[bowl]

I removed the valve cover to investigate the leak and found.
.....Someting I have never seen before...
The PO trapped the tail end of a tie-wrap between the cover and the gasket. When I pulled the cover off, the severed end of the tie-wrap was just sitting there stuck to the gasket. how'd they manage that one. LMAO.

 

[CrazyCat]

I hope he didnt build the motor too... Did you check the oil pan for sockets he might have left?

 

[cmpcpro]

LOL, You better hope he didn't build that motor.

 

[badcatt]

As for the oil, You have some sort of blockage in the return hole. As clean as it looks overall I bet its some more of the tie-wrap

 

[modifiedmark]

CrazyCat, lol but the trurth is I lost a very large screwdriver one time and looked all over for it and couldnt find it.

Well when the winter came and stock car racing was done for the year I started to pull my racers motor down for freshing for the next season and low and behold there was my screwdriver laying under the intake!

Guess a few too many High Lifes were consumed the night that motor got put together!! Looking back its a wonder it even ran at all! mm

 

[bowl]

I'm hoping he just did the chrome covers, I am putting some stock ones on later. I want to pull the intake manifold just be sure it has no vacuum leaks there. wish I knew more about its history, it is a "H" code 2v car. the PO must have done this swap shortly before parking it for 9 years or so. But it started, and there is nothing broken iside it, just exhaust leaks big time at the header flange to the head. the exaust consists of headers and glass-packs and thats it. The oil I drained out of it looked good, no metal shavings. Gonna buy a lot of parts for it next payday (extra check time. woooooohoooo).

fun fun

 

[bclay1818]

I NEED TO DO THE SAME THING ON MY 70 COUGAR. IS IT ANY BIG DEAL TO TAKE THE VALVE COVERS OFF AND PUT A NEW GASKET ON. NEVER DONE IT BEFORE. ANY THING I NEED TO DO OR TRICKS OF THE TRADE. OR IS IT SIMPLY TAKE THE BOLTS OFF ,INSTALL GASKET AND MOVE ON.

 

[swamper]

Valve cover gasgets are easy, Just make sure old material is off of head and cover before you put it back together. If you have a lot of scraping to do on head, make sure you don't get scrap down into engine. I run old rags all the way around valve train as a barrier. Don't over tork bolts, they brake easily.

 

[bowl]

Hey, BClay. cool another Texan.
Valve covers are easy, like the dude said, just be careful about crap falling into the oil drin holes, i use rags too. whats fun is adjusting the rocker arms while the engine is idling. then i use foil to cover the exhaust manifolds, all that squirtin oil y know.
that takes me back about 17 years. mmmmmmmmmm.
memories

 

[bad]

response to bclay

If you're going to take the valve covers off for the 1st time, be sure to check the oil drain holes (1 on each bottom corner of lifter gallery after taking off the cover about 3/8" hole). You might find(especially the ones close to the firewall) them blocked with flakes of material. This is whats left of factory valve seals after they crumble. Very common problem. Clean out the pieces so oil can drain back into the pan. It's not awful if pieces are found, you will use a touch more oil, but removing the pieces will frequently eliminate a cloud of smoke on cold start-up. Good luck, it's easy!
Bob

 

[bclay1818]

Well, I found my oil leak. The oil was leaking off the top of the oil sending unit. The nut on top of it was loose. I went ahead and put a new sender unit in.