gruveb

I don't know what type of oil the previous owners of my 84Z ran, but it was probably elmer's glue by the looks of the buildup under the valve covers.

Can I use engine degreaser directly on this with the valve cover off? I am in the process of installing a new cam, headers, and intake....

84TransAm

You can, i would personally use carb cleaner, because that stuff is dirt cheap. Usually this goopy oil is a result of neglected oil changes. You will also probably find some more of this when you take off the intake manifold. Stuff tends to spread.

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--Steve S--
1984 Trans Am 305 LG4, 5 speed
Daily Driver, Flowmaster 80 Series
NOW FEATURING: Holley 600 cfm & vacuum advance

RB83L69

Ah, what we lovingly refer to as a "Quaker State motor"... not so much a slur at the particular brand of oil, as it is at typical non-technical owners' concept of maintenance....

Carb cleaner is REAL expensive as a way to remove that sort of stuff, and it's flammable, and it dissolves everything including paint. Engine degreaser is a little tamer but takes alot longer to have any effect.

What I would suggest is scraping as much as you conveniently can out of there with a spoon or something, don't get too excited about about getting it all; make absolutely positively sure the drainback holes at both ends of the heads are clear of gook; put it back together; and run a quart of ATF in your oil for the next couple of oil changes. That stuff has been in there for 15 years or more, a few more days won't make that much difference.

Trans fluid is extremely high detergent; it will eat all of that stuff off there, and dissolve it in the oil. You won't believe how black and thick and nasty your next oil change will look. You may find that the oil gets so thick so fast that you'll need to change it in 1000 miles or less. Pay attention to your oil pressure at first, if it drops noticeably, change the filter immediately as the crud may plug it up. Keep using the trans fluid until the oil starts to look normal again. Just substitute one quart of it for a quart of oil. If the car leaks or otherwise consumes oil between changes, add ATF about every fourth time.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

gruveb

I've used atf before and you're right, wow!!! the stuff that cleans out is incredible. I was hoping to get the majority of it off while I had everything apart. I'll try some degreaser and a small putty knife.

What about water getting in the engine when I spray off the degreaser?

RB83L69

Don't use water... put something in the drainback holes to plug them, and scoop the schmutz out, then soak up what's left of the degreaser with a paper towel or something. You shouldn't have to use very much.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

84FTA

I'm not sure but when I first read elmer's glue. Did you happen to mean white build-up? If it wipes off easily then it's a coolant leak. I was surpised how little coolant it took to create a nice coat of white crap on the valve covers.

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1984 WS6 Trans Am Hartop
Former L69 Car under restoration
1984 Trans Am T-tops
4-bolt main 350, performer intake, headers, Holley 650, T-5, hayes clutch, dual elec. fans and 3.23's.
Daily driver and restoration
13.98 @ 101

gruveb

84FTA,

No, it was purely silliness. I just meant that it was thick and goopy.