Ok, I went outside today to start the camaro. It's not my daily driver and right now I just have storage insurance on it, and it isn't completely together, so I try to start it at least twice a week.

Before starting it, I popped the hood. I had a problem with a parking light and I had to cut the socket off. I wanted to tape the wires before starting the car.

When I looked under the hood, I immediately noticed an open hole in my valve covers. My oil cap had popped out and was sitting on the subframe. I stuck it back in and started the car for a bit, it fired right up. I'll have to change the oil again now (I just did it).

I'm worried about this oil cap. It's an aftermarket chrome spectre cap (pictured below). Has anyone had any problems with this? What could have caused it to come out? It was quite tight and hard to get in there originally. Would the oil inside the valve covers cause the rubber seal to loosen up and make it pop out? Is it some kind of pressure buildup? Any help would be appreciated. I'm not sure if I still have my stock oil cap. I remember saving it, but I've moved my car stuff twice since then and I'm not quite sure if I eventually threw it out. Does anyone know of any other aftermarket, decent-looking oil caps that are screw in and fit my valve covers? I have the 3.1, it's a '92

Thanks,
Mathius

 

I don't know of any screw on caps for the 3.1L valve covers. Not sure if they would take one.

The hot tip is to get a set of Fiero valve covers. Cast aluminum with a screw oil cap.

RBob.

 

ive had orignal oil caps pop off 2 times. dunno why or how, but it did. ive never even seen the cap u have, much less any others. im all for the fiero valve covers with screw on caps.

 

I've never had any probs w/mine (what few times it's been running ) . Caint even burn it off

Also see about a valve cover off of a 3.4 motor. It comes w/an extension neck for easier erl fillings.

 

I have a spectre push-in cap; anodized blue. Never had it jump out, and it's been in since '97. How's your PCV system?

 

oooo - I just learned this one on saturday (apprenticing with an ex-mechanic on my own car).

He explained what happens when you have worn valve guides/seals. If your intake valve seals are worn, you get a puff of blue smoke on startup from oil having been sucked in.

If your exhaust valve seals are worn, the pressue slips past em into the valve cover and can blow the oil cap right off.

not good news for you if that's what happening, but I got to use something I learned

 

i've got a cheap rubber replacement Auto Zone cap....never had it pop out

 

I looked into that originally, but I don't want to put a lot more money into this car. I just want to get it painted and sold. I found a set for $60 sandblasted, but in the end it was more efficient for me to blast my stock ones myself and just use some duplicolor metal tint on them. They looked fantastic.

Mathius

 

I'm not sure I understand the question... I replaced all the vaccuum hoses with silicone hoses, so they're all new, and I put in a new pvc valve when I got it running back in august I think.

Mathius

 

I had to take my whole intake off (except maybe the lowest part? Can't remember) to get to my valve covers, so all those seals are new as well as the seals on the valve covers themselves. Don't know about my exhaust seals.

Mathius

 

valve guides - what the valves run though into the combustion chamber ...