How is my engine? Valve Cover off and Compression Results

Hey All,

Hope you guys are all doing well during all this.

In a previous post I was asked if I had run a compression test and I wanted to follow up on that and let you all know my results and what feedback, hopefully good you can give me from the numbers. Also, I wanted to take a look at my valves just to learn similar to what DoctorC had posted a while back. I also want to paint the valve cover, it is a little beat up.

My initial thoughts/questions:
1. My #1 cylinder seems a little off, it is over 10% different from the highest and has a 10psi jump from dry to wet. Is this decent, or does something need to be done.
2. I get 10 to 15 psi differences on cylinders 3,4, and 6 as well. Decent, or do I need to replace the rings?
3. I have a little bit of 'crud' and where lip where the cover sits has remains of the gasket. Can I spray brake clean or simple green on this to clean it up?
4. Any painting tips?
5. I will likely start the engine up for about 20 seconds and look for oil coming out at the right places.
6. Lastly, should I adjust the valves? I have a torque wrench.

Thanks for reading. Edited because I forgot to include the test results.

https://ibb.co/bBZcppH
https://ibb.co/BsHty0x
https://ibb.co/D4wvRtS
https://ibb.co/1f0WMNj
https://ibb.co/MD3KnW0

Hi, I would not be concerned about one cylinder being a little under the others. 155 #s is really not low.
I wouldn't spray anything on the debris to clean it. You could just wash residue down the oil drain back holes. You can wipe it away if you want. You do have to clean the old gasket off the head.
Your valves are not adjustable. Torquing the pedestals will not change the lash setting.
Go ahead and run the engine with the valve cover off, then after you are done, and the valve cover is back on, you will want to do an engine wash because plenty of oil will spray all over. Good luck

Ditto what B Ron said.

Those compression numbers are about what you'd expect on a mid-mileage engine, unless you're wanting an excuse to rebuild it I wouldn't worry. (of course, if you *want* to tear into it and need an excuse for your wife :mrgreen: ...)

I use either a sharpened putty knife or a single-edge razor to clean the old gasket off of both surfaces.

And yeah, running the engine with the valve cover off is the best way to confirm good oiling, but get ready for a mess - but nothing that a couple towels on the fender paint and some cans of de-greaser can't deal with.

X3 I am with B Ron Co & Jamyers, yes you still have decent compression at this time. X2 Sure while you have the valve cover off you can clean everthing up good on the top of the head then change oil. After you check to see that all rocker arms are oiling properly if you find that they aren't oiling good then this is the time to really clean up the rocker assembly good on the inside and out. X2 ther isn't a way to adjust your valves short of replaceing the push rods with longer ones. Did you have any lifter noise / ticking?

On painting first thing is to always get it nice and clean. Next if there is any damaged areas to the valve cover strengthen them. Now if the orginal paint is still soundly bonded. i.e. Still attached good / not flaking off. You can then sand it real good with some 320 grit wet and dry sand paper. Then prime any bare spots first with your chooice of color and let it flash off then shoot it with your light coat of color then repeat. If the paint is in very poor shape then you might want to strip it compleaty or sand all the paint off. As above straighten any areas that are bent or dented sand the bare metal if you stripped it. Use a good Primer and paint the compleate surface and paint it with a detail gun if you have access to that type of equipment. Or you can get good results with a spray can in your chooice of colors. When spraying use severial light coats inside of a heavy one until you get even coverage let the paint flash dry before putting on more. Hope that helps you good luck

Great news about the compression and my wife would not think that a little low cylinder #1 is reason enough to rebuild not quite sure any reason would be a good enough reason for her.

Did some work yesterday and today. Valve cover painting looks pretty good for my standards, as painting is not my favorite. Links to pictures at the bottom.

I ran the engine for about 2 minutes and it did not create a mess at all. Which means that I am not getting oil up to the rockers. Click here for the video. (Engine sounds a little rough when it got gas because the oil left over in the cylinders from the compression test).

