Didn't ask if it smoked at all before you did your upgrades! Assumed it didn't?
Gray/white is more indicative of moisture in the combustion chamber.....which would break up any and all accumulated carbon in the combustion chamber and blow it out the exhaust. I've dribbled water from a coke bottle into the carb with an engine revved up a bit.....will shot carbon 20 feet out the pipe as the water hits the carbon, is absorbed, turns to steam,expands and breaks the carbon loose. It can be dangerous if too big a piece breaks free and fouls a valve.
But where's the moisture coming from? If you had a head gasket leak you would have blown water past the pressure cap and the car would have run hot. Easiest way to eliminate a head gasket problem is to run a pressure check on your cooling system....most mech shops have a little pump-up kit that you use to pressurize the system......run the engine, watch for pressure buildup. With the engine off....if the pressure falls off you've got a physical leak.
You can also fill the rad all the way to the top, pinch off the overflow hose....fill it ALL the way up.....with the engine running watch the opening for large bubbles that smell of fuel. This will eliminate or confirm a head gasket problem. Running 185 for 80 miles really shouldn't be a head gasket but the gray/white smoke isn't normally fuel or oil. Head gasket failure is usually a result of head warpage from overheating? But your car runs 185....with no water loss! Humm...
When you crank it up in the morning does it fire up smooth or does it run rough for 30 seconds and then smooth out?
On your stock intake...did you by chance plumb in water heat or did you use exhaust heat from the fentons? There's gotta be some way that moisture is getting into the combustion chamber!!! Let me know!
Dave
