I haven't pulled the plugs yet, but at the moment I'm fairly sure it's blow-by. The oil breather pipework has liquid oil in it which is unusual. Normally its sooty sludge, not clean liquid oil. I think what is happening is that at low rpm the rings are quite loose in the bores and so combustion gases get in to the sump and push the oil vapour out of the breather system and then in to the intake manifold. Exactly how its supposed to work, but more than is supposed to happen. At high rpm there is enough combustion pressure behind the rings to seal them in the bore hence lots of power and no oil usage. Pretty much as you described Andrew
The oil smells fine - no fuel in it.
Vera says there is a puff of smoke when setting off - I think this is oil that has settled in the separator pod being pulled through the engine. There's no sign of it in the exhaust so it is definitely burning and not blowing straight through.
I've finished pulling things from the old engine and started putting them on the new engine.
Oil cooler / filter housing cleaned up, fitted with a new cooler, filter, pressure sensor, connecting pipe and bolts.
We replaced the timing belt too. The old one is in visibly perfect condition since its only ever been run in at the factory, however it is 18 years old! Its a no-brainer to replace it at this point. Imagine the shiny new belt behind the shiny new covers, since I forgot to take a pic. You know what that looks like by now anyway
Fitted the main water pipes from the old engine to the new one. The pipes that came with the engine didn't have the fittings for the aux heater.
LPG injectors installed
I made some 20mm aluminium spacers for the fuel rail. Much better than it just floating there
Engine going back on the jig
Cue angelic chorus: aaaahhhhoooooeeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhhhh
Factory manual flywheel
Replaced since we're in there, along with the clutch of course.
Engine back on the jig. Only 5 of 8 flywheel bolts were delivered so I can't put it all back together yet. The remaining 3 will be here in the morning.
Going back in the car tomorrow after cleaning the engine bay