defconfire

20-50 too heavy our cars like 5-20, that could explain your ticking.

98redstang

This just started happening to me to no water but i smoke if i get on it after the motor warms up and im almost absolutly sure its my rings on the #1. Its either a vavle guide or rings on that cylinder cause its the only one where the plug fouls. Im running 10w 30 right now. My dad said were gonna go with 10w 40 and some of that oil treatment stuff for now to slow the leak. This sucks though. The only thing good that might some out of this is i might just buy a used pi motor to swap in which would be sweet lol.

pcs

you can also rent, or buy, a compression test gauge for an auto parts store to check out the rings. if you can change your spark plugs, you can do the test yourself.
also, thicker oil just wastes hp and doesnt offer any extra protection vs what the factory designs the engine to use. (just my 2c)

pcs

you could just put pi heads if its just your valve guides since you are going to have to take the heads off to fix/replace them.

98redstang

If it smokes all the time its the rings. If it only smokes a lot on start up than its your vavle guides. A car shouldn't eat at quart a week thats ridiculous. And because its eating so much i hate to say it but it has to be the rings.

pcs

if your valve guides are bad enough, your car will smoke all the time, and not just on start ups. could also be the valve guide seal that went bad. rings will usually outlast valve guides and seals provide the engine isnt overheated.