Smokey 1500

["Damon R. Kane" <X19Fan@domain.elided>]

Here's a query for the technically minded.  My 1982 fuel injected X 1/9 is
a good runner.  Just about 50K on the odometer now. It is a garage queen,
ie only driven on club occasions and in good weather.

Several years ago I began to notice blue smoke only when the car had sat
for some time, and was first started.  The longer it sat the larger the
plume of blue smoke.  Once the smoke cleared, no problem.

I figured it was a leaking valve stem seal, and this diagnosis was
confirmed by other technically inclined owners.  I eventually pulled the
cam box off and replaced the seals. Using parts supplied through Linea
Rossa (can't remember who I bought them through but they were as "O.E." I
could get).  The job went well, but I didn't notice any of the old seals in
an obvious state of deterioration.
That seemed to cure the problem for a relatively short time (in terms of
driven miles).

Took the car out today (after 5 or 6 weeks of sitting) as we were blessed
with unseasonably warm weather and upon start up, as usual, the beastly
plume of blue smoke.  It got me wondering, did I screw the job up and one
of the seals has popped off, or were the parts inferior and cracked
immediately, or is something else amiss?  I really cannot think of anything
esle that would cause this sort of symptoms.

Does anyone have any experience or advice to offer?  Are some seals
superior to others?  If I remember the one's I installed were brick reddish
in color.  Some aftermarket parts I also bought (but did not use) were
black.  I used the actual Fiat tools for setting the seals, and each one
popped into place.  I'm stumped.  I don't want to dig into the cam box
again (another belt and another set of gaskets) just to have it fail again.

Dismayed in North Wales,

Damon Kane
1982 (and a bit smokey) X  1/9