I think you are really on to something with this, all that vacuum has to be satisfied somehow!! Judging on how wet #2 was with oil I think that might be exactly the case!!
Speaking of pulling the head…. As soon as I lifted it off the block I saw the telltale steam vents and thought “oh yay” followed by “oh crap” I immediately set to scraping off grease on the side of the block to reveal the “captains bars”! Yep my 235 is a 261! Another set back while I now await the only 261 head gasket in Canada to arrive from Orillia, Ontario!!!
The head has been completely torn down, valves and seats buffed clean on a brass wire wheel, new valve stem seals installed and reassembled.
