I hate stupid engineering. Why on earth didn't they make the distributor or the oil fill so it would allow you to R/R the intake. I had to pull the freekin disti to get the performer back on. On a chevy, OK, they had to do the oil pump and it landed in the middle of the intake. But on an OLDS? They moved everything so it didn't touch, but damn it needed to be removed anyway. All they had to do was one of the following - Make the intake sit a hair shorter. Make the disti sit a bit higher. Angle the distibutor shaft. Move the oil fill 1/2 inch. Angle the oil fill. All very do able, just not done.
The is going to rate up there with the water neck bolt on a 302 / 5.0 ford. 1/4 inch moved or rotated a couple of degrees, you could easily get to it but the timing cover guys and the intake guys never spoke.
I get spoiled on my BB Mopars, you never have to pull anything more than 8 bolts and a fuel line.
Anyway, on to my question. I replaced the leaky intake gaskets with some new felpro's without the exhaust passage cut out. At the same time, I had to remove the bathtub gasket, 'cause it leaked.
Obviously, the bathtup kept most of the oil off of the intake, but am I going to have issues now? I traded the hot exhaust for hot oil. I briefly thought about cutting the bathtub so I had the shield but not the ports, but when I realized it would be unsecured in there, I decided against it.
Should I look to get an oil shield in there, or not worry about it?
Where do the OLDS 455 like their timing to be set (initial / total)?
Thanks!