Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » [GMCnet] valve cover leaks, cleaning engine
| [GMCnet] valve cover leaks, cleaning engine [message #317659] |
Tue, 16 May 2017 20:06  |
Ek_Lektro
Messages: 167
Registered: March 2011
Karma: 2
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Senior Member |
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So today i tightened a couple loose bolts on the valve cover, and since i’m soon going down to Tijuana
for various work, i figured it’d be a good idea to clean the oil off the top and sides of the engine, so that after the drive
i can better check for sources of any remaining leaks, and to make things cleaner for upcoming work.
So i got the Gunk Engine Degreaser (original) and followed the directions,
covering the carb. Once i carefully hosed off the top and sides of the engine,
i sponged up some pools of water on the top, then checked the spark plug wires
and started it up. Right away I was getting some misfiring from the drivers side, not rhythmical, but random spitting
and i figured that might go away after a few minutes. After 7 or 8 minutes i figured i better
shut her down and see if i was overlooking something. My ’78 403 has headers, and i’ve long suspected
a leak on the drivers side. Could this be related to the cause of the misfiring? Should i get the compressor and blow things dry as possible
before trying again? or just go ahead and run the engine longer? I remember one experienced GMC mechanic once telling me that
engine cleaning was OK, and “You won’t hurt nuthin’”… So despite being a little un-nerving to hear the engine sound so sh*tty,
i’m happy it at least reminded me of that potential header leak (since TJ might be a great place to have them take care of it)!
BTW: Excuse me for multiple inquiry posts this month, since i’ve been working on both coaches
at the same time; And so If there’s a way to give back, like a place to donate for the upkeep of the forum
or something(?), please let me know. (GMC.net Prime? like Amazon Prime?, LOL)...
(Yep, i’m a prime question-asker, but lacking any mechanical experience ( before i got my GMCs ),
unfortunately i only rarely have technical knowledge to share,
and I don’t want to over-use the privilege of this esteemed body of knowledge :)
Many thanks, everybody!
Greg / Los Angeles / ’78 Eleganza II / ’76 Birchhaven
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| Re: [GMCnet] valve cover leaks, cleaning engine [message #317721 is a reply to message #317659] |
Wed, 17 May 2017 20:55  |
Bruce Hart
Messages: 1500
Registered: October 2011
Location: La Grange, Wyoming
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Check your distributor cap. If you got water inside the cap that could
cause a rough idle and loss of power.
On Tue, May 16, 2017 at 7:06 PM, Ek_Lektro wrote:
> So today i tightened a couple loose bolts on the valve cover, and since
> i’m soon going down to Tijuana
> for various work, i figured it’d be a good idea to clean the oil off the
> top and sides of the engine, so that after the drive
> i can better check for sources of any remaining leaks, and to make things
> cleaner for upcoming work.
> So i got the Gunk Engine Degreaser (original) and followed the directions,
> covering the carb. Once i carefully hosed off the top and sides of the
> engine,
> i sponged up some pools of water on the top, then checked the spark plug
> wires
> and started it up. Right away I was getting some misfiring from the
> drivers side, not rhythmical, but random spitting
> and i figured that might go away after a few minutes. After 7 or 8
> minutes i figured i better
> shut her down and see if i was overlooking something. My ’78 403 has
> headers, and i’ve long suspected
> a leak on the drivers side. Could this be related to the cause of the
> misfiring? Should i get the compressor and blow things dry as possible
> before trying again? or just go ahead and run the engine longer? I
> remember one experienced GMC mechanic once telling me that
> engine cleaning was OK, and “You won’t hurt nuthin’”… So despite being a
> little un-nerving to hear the engine sound so sh*tty,
> i’m happy it at least reminded me of that potential header leak (since TJ
> might be a great place to have them take care of it)!
>
> BTW: Excuse me for multiple inquiry posts this month, since i’ve been
> working on both coaches
> at the same time; And so If there’s a way to give back, like a place to
> donate for the upkeep of the forum
> or something(?), please let me know. (GMC.net Prime? like Amazon Prime?,
> LOL)...
> (Yep, i’m a prime question-asker, but lacking any mechanical experience (
> before i got my GMCs ),
> unfortunately i only rarely have technical knowledge to share,
> and I don’t want to over-use the privilege of this esteemed body of
> knowledge :)
>
> Many thanks, everybody!
> Greg / Los Angeles / ’78 Eleganza II / ’76 Birchhaven
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
--
Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
Milliken, Co
GMC=Got More Class
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Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
1977 28' Kingsley
La Grange, Wyoming
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| Re: [GMCnet] valve cover leaks, cleaning engine [message #317734 is a reply to message #317721] |
Thu, 18 May 2017 09:45 |
Carl S.
Messages: 4186
Registered: January 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ.
Karma: 13
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Senior Member |
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I'm with Bruce on this. Check and thoroughly dry the inside of your distributor cap. You can spray some ignition spray into it as well, STP makes one, or even a light coating of WD-40 will work. Make sure you did not dislodge ant of the plug wires while washing/scrubbing/drying as well.
Carl Stouffer
'75 ex Palm Beach
Tucson, AZ.
Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive, Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American Eagles, Solar battery charging. GMCSJ and GMCMI member
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| Re: [GMCnet] valve cover leaks, cleaning engine [message #317738 is a reply to message #317734] |
Thu, 18 May 2017 09:59 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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Senior Member |
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That protective layer of dirt and grease is there for a reason. All you
guys who want to polish stuff, need to stick to mag wheels and chrome and
paint.
If you insist upon spraying water on the engine, at least cover the
distributor and carb in plastic bags with tight fitting rubber bands around
them. Not too good an idea to spray plug wires either. You have found out
the result already. A spiffy looking, poorly running, engine.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On May 18, 2017 7:46 AM, "Carl Stouffer" wrote:
> I'm with Bruce on this. Check and thoroughly dry the inside of your
> distributor cap. You can spray some ignition spray into it as well, STP
> makes
> one, or even a light coating of WD-40 will work. Make sure you did not
> dislodge ant of the plug wires while washing/scrubbing/drying as well.
> --
> Carl Stouffer
> '75 ex Palm Beach
> Tucson, AZ.
> Chuck Aulgur Reaction Arm Disc Brakes, Quadrabags, 3.70 LSD final drive,
> Lenzi knuckles/hubs, Dodge Truck 16" X 8" front wheels, Rear American
> Eagles,
> Solar battery charging
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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| Re: [GMCnet] valve cover leaks, cleaning engine [message #317783 is a reply to message #317782] |
Fri, 19 May 2017 05:45 |
Bruce Hart
Messages: 1500
Registered: October 2011
Location: La Grange, Wyoming
Karma: 5
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Senior Member |
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Glad to hear that solved the problem.
On Fri, May 19, 2017 at 3:56 AM, Ek_Lektro wrote:
>> That protective layer of dirt and grease is there for a reason. All you
>> guys who want to polish stuff, need to stick to mag wheels and chrome and
>> paint.
>
>
> didn’t clean it for purposes of making it “look nice”.
> cleaned it after tightening a couple bolts, to then drive it a couple
> hundred miles
> to see if we fixed the oil leaks,... or at least better trace the sources
> of oil leaks;
> (also to make it a bit easier if having to do an inevitable valve cover
> gasket job)
>
> the direx said cover the carb, but didn’t mention distributor,
> so i thought the distributor might be pretty well sealed…. nope.
> dried it. problems solved.
> thanks for the tips!
>
> Greg
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
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--
Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
Milliken, Co
GMC=Got More Class
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
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Bruce Hart
1976 Palm Beach
1977 28' Kingsley
La Grange, Wyoming
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