The oil sucking problem is on the kegger manifold, yours doesn't have that issue. Your oil consumption is gonna be valve seals, or rings..... I'm leaning toward valve seals, simply due to age.

 

Oil consumption is negligible...

But you are telling me that oil on the plugs indicates it's sucking oil in somewhere.

Maybe I don't need the manifold gaskets? It would be good if I didn't, they are not readily available. O'Reillys can get them in by July 10, NAPA cannot supply at all, something's wrong here.

I need an OBD1 code reader, it might tell the story.

 

You are correct, I read right over the "TBI." Still, if the manifold gasket is bad on a TBI system, the intake ports can suck oil from the valley area, so the gasket is still something to consider.

 

That would come with other issues as well though. Unstable idle, etc...... Granted, he DOES have some performance issues.... Being OBDI though, complicates matters. I don't think any of the parts stores around here have OBDI readers any more......

 

The code reading, done by counting flashes, comes up with 27 (injector control circuit) and 51 (fuel system lean) plus some other less relevant ones, 35, 17 and 37.

I am now seeing a possibility that it's a matter of the one injector not working properly and that being the one which feeds the front and rear cylinders.

Am I looking in the right direction now?

 

That sounds like a likely candidate, and would account for a fair few of your symptoms. Question becomes, is it the injector, the wiring, or the PCM?

 

I've ordered a rebuilt injector (they say new aren't available) and I'll have that tomorrow.

That will explain the oily plugs in the end cylinders and the lack of power and the misfire, probably the roughness as well.

Get rid of those and I'm a happy boy. I can go on with minor jobs like replacing a headlight and fixing the adjusters on that. I was also told (can you confirm?) that the overdrive won't engage because the 'check engine' light is on. If so, that might well be another problem out of the way, only to fix the horn left on the list. Apart from changing the brake linings and pads again, of course.

There are four vacant slots in the fuse array, where will I find a diiagram of that so maybe the horn will come good all by itself?

 

I would change out the plugs as well, if you haven't already.

So far as I know, the PCM won't disable O/D just because of a check engine lite. (unless, of course, its a code for the O/D solenoid.....) It looks at several parameters to decide whether to engage or not. Speed over 42MPH, no excessive engine load, etc..... But, with your performance problems.... ya never know. Make it run right, then tackle the O/D, if it's still an issue.

 

Make it run right is my sole aim at the moment...

I have perhaps 3000 miles to cover before I ship it back home, once it's there I can play with other things. This is the same viiew I took with the '99 RAM 1500 van last year, ridiculous oil consumption, but it ran okay and never stopped.

And as a result of some answers here I now know where to look for that issue to be fixed.

 

You have two in there don't you? Have you looked at the pcv valve? They can let oil be sucked into the intake.