Sludge, ugh
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 320
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Sludge, ugh
So yesterday I decided to change the leaky valve cover gasket in my 79. Easy enough job on the 300. I pull the valve cover off and OMG I have NEVER seen an engine so sludged up. There was easily a 1/4" of sludge I scraped off the inside of the valve cover, and my entire valve train is covered in it. Looks like the PO never changed the oil, it's THAT bad. So now I'm at a crossroads...I'm thinking of two different courses of action. One is the "cheap" possible fix: buy some Auto-RX Auto-Rx Internal Engine Cleaner and run two cleaning cycles and see how it does. The stuff gets some pretty rave reviews and I've found some before/after pics and it seems to work. The second is to just replace the head. The reman heads for this sucker are pretty cheap themselves. I found a place online that sells one for $125 plus core and shipping, and another place for $225 with no core charges plus shipping. The truck runs fine unless I have to sit at idle for a while. Then it gets rough and when I finally get going it releases black smoke. So I'm thinking the reman head will probably fix that because I'm betting my valve seals are going bad.
What say you Ford truck experts?
What say you Ford truck experts?
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,881
Likes: 1
From: North of Tulsa, Oklahoma
If time were an issue, i'd replace the head and get back on the road asap. Then take my time cleaning the old head and maybe magna flux it. If it tested good I'd sell it to get some $$$ back.
Or, i'd be tempted to take the valve cover off. Then manually scrape as much of that gunk out as possible. Then I'd take some brake cleaner and spray and brush as much as safely possible. I would not want to get any big chunks in any oil drain back holes, or any big chunks that may get lodged between the valves and seats. Then i'd put the covers back on. And try a bottle of Sea Foam. I recently used Sea Foam on my weedeater and chainsaw with great success. I still haven't used it on an automobile engine tho. There are some neat vids on youtube on others that show how it's done.
Or, i'd be tempted to take the valve cover off. Then manually scrape as much of that gunk out as possible. Then I'd take some brake cleaner and spray and brush as much as safely possible. I would not want to get any big chunks in any oil drain back holes, or any big chunks that may get lodged between the valves and seats. Then i'd put the covers back on. And try a bottle of Sea Foam. I recently used Sea Foam on my weedeater and chainsaw with great success. I still haven't used it on an automobile engine tho. There are some neat vids on youtube on others that show how it's done.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2011
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Ok, I used to run seafoam through my old Nissan Frontier, so how will I go about running it through the Ford? Where should I pour it in? In the Nissan I would pour it slowly through the brake booster vacuum line with the engine running. Where do I put it in on this engine?
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,186
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From: townsend DE
Ok, I used to run seafoam through my old Nissan Frontier, so how will I go about running it through the Ford? Where should I pour it in? In the Nissan I would pour it slowly through the brake booster vacuum line with the engine running. Where do I put it in on this engine?
New User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Chesapeake, Va
if the engine didnt give you a second thought before, clean it and just start looking for a replacement for the future, my first 77 was a 300 and being a kid 20plus years ago i never changed the oil just ran the crap out of it till the body fell off
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2011
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I got a line on another 300 with about 85k on it. Only caveat is it's been sitting outside under a lean-to for a few years and has rust on the outside, so I'm guessing it's probably rusty on the inside too. I may pick it up to have as a spare and just rebuild it and hang onto it for the day mine gives up. Seller is only asking $85 and it's been for sale for quite a while. I may just offer him $50 in hopes he will want it off his property. It ran fine when pulled but he wanted a "hot rod 302" instead.
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New User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Chesapeake, Va
i will take a 300 anytime, the more i think about it my dad should have beat me for what i did to that truck and motor when i was a kid
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