92 XFI Rebuild. Runs GREAT! But vanishes in a cloud of SMOKE!

[livid4fish]

A big thanks to all that have resolved there smoke screen issues! The posts were very helpful. My deal was this: had motor on engine stand took lots of pictures (cant get them to load) anyway did my rebuild. I seen that the gasket i took off looked identical to the one i purchased. So what the heck i dont need to enlarge my holes a all ! It never smoked before so together it went. Ran great took for a drive to seat the rings and look out! We have periodoc smoke screen . Went back to the computor checked my photos and in the first picture after removing the head there is the oil restrictor. But after cleaning and blowing things out with air . I go to my last photo with pistons installed and ready to button up. And low and behold no oil restrictor must have got blown out . So i folowed the posts, purchased a new gasket did a little Dremil work, slapped her back together and now the XFI is happy once again ! You guys are awesome!

[91Caprice9c1]

Yeah the check valve is the trick. For such a small part, it can have a profound affect! Enlarging the head gasket drain holes is a round-a-bout way of solving the problem and is unorthodox but I have done this to my personal '93 3cyl and a couple of the fleet metros with no adverse reactions. Good work and goodluck!

-MechanicMatt

[RossT]

A year ago, I bough an acdelco reman engine on e-bay. I was going to do a jdm, but got a good deal on the reman so bought it instead. I actually took the head off it to check for the check valve and proper hole for the drainback.
Turned out the valve was there, but the hole needed to be enlarged. I was just being paranoid about it.