DISASTER!? (Long and tragic)

["W.B. Peale" <wbpeale@domain.elided>]

So... I finally finished installing a 'new' LSD rear end in my 69 GTV.
Everything torqued properly, brakes bled, etc.  Ready to roll, it would
seem...

Unfortunately, the car didn't want to start, and sputtered and died a couple
of times.  I finally got it ticking over and tried to back it out of the
garage, but it died under even slight load.  This was not normal behavior.
Before I started this axle-swap job, the car was running beautifully, although
showing early signs of Spica-itis, with a slight dilution of the oil at 3k
miles.  The engine has just been completely rebuilt with about 4k miles total
at this point, less than 200 since the most recent oil change.

I disconnected the airbox, tried again, and it ran a bit better.  But I soon
realized that it was dumping some mixture of gas/oil on the garage floor at an
alarming rate, which seemed to be flowing out of the valve cover vapor tube or
the oil/air separator.  I stopped the engine immediately and took care of the
spill, paranoid that the huge puddle was going to ignite at any moment.  When
I checked the oil, there was a very strong odor of fuel from the oil cap and
dipstick, and the dipstick showed the level way above MAX - right to the top.

I changed the oil and found the volume of fluid to be close to 2X normal,
having nearly zero-viscosity and indistinguishable from straight gasoline
except for the color.  I made sure I changed both the filters and bled the
Spica pump properly to rid the system it of any residual gas.

After the change, the engine fired up instantly and smoothly, just as it had
before this whole incident, but it was now belching enormous clouds of
blue-gray smoke.  I tried a quick drive to see if this was just some oil left
in the airbox/intake manifold, but it actually seemed to get worse over time,
to the point where pedestrians were either gagging on the smoke or screaming
at me in anger as I drove past, and other drivers were constantly leaning on
their horns and shaking their fists at me.  It was the longest half mile I
have ever driven.

My Theory:
----------------
While the car sat with the rear end elevated for a week and a half while I
replaced the axle, fuel from the tank was forced by gravity into the oil sump,
the only route I am aware of being through the injection pump.  This would
mean that the plungers and bores in the pump were so worn that the fuel was
leaking past at the rate of several ounces per day, soley under the pressure
of gravity.

My Diagnosis:
---------------------
When I first started the car with the gas-diluted oil and ran it
intermittently for a total of 45-60 seconds, my brand new rings and/or liners
were quickly and completely destroyed.  I suppose I should confirm this with a
compression test, but there is little doubt in my mind.  For all I know the
main and rod bearings are also damaged.

My Frustration:
----------------------
I had absolutely no idea this could occur.  I am a fairly careful and
methodical mechanic, but it never crossed my mind that elevating the rear of
the car could cause a catastrophic engine failure.  It is hard to believe that
mine was unique situation, but I have never heard or read a warning along the
lines of:  "Never elevate the rear end for extended periods when working on a
Spica-injected Alfa, always keep the car as close to level as possible.
Otherwise..."

My Hope:
--------------
That someone can tell me that my diagnosis is wrong, and the engine rebuild
that I saved and planned for during the last two years is not a complete loss.

______________________

W.B. Peale
69 GT Veloce Tragica

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