Now what do I do? Remove and clean the rockers or do I have an oil pressure issue? Uncharted territory for me so all details are helpful.

if it did not follow the proper 'oil path', was stuck/prevented...
"...Now what do I do? Remove and clean the rockers ..." yes, & it's shaft, the drain back holes in head, etc

bubs:"... check to see that all rocker arms are oiling properly if you find that they aren't oiling good then this is the time to really clean up the rocker assembly good on the inside and out...."

May B I better C ur vid. Hold on.
EDIT: OK
Good, the vid was long enuff. I did not like that "ting, ting - ing" goin on. U moved the camera around too much, it was very dark (need lights) U did not put the camera dwn in there where the oil makes its circuitous path thru/around the head. I am thinkin its not makin a nice lill mild "thump, thump" of oil covered metal parts but the ting ting of dry steel.
Have U looked up the "path' ? Can U put ur face dwn in there to look? That woud B a lill more definitive answ. I'd say top end could use some cleanin but defer to the ex spirts. (will go look up an oil path chart if I can - Plez get the Handbook, click on the crossed screwdriver/wrench above - tech archive...

good job on the valve cover paint job! Video is kind of dark but it doesn't look like its oiling much if any. Doubt you have an oil pressure problem but you could hook up a mechanical oil pressure gauge to test that. Yes I think it would be a good idea to pull the rockers and really do a good cleaning inside and out while you have the valve cover off. Good luck

Hi, not really sure if it is possible but maybe the hollow oil feed rocker shaft stand is in the wrong place. Good luck

no documentation of oil path.
Can some one describe it for the OP? I'm pretty sure:

it comes up from block in the back (# 11 head bolt, the kidney shaped hole) thru the alu stand B Ron sez, into the R shaft, thru the row of smaller holes on the shaft to the rockers, onto v.stems, springs, P. rods dwn to crankcase...I think that's it.

U can see it anywhere on that path but inside the shaft & rockers. It duz not squirt out like a squirt gun, altho that butcher paper or whatever it wuz is a great idea...

This is exciting stuff!

Thanks for all your help and insight. After the critics hammered my video I created another one this time with lights

Click Here for a Better Video.

Another Video Because It's Cool

This time I can see some oil dripping down the shaft at about 9 seconds, as Chad had said. I do not see any oil coming out of the last head bolt but it must be because oil is eventually making its way through the shaft? I also wanted to check my oil level, and it is at the add mark, picture below. Would this make a big difference? Can I just add some oil directly with the valve cover not on and then once it settles fire it back up again?

Since the cover is off I want to clean the rockers. I read the shop manual and it looks pretty simple, just a few easy questions I hope you guys can help me with.

1. I know the rockers and everything else need to go back exactly the same spot they were in. When I remove the shaft assembly will the push rods move at all or do I just pop them off and as long as I put everything back where I found it, it should be good as new?

2. The shop manual calls for lubriplate on the shaft ends and on the push rods when I reinstall. Is white lithium grease an acceptable equivalent?

3. Can you confirm the torque specs for the assembly is 30-35 ft/lbs.

This is where oil should be coming from correct?




Edited to clarify question 1 and add a new video and new photos.

MustangDadDrake":26uw99v8 said:

This is exciting stuff!

Thanks for all your help and insight. After the critics hammered my video I created another one this time with lights

This time I can see some oil dripping down the shaft at about 9 seconds, as Chad had said. I do not see any oil coming out of the last head bolt but it must be because oil is eventually making its way through the shaft? I also wanted to check my oil level, and it is at the add mark, picture below. Would this make a big difference? Can I just add some oil directly with the valve cover not on and then once it settles fire it back up again?

Since the cover is off I want to clean the rockers. I read the shop manual and it looks pretty simple, just a few easy questions I hope you guys can help me with.

1. I know the rockers and everything else need to go back exactly the same spot they were in. When I remove the shaft assembly will the push rods move at all? Do they stay put so I don't have to worry about the valve timing being messed up or anything like that?

2. The shop manual calls for lubriplate on the shaft ends and on the push rods when I reinstall. Is white lithium grease an acceptable equivalent?

3. Can you confirm the torque specs for the assembly is 30-35 ft/lbs.

Click to expand...

