Thread: condensation in the valve covers

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Here's the situation: Running a SBC with aftermarket valve covers. Not a major brand. The valve covers didn't have baffles in them but I didn't think too much about it. Got about 3000 miles on the engine and I checked the pvc valve and found it clogged with the nasty water/oil mix. Checked the breather on the other side and it was also coated. I'm not seeing any of the creamy goop on the dip stick. I pulled the valve covers, cleaned them up and cleaned as much of the goop as I could around the rockers and push rods. I fabricated some baffles, replaced the pvc valve and cleaned the breather. Drove the car about 15 miles and checked the pvc valve and although it was not much goop, it still had some on it. The breather was clean. I'll change the oil and filter(have less than 1000 on it since last change). Is there anything else that needs to be done?
Tom

I'd do a pressure check on the cooling system and see where the water is coming from......

Usually moisture is taken care of if you run a 180 stat to help get rid of it. I see more people than ever trying to run their engine too cool--not cool!

Are you making short trips in cold weather?

More ventilation is indicated, and a hotter thermostat. Try a different brand of oil, some are worse for that than others.

Not to steal the thread but my 300 straight six is doing the same thing. Changing oil brands and all filters this weekend to see if that helps. Getting moisture around the oil filler cap. Any more suggestions?

Larry

Same solutions apply to a six.

What is your storage/parking situation? If you are in an enclosed, unheated and uninsulated space with no vapor barrier you will get a lot of condensation as the air starts warming relative to the surfaces. This is especially an issue with a barn/garage that is on compacted dirt or gravel - a vehicle in that space will get soaked from below from the moisture coming up from the ground. This applies to interior surfaces that are vented too, like your valve covers. Starting it up and letting it get fully hot should cook off the moisture if this is where it is coming from.

Originally Posted by R Pope

More ventilation is indicated, and a hotter thermostat. Try a different brand of oil, some are worse for that than others.

One thing I didnt mention in my last post is the thermostat. My temp gage bearly mores from the cold side. Its been like that as long as I can remember. I have never seen it get up to what I would call the normal range. Needle being somewhere in the middle of the gage.

Now I am wondering now what degree thermostat should I go to on a stock Ford 300cid? Not sure what the degree is now on the stock one. How much of an increase should I look for in thermostats?

The truck is always parked outside on concrete drive.

Larry

I would get at least a 180 degree thermostat. I also would find a sleeve type and not use the cheap poppet type. It's gonna cost a couple dollars more for the sleeve type but they are more accurate and actually will flow more coolant when needed. I've had a few come back with no heat problems when on the highway, and they were always the poppet type that I got at the local NAPA. You need to ask for the high performance or heavy duty style. Also ask the guy behind the counter if he knows the difference! If he doesn't I'd think about shopping somewhere else. I don't like having unhappy customers!

Never had a problem with the poppet thermostats, that's all there is for many applications. I always get the high-temp ones, 195 or 200 degrees F. Any engine runs better piping hot, and the moisture is gone quicker.
Some oils get what is known as "white paint" effect. The cold surfaces get coated with what I've been told is a viscosity modifier that separates in cold weather and coats stuff like what you have described. As soon as the engine warms up it dissolves back into the oil. In don't know how it "modifies" anything when it isn't in the cold oil, but who am I to argue with the oil companies? I tend to avoid oils that do it, anyway.

Pennzoil used to be bad at that, do you know of any others?

Check your intake, You might have a very small leak. I had this happen on a bran new engine, and it was a very small pinhole leak. It took 6000 miles to burn 1/2 a leter of antifreeze but it still burnt it very slow

Originally Posted by Crazyrat

One thing I didnt mention in my last post is the thermostat. My temp gage bearly mores from the cold side. Its been like that as long as I can remember. I have never seen it get up to what I would call the normal range. Needle being somewhere in the middle of the gage.

Now I am wondering now what degree thermostat should I go to on a stock Ford 300cid? Not sure what the degree is now on the stock one. How much of an increase should I look for in thermostats?

The truck is always parked outside on concrete drive.

Larry

You can check what the temperature is by getting a meat thermometer or a thermometer from a parts store.

Take the car out for a drive and get it warmed up good. Park it, take the radiator cap (be careful and do it slowly to get the pressure off) and stick the thermometer in the filler neck. You should get the temp within two minutes or less. You could do this by first turning the engine off and then sticking the thermometer in, but remember that the temperature will rise some immediately after turning it off.

You could do the same thing by getting one of those laser temperature guns.

Did you find the goop just after starting up? If so, it may not have time to burn off the condensation normally found in engines.

Buy yourself one of those laser remote thermometers, handiest thing you can have. "Shoot" the thermostat housing for an accurate temp reading to see how the car gauge is working. They work great for finding a missing cylinder, too. Just shoot the exhaust manifold or spark plugs.