Some updates;
Hard cold start, hazing & blow by persists. Other than these problems the truck performs just fine, even when towing at ~20-24k GCWR.
1) The cold start improved dramatically with the new starter installed and cycling the heater grid twice. Still not 100% solved, but still a TON better with a good, fast cranking starter.
2) There’s small missing in the first 2-3 seconds after the cold start up. Maybe some cylinders have low compression? (And cause hard cold start?)
3) The hazing still is ‘bad’. Blue and very noticeable. I do need to top off motor oil, especially when towing heavy.
4) The blow by is still seem very excessive. To give you an idea how much blow by there are; for example, the blow by from all 3 breathers seem to blow about same amount as my daily driver’s (03 Blazer) smoke (condensation) out of the tailpipe in winter (cold weather). Literally make it look like my truck is on fire lol.
I really think it’s piston rings aren’t sealing.
Tempting to just cut the engine crossmember to drop the oil pan while still in the truck and take pistons out (cylinder head removed) to re-ring, assuming cylinder walls aren’t either tapered or damaged too bad.