Valve cover replacement 2005 Silverado 4.8 - sludge!

It's a little hard to tell from the photos, but it looks like one or both of the end exhaust manifold bolts might be broken off. If they are, Dorman and others make clamps that can snug the manifold back down without having to remove the bolts.

Exhaust Manifold Clamps
Several of the bolt heads have been missing for a few years now, but somehow it's not leaking yet, even on cold start.
 
olm gets to 0% in 4.5k miles due to all the idle time.
Would be interesting to know how many gallons of fuel burned per quart of oil changed.
A rule of thumb calls for 50 gallons per quart.
 
It’s not bad. I was expecting Black Jello. Just run cheap Kirkwood or Supertech Synthetic and carry on with the OLM change.
I've been using the m1 0w40 FS mainly because it goes on sale for $30 for 5L, basically as cheap as any other over the counter full synthetic I can buy. I can buy no name on sale for $26 sometimes but I'm not worried about the $4-6 difference. I run this oil in the truck, the Oldsmobile, the snowblower and lawnmowers.
 
Would be interesting to know how many gallons of fuel burned per quart of oil changed.
A rule of thumb calls for 50 gallons per quart.
Interesting. Too much extra record keeping though on top of what I already have to do for tax purposes and mileage income. I just watch the life% on torque pro, when it gets down to 20-40% I change it based on when is convenient. I've gone as low as 7% I think. If the weather is about to get colder I might change it early to prevent doing it outside, but it gets garaged every night now so winter oil changes are not as bad.
 
Looks nice, considering it was neglected early on with conventional.

Don't see anything that would cause an issue....I'd close it up and keep doing what you're doing.
 
Was expecting something like this. Your maintenance routine is great if you've have a lifetime of spotless engines.(y)
sludge.jpg
 
Was expecting something like this. Your maintenance routine is great if you've have a lifetime of spotless engines.(y)
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This is my junkyard 350 Olds after I put 100k in 10 years of summer only driving with many different synthetics every 3-5k. Now I just do it once a year as I have to commute with my work truck now. The car is just for long trips or weekend drives now.
I can't find pics of my Caprice engine but it had some varnish on the inside of the valve covers and on the rockers but no actual sludge. Still clean but the Olds is the best I've had for cleanliness. Not spotless but good considering its probably got 300k miles at least on it and it's 46 years old.
 

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If you're referring to your Cutlass I think I remember seeing that one in the past. Unless I'm mistaken.
 
Forgot I also crudely cut open my filter with my reciprocating saw. This was not the right way to do it but it's the best I could do at the time. I didn't see much in there. This was the filter that was on the past 3k miles or so. I ran it for about an hour of runtime after scraping the sludge in the head and finishing the valve cover job.
 

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I didnt think there was an updated valve cover for the 4.8. Just for the 5.3.
They're basically the exact same engine except for displacement. If you have a 4.8 most 5.3 parts fit. Any problems that affect the 5.3 would affect the 4.8 also until they came out with displacement on demand which the 4.8 didn't get.
 
Update: I drove 312kms today (193 miles) and the catch can is still basically empty. Normally it would be full twice in that many miles. I'm excited to see how much it will use from now on....it was using a couple quarts in 3k miles lately, seemed like it got worse towards the end but I didn't keep track because I would usually top it up even if it was only 1/4 qt low or sometimes half a quart. I'm thinking it won't use any now based on how much oil I was catching.
 
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