Captain Obvious

Bump. Anyone ever figure this out? Anyone have the Rosetta stone for the date code on the Sumitomo calipers?

Assuming the bleed screw isn't hardened, it sounds like a reasonably simple machining operation on a lathe. And even if it isn't fully hardened through, there is the possibility that it's case hardened. And you'll most likely cut through the case when you knock the tip off. Are you sure that the threads are the same as the generic bleed screw? You said a while ago that there was a "normal" one in there, and it was loose?

Haha! It happens!

That connection point is above your left knee. It connects the output from your ignition control module to the EFI harness. If the car starts and runs at all, then that connection should be OK.

Good. Keep an eye on it. Here's to hoping the whole thing was a non-problem and just a couple chips left over from the head shave and gasket scraping.

I would back up a little and ask some questions: Are you double dog sure the oil pan was free of debris after your recent rebuild? Maybe those fragments are chips that have been in there from before the rebuild. Did you have the head cut? Maybe those fragments are chips that weren't properly cleaned off the head after that process. Are you sure the fragments are metal? Maybe chips from an old head gasket being cleaned off the block or head? Or valve cover gasket even. Some of those have a metal core. While you had the oil pan off, did you take a look at the thrust bearing on the center main? How is the oil pressure? How does the engine sound and run? Any reason to believe there's something wrong inside? I'm not yet ready to jump to the conclusion that there's anything seriously wrong.

If it's not to late... Don't pull the housing. If you have concerns about this being the issue, pull the valve cover and look down along the back side of the chain guide and see if the tip of the bolt is pushing against it. I wouldn't mess with the thermostat housing if you don't have to. They're too prone to leaks to mess with unless you really have a compelling reason to do so. And besides........ The chain guide backing plate is steel, not aluminum. If the stuff you found in the pan is non-ferrous, then it's not the metal from the chain guide.

Excellent!!

My understanding is that the reason exhaust valve seals are less of a concern is... The cavity where the valve stem passes through the exhaust port is never under vacuum like the intake port area is. It's less likely you would ever pull oil INTO that area because you just don't have the vacuum differential like the one you see on the intake side.

Here's some pics from an early 260. Maybe these will help?

Remember, he's living on an old hammer farm and apparently they grew in the field out back. The later you pick 'em, the bigger they get.

Chrome.

I suspect you're having the same "gas seems to have gotten less dense over the years" kind of level adjustment issue that has affected several owners.

Obviously. That would be reckless.

Well if you did check the oil that frequently and it really IS disappearing, that's unfortunate. I was just hoping it might have been a non-problem. A quart in 100 miles is really a lot of oil. At that rate, I would have expected you to crop dust a mosquito fogging blue cloud behind you. Especially without a catalytic converter.

Gotcha. So there is a leak between the small control connection and the 5/8 connection that goes to the balance tube? But the side that goes to the air cleaner seals up tight? If the leak from the control line to the balance tube connection is a small leak, the valve may work OK. As long as the side leading to the air cleaner is sealed, it won't create a vacuum leak. Give it a try in application and see if you it opens briefly when you let off the throttle. Test procedure is described in the fsm:

25 will run, but it's a little low. I believe the float level for those carbs should be 20 mm down from the bottom of the lid. I draw line on the side of the carb body:

Actually, I don't believe that you must have your hood off for it to be considered hooning, but it doesn't hurt! I think part of the definition of hooning requires an entertaining amount of mostly safe, but moderate risk and recklessness. That recklessness is most often achieved through the application of velocity. But you can also achieve some recklessness in other forms instead, such as missing major parts (like a hood). If you don't have a hood, you don't have to drive as fast in order for it to be considered hooning. I also think that driving a car that has only a handbrake would be considered hooning, even if you followed all speed restrictions.

Are you really sure you lost that much oil? That's an awful lot!! Especially under normal driving conditions. Typically intake valve seal leakage is worst when coasting and the intake manifold vacuum peaks. But under normal driving conditions, that doesn't happen all the time, just sporadically. I'm going to throw out a scenario.... You checked your oil before you started your motor and went on your drive. The level looked good. However, unbeknownst to you, the night before, your anti-drainback valve on your oil filter leaked and some of the oil typically held in your filter drained back into the crankcase. Then you went on your 50 mile drive and checked your oil shortly upon returning. At that time, you found you were about a half quart down. I would propose that it may not have burned away, but maybe just shifted locations? I've seen this scenario occur and just trying to get to the root issue before you go stuffing rope everywhere.

I believe this is what @Zed Head refers to as "hooning" Did I say that right?

So I went back and found my notes. I was aiming for about 9.4 compression ratio. I'm running an F54 block with stock flat top pistons and a P79 head that has been shaved .040.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "smaller pipe". There are three connections to the device... One small (1/8 inch?) control connection, and two larger (5/8 inch?) connections. I thought the two larger connections were the same size at about 5/8 inch? That's not the case?

I did calculate it as I designed the concept, but I don't remember the number. I'll dig up my notes and see what I was thinking. I don't think it was in the 10's. I think I was aiming for mid to high nines. I probably should have had that info handy before I posted that pic. Sorry.