My Z06 runs great, makes good power etc... But it uses a good bit of oil... Not so much that my bumper is black or anything, and it doesnt smoke during normal driving... However, if I stomp on it, or rev it from idle, I blow what looks and smells like fuel smoke but I fear it may be oil smoke... I'm well aware that the tune on the car is very rich (will have that fixed here soon at rpm)

some details on the car!
2001 model year currently has 55k on it
LPE built 427 installed at 10k
Lpe Longtubes
stock midpipe
SLP loudmouth
Vararam bridge with Blackwing filter
Catch can
Current tune from BEHE performance

Common sense tells me that if I had a blowby issue with the rings, I'd have air blowing from my oil filler neck, but it has a heavy vaccuum instead, I trust LPE's build implicitly and doubt that the rings on one of their forged motor builds would fail in a naturally aspirated build that has never seen nitrous etc...

What are the symptoms of valve stem seal issues in these motors?
Ideally I'd have a leakdown test done, but I'm on vacation this week and I'm looking for some help and suggestions in the meantime!

the car is out of LPE's warranty at this point unfortunately, so if the rings are an issue I have an expensive problem on my hands

 

What oil brand and viscosity are you running?

If it's running so rich that it blows unburnt fuel smoke, it's likely contaminating the oil and thinning it...and washing the oil film off the cylinder walls, accelerating ring wear.

I'd get it tuned properly, then promptly do an oil change after consulting w/ Lingenfelter on their oil recommendation.

 

I changed the oil with LPE's reccomended viscosity, using Motul oil... I'd have to look at the paperwork again to verify what weight they reccomend, but thats what's in the car.

 

How much oil does it consume per 1000 miles? Oil smoke vs. gas smoke have very different odors and appearance...oil smoke is usually blue/gray in color while gas is black.

As far as valvestem seals, they usually show up coasting downhill in a low gear w/ the engine braking the car...blue smoke trailer.

 

Im using a very disheartening quart per 1000 miles at this point. Smoke is black not blue at all. My brother had an acura that was having an issue with it's rings, and this does not emulate that condition except for the oil usage. I'm going to change my oil again when I get home, try mobil one or royal purple in the reccmended viscosity and see how that goes...

possibly an important piece of information is that my catch can doesnt seem to be collecting very much blowby at all

 

If you're going with Mobil-1, consider the High Mileage version of their stuff. Or the 0W-40. Mine burns regular Mobil-1 5W-30, but not the HM version or 0W-40.