It looks like it cleaned up pretty good though. What a nasty job. The machine shop can boil it clean. That's the way to go. They appreciate it when you blow the big chunks off though. LOL
What a grease ball
- Thread starter Princess Valiant
- Start date
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The American automakers must have REALLY felt compelled to stop oil leaks sometime in the late 80s. GM went to a different type of valve cover on their small block "corporate" engine and Ma Mopar went to the "Magnum" series with the thicker valve covers and a 10 bolt arrangement. I don't know what Ford did because I never owned one AND I like women and Women don't like to wait for tow trucks.
My 2007 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi has 340,000 miles and ZERO leaks.
What motivated the improved sealing in these engines? Was it consumer demand? Was it a matter or warranty costs? Maybe the EPA mandated it?
My 2007 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi has 340,000 miles and ZERO leaks.
What motivated the improved sealing in these engines? Was it consumer demand? Was it a matter or warranty costs? Maybe the EPA mandated it?
Princess Valiant
A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
The problem is the lack of machine shops these days. Back when i started automotive there were 3 local to me.
All three were run by relics from the 60s and 70s.
Two passed away and one of those two shops is boarded up with everything in it. One of the other shops was torn down and is now a parking lot. The building they tore down had been built in 1920. RIP 1920-2008.
The third shop is there but the owner is only there once every few months and spends most of his time in a home. I visit him every once in awhile but he is exhausted with cars and the whole mess and is very grumpy and disinterested.
Then at one time I used the machine shop at the auto school. That was supposed to come to a halt when I graduated. One of the instructors liked me and let me keep using the mschine shop even after graduating. Since then, that instructor passed away, so there is no one I know there anymore.
That puts the next available shop an hour and 40 minutes drive away.
This engine is going to get power washed in the driveway and hopefully that is good enough because it's going to have to be.
The problem is the lack of machine shops these days. Back when i started automotive there were 3 local to me.
All three were run by relics from the 60s and 70s.
Two passed away and one of those two shops is boarded up with everything in it. One of the other shops was torn down and is now a parking lot. The building they tore down had been built in 1920. RIP 1920-2008.
The third shop is there but the owner is only there once every few months and spends most of his time in a home. I visit him every once in awhile but he is exhausted with cars and the whole mess and is very grumpy and disinterested.
Then at one time I used the machine shop at the auto school. That was supposed to come to a halt when I graduated. One of the instructors liked me and let me keep using the mschine shop even after graduating. Since then, that instructor passed away, so there is no one I know there anymore.
That puts the next available shop an hour and 40 minutes drive away.
This engine is going to get power washed in the driveway and hopefully that is good enough because it's going to have to be.
You should buy the last shop and learn automotive machine work and keep it alive.
Machine shops..
The guy I have used for 16 years or so has slowed down to where he has had to get a second job working for the local school district. He says the work has really slowed down to where he couldn't pay the bills with what was coming in.
I asked if he thought it was because so many people are putting newer engines in their older cars and trucks. He agreed...The Hemi and LS & Coyote engines are replacing the LA, B & R/B, Small block Chevy anf Ford engines.
You can buy a 100,000 mile late model engine and add a cam and headers and run strong without a full rebuild.
The guy I have used for 16 years or so has slowed down to where he has had to get a second job working for the local school district. He says the work has really slowed down to where he couldn't pay the bills with what was coming in.
I asked if he thought it was because so many people are putting newer engines in their older cars and trucks. He agreed...The Hemi and LS & Coyote engines are replacing the LA, B & R/B, Small block Chevy anf Ford engines.
You can buy a 100,000 mile late model engine and add a cam and headers and run strong without a full rebuild.
Yeah, in my town the machine shop guy is 86 Years old. He put the place up for sale a year ago.He will sell complete, or tools and equipment, or the building empty. No takers. For the 25 years I've known him he had 1 employee.Never found anybody to even want to work for him after he passed.Soon to be a lost art.
We have a strong dirt track circuit around our area so there's a good machine shop in town with a dyno. They don't know much about Mopar engines but can get the job done. I had my 273 block prepped at a small town 1 man shop 20 min. away. He doesn't have every piece of equipment but what he does have is nice stuff. He did a nice job surfacing, boring, and honing, He sends the cranks out for grinding and balancing. I had my heads done at a shop that specializes in race heads just 3 miles away. Too bad some of you aren't closer. I could get you fixed up.
I think thats about the time Ford started glueing everything they could together because it was cheaper than gaskets. That dealer only (at the time) sealer was a great problem solver tho.
I have an old alkota 5152 hot water pressure washer. It will clean anything but you will get wet and filthy from the crap blowing off. I roll it outside and wash everything while barefoot and only boxer shorts on. I completely strip the block or whatever and blow hot soapy water in every orifice. works great, no oven cleaner or degreaser at all, when I'm done I blow it all out with compressed air, maybe hose it down with wd40
Thank goodness a meticulous Mopar guy has a machine shop 20 minutes from me. He is buried in work so it takes a while but it is worth it.
Alaskan_TA
Well-Known Member
One thing that helps with pressure washing greasy parts at home is to tap into a hot water line in the house & install a secondary hose bib.
