bad valve seal?

[92gsxbafaro]

okay so i was doing my valve cover gasket the other day and when i took the cover off i see on the left side by cylinder #4 on the intake cam its discolored does that mean a bad valve seal? i have a picture right here

 

[DSM1G90]

... More like head's getting a bit too hot, what it looks like-all the way to the No.2 bore on that INT side. Oil getting cooked on the surfaces. Might have a HG issue, coolant issue, or some oil starvation.

Definitely got some varnish issues there...

 

[92gsxbafaro]

... More like getting a bit too hot, what it looks like-all the way to the No.2 bore on that INT side. Oil getting cooked on the surfaces. Might have a HG issue, or some oil starvation.

Definitely got some varnish issues there...

whats the best thing i could do to fix this problem?

 

[bryanwheat]

I'd pull a couple of cam cams on the intake cam and look to see if the bore is scored. It does look like there is a little more heat back there. If the cam bores look good than i'd throw it back together and not worry about it. For the most part it looks pretty normal.

 

[MichaelSuch]

Every high mileage head I've ever had looked like that, seemed normal to me. I think it worsens when running penzoil though. A bad valve seal will cause it to smoke a little, usually at idle or on initial startup for a few seconds, that's when I noticed my seals went bad.

 

[92gsxbafaro]

Every high mileage head I've ever had looked like that, seemed normal to me. I think it worsens when running penzoil though. A bad valve seal will cause it to smoke a little, usually at idle or on initial startup for a few seconds, that's when I noticed my seals went bad.

interesting i just started using penzoil... what should i use instead?

 

[DSM1G90]

Got leaky seals? Do them first if you're not experiencing any problems.

Prob some other DSM members might come on to render their suggestions.

My first suggestion is do a head rebuild, if you're having problems and have the fundage to do so.

You might be due for a belt as well.

EDIT: Pennz is so full of paraffin wax that it really gums up stuff real bad when it begins to break down. Best oil to use is synth oils, or if you're using dino, Vavoline or Castrol.

good luck - DSM

 

[BogusSVO]

Looks like the intake cam is all about the same even color.

Also looks like the cam caps on both cams are the same color...

I would say someone at some time swapped in a diffrent intake cam.

For the most part you have a light varinsh, nothing to worry about there

Now the darker color of the CAS cap, may be a cause for concern, but isn't the PCV just above that in the VC?

 

[92gsxbafaro]

Looks like the intake cam is all about the same even color.

Also looks like the cam caps on both cams are the same color...

I would say someone at some time swapped in a diffrent intake cam.

For the most part you have a light varinsh, nothing to worry about there

Now the darker color of the CAS cap, may be a cause for concern, but isn't the PCV just above that in the VC?

yeah it is right above that spot

 

[MichaelSuch]

EDIT: Pennz is so full of paraffin wax that it really gums up stuff real bad when it begins to break down. Best oil to use is synth oils, or if you're using dino, Vavoline or Castrol.

This is exactly why. I've always ran Rotella T 15W-40 Dino oil during the summer because of the high zinc content. How many miles are on your motor? Seems like after about 140k on all my first gens the valve seals dried up and cracked.

 

[DSM1G90]

maybe a sluggish, or plugged PVC valve then...not pulling out enough vapors..causing that side to go dark by the vapors burning on the hot surfaces..

 

[92gsxbafaro]

well when i got the car it had a really bad pcv on it so i replaced it like 9 months ago i havent really put to many miles on sense then

 

[BogusSVO]

EDIT: Pennz is so full of paraffin wax that it really gums up stuff real bad when it begins to break down. Best oil to use is synth oils, or if you're using dino, Vavoline or Castrol.

good luck - DSM

From my understanding the only place in the world to get Paraffin oil is out of west PA.
The rest of the world it is fossil oil

A paraffin based oil has a more stabil Ph over a fossil base oil.

Now it is not so much the paraffin oil that cause the gum/sludge in the engine, but mixing a paraffin oil with a fossil oil.

So if you want to run a paraffin oil that is fine, just keep using a paraffin oil all the time.
Same goes for a fossil oil, Do not swap from fossil to paraffin back to fossil every oil change, pick one and stick with it.

This is what was taught to me back in Vo-Tech school for auto repair, back in 90-92, twice a year by the Vavoline Rep that was sent into the school.

 

[DSM1G90]

Thus, wouldn't one want to do a ATF/oil mix to "rinse" the system of the gum and sludge prior to an oil change and then setting which oil to use to stick with it?

EDIT: after doing some search on paraffin, the pH is mainly due to the "mineral oil" content since mineral oil has a high alkaline content and is basically liquid form of paraffin wax - which penns crude highly contains.

Thus, makes perfect sense to stick with either oil and not to mix the two.

 

[Mr PopUps]

Castrol GTX or Shell Rotella is what i always ran. With this next build im going Amsoil for crankcase and tranny when that gets rebuilt. Do NOT under any circumstances EVER run Quaker State, you may as well put water and ashes in there instead.

 

[DSM1G90]

..but break it in with cheap dino oil .. never use synth oils or the thing will never get broken in.