[FrankR]

All Chevy engine love advance. When good fuel was available, we would always set the static timing at about 18 BTDC. Today it is easy to set and control the timing with a dash unit with a rotary knob. A few ignition companies make these devices. One such company is MSD, who makes many fine products for the racing and RV worlds. The engine oil loss is most probably the intake valve seals. They are just small "o" rings around the valve stems. A good method to stop valve stem seal leaks is to use Ford umbrella seals. The stem size for Chevy is 11/32. Maintaining a stable water temp is very important in getting the max from a Chevy. A single 3 inch exhaust will flow greater volumn than dual 2 inch. An open element air cleaner is a necessary plus. There is a very long list of engine enhancements available for most engines as used in a RV. Heat is the biggest engine killer.