Hi, my 22re has not been running great this winter. Engine has 318xxxkm & had a head/timing chain/head gasket/fuel filter change at 245xxxkm. Fuel consumption sky-rocket from 11L/100km to 13-14L/100km, has been burning 1-2qrt oil every 5000km (no leaks), on startup especially exhaust smells like rotten eggs, moreover, now I step all the way to the floor & i can barely maintain speed at 65mph. Lack of power for sure. I did time the truck correctly to 8btdc with the jumper (or 5btdc, I forgot which one exactly...). My Sparkplugs looks like white with white-ish deposits that can be chipped off with my nails from the tips & insulator. They are gapped at .035" if that's the right gap adjustment. O2 sensor should be original. I do have have an exhaust leak at the back side of triangle flange but I cannot address that problem until end of apr with an exhaust manifold swap)

For now, other than putting new plugs & clean air filter, what can I do maintenance/test to check what's wrong with my engine? piston rings? valve seal?

And what explain this oil mess by my pvc valve? (yes, I've been trying really hard to get that pvc valve out but I just can't without breaking it. It's so jammed in there that my prybar didn't even really help!


Thanks a lot,
chris