CK5
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Is it worth replacing valve covers on a beat up engine?
- Thread starter 76k5grrl
- Start date
with the new gaskets...? or everywhere else....
When you get up under there that thing is just coated. Now. That gasket on passenger side was straight up broken so it could be that it's all an accumulation of that going on for god knows how long. But, of course, more likely is that it's leaking from everywhere.
My oil pressure has always been normal. I don't know too much about a 350 but this thing seems pretty bulletproof... It won't win at the track but it runs ok.
My next nail-ruining project is to cleaned it all up and see where it's really comin from.
Leaky engines make for the best undercoating you can find imo. Same for leaky transfer cases. They fling that stuff all over the floor boards, and when it gets dust and dirt in it, forms that nice caked on crud. But im a glass half full kinda guy 
Oldest trick in the tomboy book :thumbup:
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
I had 265k on mine before the head gasket developed a leak, it still ran, I just kept losing coolant, I didn't consider it really a horrible thing, it didn't ruin the engine, I caught it before too much was done and contaminated, but I figured with over 265k miles, I wasn't going to tear the thing down to the block, just to change out a couple of gaskets.
If I did, it would have given me many more years of reliable service, nothing really was THAT bad when it was tore down, no bad wear on anything, typical high mileage engine and leaky valve seals (typical on this era engine)
Something as simple as valve cover gaskets, yeah, I would have done that in an instance.
Clean that engine up the best you can, it helps you see anything new leaking or failing and gives you the ability to catch it before it fails completely, hopefully.
Me personally, I usually have the hood open on my rides 2-3 times a week, checking things out, also listening all the time while driving, paying close attention to any abnormal sounds while driving and even better at stoplights.
Of course that doesn't work out too well with those that listen to music so loud that the people in the next area code can hear it though.
If I did, it would have given me many more years of reliable service, nothing really was THAT bad when it was tore down, no bad wear on anything, typical high mileage engine and leaky valve seals (typical on this era engine)
Something as simple as valve cover gaskets, yeah, I would have done that in an instance.
Clean that engine up the best you can, it helps you see anything new leaking or failing and gives you the ability to catch it before it fails completely, hopefully.
Me personally, I usually have the hood open on my rides 2-3 times a week, checking things out, also listening all the time while driving, paying close attention to any abnormal sounds while driving and even better at stoplights.
Of course that doesn't work out too well with those that listen to music so loud that the people in the next area code can hear it though.
If you are going to spend the money on valve covers, get aluminum, not tin. They seal better.
Martin
Martin
