuel pump. 

I haven't done it yet, but I've read that when spinning off the old filter,
the rubber ring might stay on the block, so when spinning on a new filter
with another rubber ring, there will be a leak.

And of course it can be valve cover or intake manifold front seal, oil tends
to respond to gravity, and can come from a lot of other places than where
it's visible. 

Just like a blonde I know, she wanted a new shower head. Why? Because the
old one was dripping water all the time.

I would take it back at let the mechanic fix it.

Good luck

Mikael

-----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
Fra: Christopher Kimball [mailto:chrisvkimball at msn.com] 
Sendt: 8. april 2012 08:19
Til: Pantera List Serve
Emne: [DeTomaso] Pandora update: Scottsdale or bust!


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