Did a all day valve cover gasket job today. The sensor on the the top of the the back plemiun rear bolt broke. It was the last bolt to go in. MF I tried some jb weld on it but ended up only front bolt snugged. Hope it will be ok.


I could not believe how much sludge was in the upper area when we took off the covers. Went in and brushed off as much as he could and trailed it with a shopvac. Cleaned it up as best as we could, the old gaskets were dried up an took a long time to clean up even though my daughter, her boyfriend and me roasted our asses off in the heat. I have a parts cleaner sink which helped out alot. Had to snip in the area in sections where the felpro gasket set in with needle nose vise grips to get it to be all nice. The last bolt on the rear pass side in front of the the bracket was the worst on the rear valve cover. Took us about 45 min to get it. Finally swung up the socket on an extension to do it.

We put in 3 qts of motorcraft semi syn which is at walmart for $12 for 5 qt jug and 1 qt tranny fluid to get the sludge out. Told her to change it in 1k miles.

Good thing I have to drive a brown truck tomorrow for the next 5 days with no a/c.

 

you put trans fluid in the oil?

 

I read somewhere that it is supposed to break up the sludge. Change it out soon, and the crap goes with the filter
Would I do it to any of my cars? No. I run that Long Life oil (maroon bottle, for 75,000+ cars), and it's broke up some of the gunk, and seems to work quite well at preventing further buildup.

 

the atf will break up the sludge but dont go 1000 miles, 2-3 hundred tops.


there is also the risk of the atf breaking the sludge loose in chunks that can plug the pick up screen causing starvation.

 

Auto-rx it!