Congrats as LOL one of the critic's that hammered your first video thiese two are much better you can actually see the oil flowing down to the head. :rolflmao:

If you seen oiling like that at every one of the rocker arm then it might be okay. However there is a small hole in the rockers arms that should also be oiling. Yes that video is now prof that there is some oil being pumped up into the rocker shaft from the heads rear oil passage way. It also looks as though most of the rocker arm bushings (if not all of them) are being oiled in that second video. The dip sticks low oil marking dosen't matter in this case for your purposes with the engine just sitting still an idleing, but yes you could add more oil if you wanted and should before driving your car.

1. The push rods shouldn't move if your carful spin them before you lift the rocker assembly off so they don't stick to the rocker arms and everthing should be fine.

2. Yes it's the same thing Lubriplate is a brand name of a lithium grease I think they were the orginal manufactures or inventors of the lithium white grease.

3. Yes that the correct torque for the rocker shaft assembly.

Good luck

Update:
Rocker shaft assembly came off easy! I sprayed it B12 carb cleaner in all the little holes and used a little brush to scrub inside the bolt holes. I cleaned up the bolts as well. There is still a little bit of stuff inside the bolt holes see pictures. I am a little hesitant to take the pin out and remove the rockers and springs from the shaft. Does this look clean enough or should I remove them? If so what is the best way to remove that pin? Feels like it is on there pretty good. And then what is the best way to clean? I was thinking of soaking it in gas for day then blow it off with air, then soak it in oil for a day, then put it back together.



Progress photos:

Pictures aren't showing up for me. You really can't clean the inside of the rocker shaft which is the main item that needs to be cleaned throughly. The rocker arms also can't be cleaned very well until you take them off the shaft but yours might not be as dirty as some sets. Do you see the rocker shafts soft plugs on each end? These can be removed to gain access to inside of the rocker shaft to make sure all the crud and grime gets cleaned out really good. If you take the rockers off the shaft to clean them lay out all the parts out in order they are removed from front to back. Take some pictures of it before you start so you can remember how it all goes back together. Reassemble in the reverse order. Good luck

Ahhh Bubba I am sorry, I got too excited and I could not wait. i put the rocker shaft back on just to see if I was getting oil to the rods and I am now. Not my greatest video...here come the critics. You can barely see it but the oil is coming down the push rods. Also some of the grease which almost gave me a heart attack until I realized what it was. Just realized I forgot to put grease on the valve side :roll: should be ok though.

I put the valve cover back on but I haven't torqued the bolts yet, I believe it is 4ft/lbs I only go as low as 10ft/lbs so I will do it by feel.

I am going warm up then engine then change the oil and that should put and end to this little project. Thanks for everyone's help through this and I hope this is helpful to anyone one else who reads through it.

That's a beautiful video! Glad you're getting it fixed up!

well ok, if you wanted you could run some engine flush though it before your next few oil changes.

I can't see any of these picture or videos. They come up as (-) signs

Not sure what is going on with the photos or videos. But here is a link to an album on google photos and here is a link to the youtube channel. hopefully these work.

Google Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/n9MDfLroGJfaFYVD7

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... If7gkMo0rj

Also, I felt disappointed after not taking the rockers out, so I am going to remove them from the shaft completely and clean them! I will let you guys know how it goes.

seems like a good idea.

It is not a REALLY big deal to do. Just methodical (like the cardboard with it's marks U used), focused, slow, deliberate.
If worried - I marked w/a paint pen (that indelible yellow or orange U C on auto parts?) so I did not mix up.U get to ck the shaft for burs, goring, the bushings in side the rockers, blow out the thru hole in the rockers, take off the cap ends on the shaft'n push a long gun brush thru, inspect wear @ rocker tip/P.rod/V.stem, etc...
U will have a lot more confidence that things R right at that location after assembly. Will help in dx of nxt issue ("it aint the stuff I looked @.") If taking out the P.rods spin between thumb'n forefinger so as to not pull the lifter up w/it. They can slip off'n fall into the block, very hrd to retrieve, may haveta remove head to put back in their boar...

Ur becomin a 'top end' pro !

HI MustangDadDrake, only thing I can see about different on your pictures is that you changed your hosting company from your first post. So there must be a differance in the link that's used for a forum when you use Google. Good luck.