dirt under valve covers

[Pasophisto]

Hi folks.
With your help, just did first valve adjustment. Very satisfying.

Under the valve covers, there is considerable dirt, grime, and dry black gunk. I want to be careful getting it out and not letting any of it into the valve gear. It seems to have originated from the holes in the valve covers where the spark plug wires go through. I guess the rubber plugs werent very tight.

Any techniques you can recommend?
Thanks
Sheldon

[RWebb]

pic?

you will clean the valve covers (which must be removed to do a valve adj.) before putting them in; also flatten the sealing edge with sandpaper on glass

to get them really nice & clean, send the wife to the mall for some discount shopping and run them thru her dishwasher after an initial cleaning

[Pasophisto]

Great idea!

[Pasophisto]

I meant the dirt is on the engine under where the covers were. Ideas for that?

[hcoles]

couple thoughts:

1 - on the under side of the covers, there will be dirty (not lubricated) areas and "clean" (lubricated) areas
2 - when trying to clean things, I usually try to clean around the covers before taking them off to reduce the amount of debris falling in the "clean" areas, not as big a deal on the exhaust sides

[eolson]

I think spraying in some carb cleaner carefully or on a rag first and then wiping out what you can should be fine. You could also cover the important parts with a rag before you spray and have another one handy for "drainage." I did this during my last valve adjustment and everything came out fine.

Another idea, I have a small vacuum that attaches to an air line that I can use to get in tight spaces like that, maybe you could rig something up if you're concerned about getting dirt in the valve train. If you're going to use the home vacuum, maybe wait for whenever you use the dishwasher for the valve covers.

[E Sully]

The area in green is actually the area that is sealed by the valve cover gasket to contain oil. The area in yellow is open to air flow and the elements. Dirt will accumulate here as debris in the cooling air flows around the cylinders and heads. If you cover the area in green you can use a brush, solvent and compressed air to clean it up. It will drain out of the cylinder and head fins, and not into the engine. The spark plug boots are to keep air flow directed across the fins on the heads, not to keep dirt out.

[Pasophisto]

Sms

[Tippy]

run them thru her dishwasher after an initial cleaning

I believe that may introduce carcinogenic particulates into your dishwasher. Might want to research that. Also, IIRC dish washing detergent is corrosive to aluminum.

[porschetub]

Originally Posted by Tippy

I believe that may introduce carcinogenic particulates into your dishwasher. Might want to research that. Also, IIRC dish washing detergent is corrosive to aluminum.

Yep,you could also get run over by a bus,die in a plane crash,is magnesuim or alloy cancer causing not sure better chuck out the alloy cook pots where the wifes down @ the mall discount shopping .
Talking of using the wifes domain I cooked up a painted VW crankcase once and heated up type 4 heads to fit valve giudes worked a treat,never got busted for that.
By the way happy new year.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Tippy

I believe that may introduce carcinogenic particulates into your dishwasher. Might want to research that. Also, IIRC dish washing detergent is corrosive to aluminum.

the Al will be fine

re carcinogens:

if any, they will be road dust - the same things you breathe in every day on the hwy; very little used engine oil will be on the item as you clean it first as per my above post

also, they will go down into a sanitary sewer so the introduction rate into a watershed is low; particles left on the road and then flushed into a storm sewer - or cleaned off an engine into the road or your driveway - will also go into a storm sewer and directly into the watershed

I appreciate your concern for the environment,, and I share it.

[Pasophisto]

I did wash the valve covers quite well with biodegradable solvent and biodegradable unbleached paper towel and Q-tips with no plastic components (true) before putting in the dishwasher. I used the usual biodegradable detergent that we use for dishes. I hope the valve covers will be okay in terms of degradation. I can confirm that they came out squeaky clean! As for the grease and grime, I suppose it all came from combustion and environmental components and I suppose all of the results of that combustion will be back in the environment by way of the trashed paper towel and Q-tips and the dishwasher effluent in no time at all. I try to keep a compact footprint. And we all know how much more compact a real 911 is than a modern one!
Thanks again, everybody. Happy New Year and a healthy and prosperous one to all of you!
Sheldon

[JohnJL]

Hcoles has the right idea. I was taught to stick a long nozzel of your compressed air gun down into the spark plug hole and give each a blast or two to encourage out any dust, dirt or washes that might be down there waiting to drop into your motor when the covers are removed.

[DCinVA]

Dishwashers are great for cleaning parts. The result is really amazing, try it.

But as RW pointed out, dont let the wife catch you.

[CCM911]

The following made me laugh out loud! And BTW - never be afraid to shoot some original GUNK in the dirty areas. But do not get it in the lubed areas or expensive things may occur in the future.

Originally Posted by Pasophisto

I did wash the valve covers quite well with biodegradable solvent and biodegradable unbleached paper towel and Q-tips with no plastic components (true) before putting in the dishwasher. I used the usual biodegradable detergent that we use for dishes. I hope the valve covers will be okay in terms of degradation. I can confirm that they came out squeaky clean! As for the grease and grime, I suppose it all came from combustion and environmental components and I suppose all of the results of that combustion will be back in the environment by way of the trashed paper towel and Q-tips and the dishwasher effluent in no time at all. I try to keep a compact footprint. And we all know how much more compact a real 911 is than a modern one!
Thanks again, everybody. Happy New Year and a healthy and prosperous one to all of you!
Sheldon

[Pasophisto]

All that fun is in the distant past as when I finished the valve adjustment and installation of new spark plug wires, I got an unpleasant surprise- smoke, smoke, smoke, and then she conked out in a minute and won't start. See my other contemporary post. I'm not a happy camper this 2013 so far.
SMS

[db_cooper]

Could be several things..first check the three plug connectors on the driver's side of the engine. One is for the cylinder head temp sensor and the other two are for your speed and reference sensor.

Did you remove these or work around them doing your valve adjustment?

Sounds like the CHT sensor wire could be disconnected?

I always suggest, if the engine was running fine and you did some work, then some problems..recheck your work first.

Sounds like your valve adjustment was good..so look at other possibilities..the easy ones, like a poor or disconnected wire, spark plug wires and so forth.

Overfilled with engine oil?

[Pasophisto]

Could you please provide some more information about those three wires? Where are they? Would the disconnection of one of them cause the engine to fail to start? I currently have no ignition at all. Turns over but doesnt light.
Drained some oil but just put back in that same oil.
Yes, I worked everywhere around the engine- also installed a new sound pad against the bulkhead while I was in there.
What else could I have disconnected by accident that would cause her not to start?

[Pasophisto]

three plugs on drivers side high up engine. electrical connectors. one was disconnected- must have inadvertently pulled it off when doing valve adjustment. Now car starts, smoking though. warming up. will advise.
SMS

[Pasophisto]

Thanks all, and especially DBCooper! The topmost of the three electrical plugs was out. Must have come loose when I was in there mucking about. Snapped it back in place and she's up and running. A bit louder since the valve adjustment, but I thought a couple of the valves were particularly tight before so I suppose that's good. gave her a good run and she's good.
Thanks again.
Sheldon