im replacing my leaking valve cover gasket with fel pro and spent 3 hours scrubing down the removed valve cover. it was nasty. but the head is real dirty and Im not really sure what to do.
ive always shyed away from engine work in the past and dont really know what im doing.

i feel like i have to clean it some how but i dont want to f#^k anything up or create even more problems. should i just leave it alone and clean the edges with a rag so the gasket seals?


i have some sea foam but havent used it before.

im not going to do anything till i get some advise
thanks

 

dont clean the inside at all, just clean the gasket surface.

after the valve cover is back on you can clean the outside of the head if you want

 

Doesn't look too bad but then again, phone cams suck. When cleaning, don't knock any crud inside the valve cover seal area. How often do u change oil?

 

i bought the jeep @ 145 and its at 160 I try to do it around 3000 miles
but i let go to too long last change was around 6000 a few mounths ago

its hard to tell from the pic but it is dirty in there. no sludge but old black dirt like oil. I guess i will leave it be.

what about the sea foam? is that something i should use?

 

Change your oil more than that if you're wheeling. I change mine every 3000km or after every 3 offroad trips.

 

Wear safety glasses and use brake parts cleaner and a rag on the under side of the valve cover and gasket sealing surface. Again, be very careful to not knock any crud in the valve train area.

 

i got the valve cover done.






im working on the head there is dryed caked on oil where the gasket sits. one side is now clean the other is being a
P I T A. im using brake cleaner sprayed on a rag and a vacume as i go just to be safe.

[URL=http://img813.imageshack.us/i/valves.jpg/][/UR
needed to take a brake. im getting a little dizzy lol.

 

i cleaned mine when i replaced my valve cover gasket,i was just careful when i did it to make sure nothin fell inside,the put brake cleaner on it the wiped it down,and it runs better now

 

light coating of permatex ULTRA GRAY...it's a semi rigid rtv..absolutly the best will not leak

 

thats what i used,and its the only stuff ill use

 

Seafoam in a motor w / 160k probably not the best idea. If you loosen up to much crud it will clog the pickup.

 

i got the rubber/metal fel pro gasket are you saying to use rtv with this ?

 

i dont suggest it with the metal and rubber

 

yeah you don't have to..but i still put a thin film of the gray on everything...

 

I would, just a little insurance, and just my $0.02 worth. Very thin, small amount of RTV on both sides of gasket and JUST SNUG on the bolts. Criss-cross, back & forth, end 2 end when sugging the bolts.