OK - so I took my valve cover off to get easier access to an exhaust manifold bolt that I need to drill out. The gasket was decrepit so it obviously needs to be replaced. I also found chunks of what appears to be a PCV valve grommet that had gotten brittle and busted up. Anyhow there had been some oil leakage at the head gasket (I put in a bottle of stop leak and it helped but I expect that to be a fairly short term fix). I'm a relative newbie with a lot of this stuff, So I have the following questions: While I've got the valve cover off anyway should I replace the head gasket, and in which case while I've got the head off should I also do a valve job? If it makes any difference the engine has about 40k miles on it. If there are any remaining pieces of the PCV grommet stuck in the engine, will they cause any damage? Any advice would be appreciated.
Perhaps my wording wasn't clear enough. I know that if I intend to replace the head gasket and do a valve job (of which I'm not sure) I would obviously have to remove the head. I'm dealing with a fairly limited budget and haven't had any experience rebuilding a cylinder head, so before I start just randomly taking things apart I wanted to get some informed opinions on how deep I'd be getting myself in here. I'm not a total newbie, in the sense that I have done my own work on suspension, brakes, body etc. I just have never gotten this in depth into an engine.
The rubber chuncks you found could be a grommet or could be valve seals . Look inside the valve springs. There should be a rubber, mushroom head, shaped rubber piece on the valve stem. See if they're missing or breaking up.These pieces shouldnt cause a problem cause they will just fall in the pan & will be blocked by the screen on the oil pick up tube. If they're small enough to get by the screen, the oil filter will catch them. With only 40K on the motor, as long as its running good, you shouldnt need a valve job. Running a compression test will tell you alot. If your valve seals are falling apart, they can be replaced without removing the head. If your car does not smoke except when you first start it up after sitting for a while, thats a good indication of worn or missing valve seals and maby worn valve guides. If you can take care of your exhaust bolt without removing the head, I would leave things alone, especially if the car was running good to begin with.
i don't understand the oil leaking from the head gasket. at 40k miles you shouldn't need a valve job. and what kind of stop leak did you use to stop oil from leaking from under the head?...frank...
If you are new at this stuff, I wouldn't go too much further without some serious thought. When I was new at it, I did that all them time, and wound up with stuff that never got put back together and a maverick that sat for 10 years.
Hey Maple! There would be several things you should know before making a decision. Mavaholic is right, it is a good possibility that the rubber pieces that you are seeing are valve seals. Your engine may have only 40K miles, but was it rebuilt in 1988? Age has a lot to do with deterioration of parts like seals and gaskets. This is also assuming that when the motor was rebuilt, again and assumption as it could be original with 40K miles, that the cylinder head(s) were rebuilt. Some folks call it 'rebuilt' when it just had new rings and bearings. I agree with Dennis, if it is running well, check the valve seals, replace them if needed, and keep running it. If that leak from the head is bad, replace the head gasket also. Good luck. Seth
Thanks for your comments guys. As far as I know Seth, the engine has never been rebuilt. The original owner apparently was the stereotype "little old lady who only used it to drive to church on Sundays". And the person who owned it after her didn't have it long before it got in an argument with a tree (the tree won). Anyway I agree that I probably don't want to get into a situation where I won't ever be able to get it put back together. That's really all I wanted to know. Thanks again for your input.
Dennis - apparently the rubber chunks were from the valve seals, there's a few of them missing/busted up. And as you suggested it does only smoke after it's been sitting for quite a while. So I've ordered new seals and and hopefully that'll solve the problem. Thanks again.
