So I opened the valve cover and . . .

[fxeditor]

I found this grime around the spark plug holes:










I'm pretty sure I should clean them out but what's the best way to do it? I was thinking about using a rag with a shop-vac blasting right by the opening to catch any loos bits. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Michael

[James Brown]

I thought for sure you were going to say 3 or 4 head stud nuts fell out!!! But yeah, rag w/vacuum, keep the plugs in, carb cleaner, it's just fine dust from around the spark plug grommets. And it will come back. You don't have any broken head studs, do you?

[Lukesportsman]

I was with you James, I thought head studs or valve issue when I opened the thread. Whooo, just dirt

[carrera turbo]

wheeww

you have dirt

just all the crap the fan blows into your heads, road dust, fan belt material winter mice homes, shop rags, things like that.

cheers ed

[hcoles]

doesn't look that bad, use vacuum in vac. mode so as not to get any of it inside the head, I would not blow on it - my 2 cents

[rbuswell]

Originally Posted by James Brown

... rag w/vacuum, keep the plugs in, carb cleaner, it's just fine dust from around the spark plug grommets. And it will come back.

I'd stuff some low or lint-free rags in the lifters openings and vacuum them really well before you pull the rags out.

[Flat6pac]

Those areas are open to the cooling air so there is nothing there but dust and sometimes oil with the dust. Its a natural haven for what is there.
Bruce

[Charlie V]

Originally Posted by rbuswell

i'd stuff some low or lint-free rags in the lifters openings and vacuum them really well before you pull the rags out.

+1

[Walt Fricke]

I'd be very careful about doing much cleaning. That grime (normal) is OK where it is. It is part of the outside of the engine. Messing with it, you stand a good chance of getting some of it in the rocker arm area, which you need to keep clean of everything but engine oil because it is part of the inside of the engine.

Rags are not really very good covers. Vacuuming won't get much out. Blowing with air is really risky. And you won't get any where near all of it out - that's hard enough to do when you have everything apart. Lots of nooks and crannies back in there. Though at least you have the engine out, so you have better working conditions. But after a few thousand miles it will be back more or less like it is.

[DanielDudley]

I did lots of Fiats back in the old days, and the plugs were on top. We used to spray in cleaner, and then blast them out with air holding a rag with the valve covers on and the plugs in. You would not believe the stuff that was in there

It was the first thing we did before doing anything.

[rbuswell]

Originally Posted by Walt Fricke

I'd be very careful about doing much cleaning. That grime (normal) is OK where it is. It is part of the outside of the engine. Messing with it, you stand a good chance of getting some of it in the rocker arm area, which you need to keep clean of everything but engine oil because it is part of the inside of the engine.

Rags are not really very good covers. Vacuuming won't get much out. Blowing with air is really risky. And you won't get any where near all of it out - that's hard enough to do when you have everything apart. Lots of nooks and crannies back in there. Though at least you have the engine out, so you have better working conditions. But after a few thousand miles it will be back more or less like it is.

+1 on compressed air. I believe I said vacuum. This is an old engine and the grime has developed over many years. I doubt it will be like this again in a few thousand miles, Walt. If it did, the spark plug holes would be completely caked after 25 years or so, since the build up would be non-stop. It was caused by oil from leaks swirling around from the fan and attaching to dirt particles. Stop the oil leaks and it won't get very grungy again for many years.

Air/oil cooled engines are much more sensitive to grime than liquid-cooled when it comes to dissipating heat. The heads on a high-performance engine really need to get rid of the heat everywhere they can. I'd say just be careful.

BTW, I've done exactly this procedure and feel pretty comfortable that the lifter area is clean. I guess I'll find out when I run it again. I've raved about this product before but I used Wurth Super Spray Degreaser. It is an exceptional product. I also plan to get in there and do a once-over in the spark plug holes during every valve adjustment. That way it shouldn't get as bad.

[sc_rufctr]

If it really worries you clean it off but it won't hurt anything if you leave it as is.

They way I would do it...

Get some lint free rags and WD40... Wrap the rag around one of your fingers and spray some WD40 onto the tip... Use this "wet" area to pick up the dirt. No need to be over zealous. Almost clean will do. Just be careful not to contaminate the rocker area with dirt. You could also use some Q tips to get into the corners but it's really not necessary. To get started you could spray some WD40 directly onto the dirt. This would help keep it in place until you remove it with a rag.

