Big thanks to all

[timsiford at hushmail.com]

I just wanted to shout out a big thanks to everyone who has helped me regarding 
the reading of my plugs, pistons, and chambers so far.  Your help is invaluable. 
 THANKS!  I have been giving this some serious thought and I've been going 
through all of my books and doing research on the web.  Basically, I am 
building a plan of attack for reassembly and tuning.  So far, this is my 
plan .... (chime in if you see something that you could comment on) ....

1) Go to a higher temp thermostat.  Currently running a 160.  Seems to me 
that I could benefit from higher temps without losing any performance.  
I am planning on a 180 deg thermostat.
2) Use a standard plug.  I'll be installing AC Delco plugs gapped at 0.040. 
 I have a supercoil and an MSD ignition system.
3) New heated O2 sensor.  If I am running rich then I believe the O2 must 
have something to do with it.  I am not (obviously) running around in OPEN 
loop all the time.  The car spends the majority of its time in closed loop 
so it seems to me that I must be running rich in closed loop also.  The 
fact that it appears I am running rich in ALL cylinders adds to this theory.
4) Up the fuel pressure and raise the injector constant.  Theoretically 
this should atomize the fuel more.  Any increase in atomization would have 
to be a benefit at this point (not in terms of performance ... but in terms 
of not pooling fuel).  It may or may not help.  But, I cannot see it hurting.
5) Decrease timing advance at WOT.  Was running a total of 42 degrees of 
advance at WOT.  If the Bosch +4 plugs are masking the flame then the new 
plugs won't need all of this advance.  Furthermore, given what I will be 
doing in number 6 below ... I can get away with less advance.  Probably 
start with 38 deg total advance and then work down from there.
6) Decrease fuel at WOT.  Probably start with an AFR of about 12.2 and then 
slowly lean it out via checking the plugs and watching for knock.

That's pretty much it.  The only other concern that I have is why the intake 
valves on my heads look wet.  If it was gas then it wouldn't be there anymore. 
 Could be Oil ... but, I don't see the 'smoke at startup' symptom for bad 
valve seals.  If it matters ... I am running Positive control valve seals 
on the AFRs.

Tim