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Originally Posted by madtexan

OK We got something going here.... The 50 yr old club!

I know the exhaust pipes are not original but they are at least 25 yrs old. I never heard that they can cause a smell though. It happens as soon as the car is started. Smell stays in the garage for days.

I do remember when I put the Rhodes lifters in I had to put a stainless washer under each of the rocker arm nuts. I did that because when I tightened them without the washer the nut would bottom out on the stud (reach the ends of the threads) and not apply any pressure to the rocker arms. They were loose without and I thought they would make noise or come off. Could the heads have the wrong studs in them or wrong push rods or something?

Rhodes lifters clatter from what I hear. If you are holding the valve off of its seat slightly with this washer, it might very well cause this and might burn valves. A local mechanic that worked on old Pontiacs would really help. I'm afraid to say what to do without seeing it, but this might be the problem.