Work methodically and you can't go wrong...

If you don't feel confident you could protect the rocker area with bunched up cling wrap... Just tear of a big piece and bunch it up and press it in there. Add more as needed until you fill the area. Then spray the cling wrap with WD40. This will catch any stray dirt. Once you remove the cling wrap use a bright LED style torch to look inside and check far any stray dirt.

[RWebb]

Walt or Peter's ideas (esp. good idea is to forget about it!)

or...

put the cover back on and make sure the gasket is sealing well, then reach around (blind) and clean the area with WD-40 on that rag. That is the safest next to leaving the area alone.

shop vac will not do much

[rbuswell]

Originally Posted by RWebb

... shop vac will not do much

As I pealed away the gunk, the shop vac just sucked it right way. Maybe I'm too anal on this but that crap is disgusting and it needed to be gone. I still say that if the engine designers didn't see this as an area to help cool the engine, they would have sealed it off like you'd see with an American iron V-8. It's a sizable chamber and if it is clean it will release more heat IMHO.

[Walt Fricke]

All's well if it ends well.

And you are right, vacuuming with mechanical scraping sounds like the safe way. Not much chance of stuff getting where you don't want it.

It is nice to have this area clean when installing and pulling spark plugs. I suspect all of us DIYers clean the cam carrier when we have the engine disassembled before we reassemble. But stick a finger in there in a year or so.

This area is not sealed. Open to the environment on its top and bottom. Its only sealing function is to keep the air flowing mostly from topside out the bottom. The spark plug seal is part of this. The fact that the gasket also surrounds all of it is incidental.

I don't think heat is much of an issue here - not like the finned parts of the cylinders or the heads.

Your saga has given me an idea of a use for damaged valve covers, though. Cut out the parts which don't cover the rockers, then install it, and work through those openings.

[RWebb]

I used to give people PhD's in heat transfer - trust me, this is not an issue.

Yes, a shop vac is fine after you peel or scrape or whatever.

Glad you got it clean.

You may want to avoid looking at other places on the bottom of the car - they all get some dirt on them. A periodic pressure wash or steam cleaning can be useful if you want it to be clean in between drives.

The functionally important things to do on the underside are to make sure all Mg parts have Tectyl or a 2nd best choice is a Gibbs or Boeshield or Corrosion Block type product; to check the CV joint rubbers periodically; and to replace the rubber brake hoses every several years - check them for rock damage every year or less.

[rbuswell]

Originally Posted by RWebb

I used to give people PhD's in heat transfer - trust me, this is not an issue.

Yes, a shop vac is fine after you peel or scrape or whatever.

Glad you got it clean.

You may want to avoid looking at other places on the bottom of the car - they all get some dirt on them. A periodic pressure wash or steam cleaning can be useful if you want it to be clean in between drives.

The functionally important things to do on the underside are to make sure all Mg parts have Tectyl or a 2nd best choice is a Gibbs or Boeshield or Corrosion Block type product; to check the CV joint rubbers periodically; and to replace the rubber brake hoses every several years - check them for rock damage every year or less.

I don't know how this became a therapy session for me but it's helping me with my OCD. Trouble is I've already done most of this stuff before you'se guys waved me off (like cleaning the entire undercarraige). And I have no intent of ever doing a concours. I've always kind of gone with the acronym WWPFD which is similar to WWJD. If I don't think the Porsche Factory would have left it dirty or unkempt, I'm not going to. Please someone save me from myself!!!

[RWebb]

a fairly clean underside can help in spotting leaks and you can check for cracked rubber too

beyond that, it is either a Concoursmobile or - um - let's say --- cosmetic

anybody with OCD can come work on my interior this summer...

[fxeditor]

Originally Posted by RWebb

a fairly clean underside can help in spotting leaks and you can check for cracked rubber too

beyond that, it is either a Concoursmobile or - um - let's say --- cosmetic

anybody with OCD can come work on my interior this summer...

Thanks for the advice! The engine is out so I am trying to get everything at least a little cleaned up. I am not going much further than spray painting the sheet metal and giving the engine bits a good Simple Greening! I did do the CV joints, fuel lines, and plug wires "while I was in there". Oh yeah, I also somehow tore the boot for the slave cylinder so I put a new one of those in there too. Guess I have to bleed the line now. . . With any luck I will try to get the car back together next weekend. I am REALLY crossing my fingers that it will start!

Take care,
Michael