Adjusted my beater's valves today..

[oggb]

So, I tackled my beater's valves today (all 12 of them, ha!) and I thought I'd share something with you all.

Background:
-Car ran with a bad O2 sensor for 20-30,000 miles (ran VERY rich)
-Bad thermostat for 20-30,000 miles (stuck open) (coolant temp of ~140 max)
-Bad coolant temperature switch for 10,000 miles (main rad fan ran constantly)
-Was maintained by a 30-ish year old woman
-Had the original PCV which was sticking closed

I took the valve cover off and the engine is SPOTLESS. There's hardly any varnish and no sludge anywhere! I was amazed at just how good it looked! I was expecting sludge city and it looks almost new!

I kinda wondered if the massive fuel dilution from running rich as well as running too cold and not allowing the fuel to evaporate may have helped keep this thing so spotless.

I mean, I've seen clean engines around here but this thing is in incredible condition. I might go take the valve cover off again tomorrow and take a picture. I meant to get a picture but forgot because I just wanted to be done with the valve job.

 

[tommygunn]

Sounds like the car was in great condition, so why did you need to adjust the valves....?

But yes, from what I understand, car running too cool will pour more gasoline through the injectors, which would likely be "un burned" and turn into carbon/varnish build up....

I had a similar problem when I first got my car, had to change out the radiator fan relay, coolant temp sensor, thermostat, and a cooland "sending unit" or something.

Car ran super rich, in fact the temp gauge would not move at ALL, almost as if it was deactivated.....

My radiator fan still runs from the time I turn the key to the time I shut off the car though....the dude that owned it before me grounded it somewhere so that it was "always on" or something....

 

[mechtech2]

Most engines are clean inside, nowadays.

 

[bluestream]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Most engines are clean inside, nowadays.


Agreed, I was re-building engines back in the 60's; now that was sludge!

 

[The_Jeff]

Interesting they still use a fan switch in 96 and not computer control. Maybe they sell a carb'd version in third world countries?

 

[suspiciousmind]

I believe most sludge issues can be linked to high operating temps.....opposite for cool temps?

 

[The_Jeff]

^ well you get baked on crud with high temps and mayonnaise with low.

 

[oggb]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Interesting they still use a fan switch in 96 and not computer control. Maybe they sell a carb'd version in third world countries?


Yep - there was a carbed version of this car sold in other markets such as Australia. I had wondered why it wasn't computer controlled but I think you hit the nail on the head.

Originally Posted By: tommygunn
Sounds like the car was in great condition, so why did you need to adjust the valves....?

I wanted to learn how AND I wanted to see if I could quiet them down a bit. I accomplished both things. Quite rewarding.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Good job!

Nothing better to learn on than a beater. Myself, I picked up a dirtbike and will work up to a beater.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
^ well you get baked on crud with high temps and mayonnaise with low.

Depends on the climate.

Her in Florida, no car ever gets mayonnaise looking engine oil, even if the car is driven on short trips only. The only time oil looks like that is when a gasket in the cooling systems leaks into the path of the engine oil.