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I been wondering too.

I sent him an e-mail....maybe it will get his attention..........jb exsedan

Well, I checked back last week and there didn't seem to be any activity on this post so I thought I'd just skate but I see that isn't going to happen.  Basically I have no answer because after the roadster show I parked the car and haven't driven it until today.
I'm really just guessing that one cylinder burns lean because of the bright blue color of only that one chromed primary tube.  Everyone had good ideas but I'm just too lazy to do anything about it right now.  I think I'll just treat it like an airplane and fly it until it fails and then look for a place to land.  So, 6 months from now I'll be on here crying about a dropped valve in only one cylinder.

BTW, this adds fuel to the fire that there is a lot more happening on this site than the casual observer might discern.  Thanks for keeping me on my toes.

Went to the Long Beach Model T swap meet today.  It sure isn't what it was years ago.  I guess we are just running out of model T parts to trade.

Considered a leak around the intake gasket at #5?  
Frank.

I'll check that today with a spray can of starter fluid.

do you have the old rocker cover that has the cut away and the gasket glued on....


so you can start the motor without puking oil all over the exhaust???


fire it up.. let it idle... look at the push rods...   are any spinning significantly faster than the others.. or twisting back and forth...

either of these may indicate problems...

please.... if you have a cam that has gone flat...  and are going to install new cam and lifters...  while you have the timing cover off...   shove some strong rare earth magnets into the pan...  make sure they stick to the pan.. not up to the rotating assembly...

you can also get them smaller at radio shack...  shove them through the drain plug opening...

there is going to be metal filings scattered through the oil system... remember.. the oil filter bypasses some of the oil when cold...

you might stop right now.. swap the oil filter.. cut the used one apart... examine it closely .. use a magnet... a clean magnet... on a white flower sack dish cloth.... got metal... not got metal?


valve action still need to be examined... but you will know if there is metal in the filter..

I'll try running it as you suggest.  I cut the filter every time I change the oil which has been 3 times on this car in 1800 miles.  I've seen no indication of metal particles in the oil yet.  I do run a zinc additive in the oil.  If the cam turns out to be flat I'll go entirely through the engine not just replace the cam and lifters.

Thanks for the ideas.

carbon build up on the back of the intake valve.. usually do to a loose guide, bad valve stem seal... or one that has slipped off the guide and is riding up and down on the valve stem....


the thick carbon found on the back of some intake and a hand full of exhaust valves can choke off one cylinder..

the carbon absorbs the fuel when cold... but can block the air flow also..


also... are there any vacuum hoses that are hooked to the back of the intake???

like the power  brake booster?   could that be leaking?? does the engine idle speed change when you pinch off the power booster hose or the PCV hose?

These are all good answers.  I hope it is not the cam. It is a flat tappet cam.  I will check for vacuum leak but it idles OK.  The only vacuum system is the vacuum modulator and it is tapped into the runner for the #8 cylinder.  The engine only has 1800 miles on it.  I'll check the lift on the cam with a dial indicator.

Thanks for the ideas.

I have a SBC in my 29 roadster that runs very lean only on the #5 cylinder.  It has a new Holley 650 on an Edelbrock manifold.  Any ideas??