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WTF is on my ProMags!?!?

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Old Jun 27, 2006 | 07:33 PM
  #1  
CamarosRUS's Avatar
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From: Louisville, Ky
Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 383
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.08 10 Bolt
WTF is on my ProMags!?!?

I have absolutly no clue what this stuff is, its in the Pass side head. The motor is still getting broke in with all sorts of problems.
I switched my valve covers...Pass side is now on drivers side with two breathers and the drivers side is now on the pass side without any breather or PCV. I was thinking maybe my valve cover gasket but I don't see anything wrong with the gasket.

Last edited by CamarosRUS; Dec 30, 2006 at 12:21 PM.
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Old Jun 27, 2006 | 07:41 PM
  #2  
84z28350's Avatar
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From: Yellowknife, NWT, Canada
Car: 84 Z28
Engine: 357
Transmission: TH-350C
Axle/Gears: 3.43
thats nasty looking...
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Old Jun 27, 2006 | 07:55 PM
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CamarosRUS's Avatar
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From: Louisville, Ky
Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 383
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.08 10 Bolt
Yea just add it to the list....Any ideas?
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Old Jun 27, 2006 | 07:58 PM
  #4  
91greenbean3.1's Avatar
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From: Virginia Beach Virginia
Car: 1991 Firebird 1988 Trans Am GTA
Engine: 91-v6 88-305
Transmission: Auto's
Axle/Gears: No Clue
Looks like rust
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Old Jun 27, 2006 | 08:02 PM
  #5  
mw66nova's Avatar
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From: Harford County, MD
Car: camaro sportcoupe
Engine: 7.0L
Transmission: G-Force GF5R
Axle/Gears: Moser 9"
i think it's time for that motor to come back out and apart...with low oil pressure issues and whatnot...that looks like it could be particules of bearings or something....
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Old Jun 27, 2006 | 08:27 PM
  #6  
CamarosRUS's Avatar
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From: Louisville, Ky
Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 383
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.08 10 Bolt
...I'm totally expecting to pull this motor again so I'm not going to get my hopes up.

This stuff is almost 'baked' on but it doesn't feel metallic. Its not on the drivers head ust on the pass head without breathers on the valve covers. Its been started about 6 times without anything like this until now...

If it comes out though its getting splayed a forged crank and boosted. Period. At that point I'll probably go solid roller.
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Old Jun 27, 2006 | 08:34 PM
  #7  
Time2Fly's Avatar
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Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 400 ci LS3
Transmission: Jerico DR4
That is rust. This same thing has happened to me and it has caused no ill effects to the rockers. What you need to address is why this happened. From your picture, I don't see any signs of water in your oil (thick white mess). Condensation under the valve covers is common, and when the motor isn't run long enough to burn it off (and since the Pro magnums are steel) they rust. If for some reason you are getting a lot water on that side of the motor due to a leaking head stud (or bolt) or a spring seat cut incorrecty, etc, that is something that will need attention immediately. If your oil doesn't look like it is contaminated with water I don't think you have anything to worry about.
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Old Jun 27, 2006 | 09:05 PM
  #8  
CamarosRUS's Avatar
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From: Louisville, Ky
Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 383
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.08 10 Bolt
I thought the ProMags were Titanium?

I did notice some red substance seeping from the #2 exhaust rocker stud. They are screw in studs but I've never seen this before.
I do have some white stuff in the heads but I was thinking (and told) its just the assembly lube still.

There is a very small amount of oily residue sitting on top of my water in the radiator but I am thinking its just stuff left in the motor after final assembly.

I just feel like I need to tear it completly down and recheck the headgaskets, intake gaskets, bearings etcetc but a small part of me tells me everything will be alright once the tune is much better.
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Old Jun 28, 2006 | 01:18 AM
  #9  
EvilCartman's Avatar
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From: Northern CA.
Car: '82 Z28
Engine: 350
Transmission: TH400 4,000 stall
Axle/Gears: Currie 9", 4.56 gears
They're way too heavy to be titanium but yeah, mine rusted a little bit too as did a friend's set They're made out of 8650 chromemoly steel according to what's said on Summit's site.
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Old Jun 28, 2006 | 10:41 AM
  #10  
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From: Macedonia ,OH
Car: Formula
Engine: 6.0 LSX
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 9 Bolt 3:27
Mine also had some surface before in installed mine. A SOS pad cleaned them up and after 3 years, I have no rust on them, but then again I have a breather on that side too
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Old Jun 28, 2006 | 01:28 PM
  #11  
mnorton's Avatar
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From: Northern California, Redding
Car: Red 1987 IROC Convertible
Engine: 305 LB9 TPI
Transmission: T5 5-Speed
Axle/Gears: 9-Bolt 3.45
It's just a little rust. Clean them up and coat them with oil. And get some valve covers with PCV breathers.
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Old Jun 28, 2006 | 02:20 PM
  #12  
CamarosRUS's Avatar
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From: Louisville, Ky
Car: 1991 Z28
Engine: 383
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: 3.08 10 Bolt
So not having a breather on that side caused this? Nothing else like a headgasket etc?

This is how this build has been...some things are fishy and not "right" but not necessarily wrong either
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Old Jun 28, 2006 | 02:32 PM
  #13  
84z28350's Avatar
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From: Yellowknife, NWT, Canada
Car: 84 Z28
Engine: 357
Transmission: TH-350C
Axle/Gears: 3.43
I guess not having a breather could have caused it...


You have that steam going up and nowhere to go so it just condenses on the valve cover.


Run the PCV to one cover and a breather on the other, hopefully that helps this issue.
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Old Jun 28, 2006 | 06:19 PM
  #14  
brutalform's Avatar
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Every time I pull the covers to adjust my lash, I have a few like that. I just wipe em off. All is good. It will happen more on a pleasure car, than a daily driver.
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