250 Valve Adjustment

[70inline6]

Hey,

My 66 has had a sputter out of the tail pipe since I got it a couple months ago but has always seemed to run pretty good. I've never noticed any smoke from the tailpipe.

Unrelated - the valve cover gasket was toast and leaking so I needed to change that... So... I decided to check the valve adjustment since I was going to have the cover off anyway.

I warmed the motor up and then shut it off. I pulled the valve cover and made sure everything was out of the way. I started it back up and went to work....

#1 I/E required about a full turn loose to hear clacking. Tightened slowly until noise went away... then tightened about 1/2 (180) additional.
#2 I/E - same
#3 I barely needed any loosening at all before the clacking... E full turn - tightened both same as 1
#4 # 5 were about the same as #1.
#6 I was barely tight, the E took almost a turn and a half to hear clacking. Each was tightened like #1, till quiet, then about a half turn.

So now... motor seems a but quieter and tail pipe sputter has decreased, but not completely. Upon road testing, it runs down the road very well, but now I notice grey (oil) smoke on hard decel (downshifting to slow) and on heavy acceleration. It doesn't smoke just driving. Revving it while parked will produce smoke....

Did y'all think adjusting the valves cause the stem seals to fail? I've never experienced this before... what should have been a half hour and done job has me stumped a little? Opinions? Thanks.