I have been experiencing a strong cloud of white smoke and a strong odor of gas during start up. This just started recently and the motor has only 600 miles on a rebuilt 396. The other day, I took it for a drive and noticed gas on both sides of the intake manifold. I tightened up the bolts on the carb and the leak is no more. Can anyone gives me ideas or solutions as to why the strong odor of gas and extensive white smoke. I am also having a small amount of black water laving my dual exhaust. What else right...? Thanks in advance. Do I need to lean the carb. It runs perfect.
Dino

It could be that your float bowls on your carb are overflowing and spilling onto your manifold. Check the float height and see if it is correct. As for the white smoke it might be a head gasket leak especially if the heads were not properly torqued down. Check your radiator for any bubbles while the engine is running. This could also account for the excess water vapor in your exhaust. Also check your plugs to get an idea of how the mixture is. If it was too rich you'd be seeing some black smoke. Hope this helps.

Funny you were talking about that gas leaking on your intake manifold. I have an 86 IROC with an LG4 that leaks gas onto the intake manifold as well. .

I'm not sure whether I should torque the bolts on the carb base or whether doing so would bend the manifold and make the problem worse. Either way, I'm losing mileage and getting an annoying gas smell and I think this is why. No exhaust problems I'm aware of, just bad smell.

I found the problem in the gas leak. I had tightened the cable down to the chock which did not let the butterflies open and close properly when I was running the car, as well as when I shut it down. Dino