I love mine!
I love mine!
Great idea....B U T make sure whatever hose you use is one that is RATED to handle the hot water!
The guy I use in Seguin, Tx is 45min from the house and he is always full up with work. Started using him in the early 90's and have never seen him slow down.
Yeah, but that's not fun worth a **** to me.
Keep your eye on the finish line!
moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
At first I thought you were talking about Mr. Shirley calling Clark Griswold "Greaseball" in National Lampoon's Christmas vacation lol, then when I checked it out I was like hmmm chunky **** stuck to engines.
Yep the 74 moredoor I bought as a parts car for my 67 cuda looked exactly like that. Chipped about 100 lbs of dried crust off the k frame and engine when I pulled it all from the car. I determined it was valve covers that were leaking all those years and coating everything. I used cheapo oven cleaner and a wire brush to loosen up and remove all the chunks, then power washed it away.
Maybe it was that mid 70s quality coupled with the malaise era **** it attitude from back then that caused it all. It was a good rust preventative though. Glad to see your doing a V8 A body.
Yep the 74 moredoor I bought as a parts car for my 67 cuda looked exactly like that. Chipped about 100 lbs of dried crust off the k frame and engine when I pulled it all from the car. I determined it was valve covers that were leaking all those years and coating everything. I used cheapo oven cleaner and a wire brush to loosen up and remove all the chunks, then power washed it away.
Maybe it was that mid 70s quality coupled with the malaise era **** it attitude from back then that caused it all. It was a good rust preventative though. Glad to see your doing a V8 A body.
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moparmat2000
Well-Known Member
Hey Rainy, I have a 74 teener for my sons 69 cuda. Gonna do a mild hop up in it. Looking at a particular Summit racing cam and lifter kit. Also considering 302 heads off a late 80s M body fifth ave along with some 68 340 exhaust manifolds on it. A buddy gave me an eddy streetmaster 318, and I have an eddy 600. Also going to use an HEI fired mopar distributor in it. If the bores look ok, and measure out good, i will probably ball hone the block and re ring it. LMK what your plans are for your teener.
Princess Valiant
A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
Spent most of the day on the power washer.
A few cans of degreaser and fun fun
Cleaned out the oil pan, sprayed a little degreaser in add a little water and wipe out the sludge with a rag, just like cleaning a little diaper butt.
I do love to see progress though. I got the transmission dust shield really nice and pretty.
Now that it doesn't have a 1/4 inch of caked grease, I can see what I have here and I am wondering if the starter opening is supposed to be like this or did someone trim it ??
A few cans of degreaser and fun fun
Cleaned out the oil pan, sprayed a little degreaser in add a little water and wipe out the sludge with a rag, just like cleaning a little diaper butt.
I do love to see progress though. I got the transmission dust shield really nice and pretty.
Now that it doesn't have a 1/4 inch of caked grease, I can see what I have here and I am wondering if the starter opening is supposed to be like this or did someone trim it ??
Looks like a few that I have seen in my own stash.
Princess Valiant
A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
The only bad thing about degreaser is the smell.
I washed my hair completely and I am still smelling that degreaser smell while laying in bed.
A few times the power washer hit a spot that bounced the water back and I got sprayed with grease and degreaser, but I washed and shampooed thrice.
I am going to smell that all night now, dang
I washed my hair completely and I am still smelling that degreaser smell while laying in bed.
A few times the power washer hit a spot that bounced the water back and I got sprayed with grease and degreaser, but I washed and shampooed thrice.
I am going to smell that all night now, dang
Looks identical to the dust shield I have.
Gear oil smells worse IMHO, used to drop all my clothes as soon as I walked through the door of my apartment, and head straight for the shower when I got home from work in the days when I worked in the trade.
Gear oil smells worse IMHO, used to drop all my clothes as soon as I walked through the door of my apartment, and head straight for the shower when I got home from work in the days when I worked in the trade.
Better than Sure Grip axle oil.
I have a buddy that hates automatic transmission fluid. HATES it.
Once I asked him...."What would be WORSE....Being pounded in the butt by 5 guys OR being submerged to your chin in ATF for an hour?"
He thought about it for a moment.
Yeah, he had to think about which would be worse for him.
I have a buddy that hates automatic transmission fluid. HATES it.
Once I asked him...."What would be WORSE....Being pounded in the butt by 5 guys OR being submerged to your chin in ATF for an hour?"
He thought about it for a moment.
Yeah, he had to think about which would be worse for him.
famous bob
mopar misfit
As I get older , I can usually smell what ever I happened to be messing with, for quite a while. Even smell grass all evening sometimes after mowing .
Except wed. , I mowed my lawn (1 acre), then decided to go mow my daughters, before church if I hurry, she was out of town on business for the TPD. I always mow her lawn the next day after mine. Well I loaded up the tractor ,went over and let her puppies out, put them up , then mowed her lawn, got her little mower out and trimmed, got the blower out and started blowing the drive off, got a big lump in the top center of my chest, almost in my throat, guess that's what threw me , was wondering if it was gas. Started loosing my breath, hot, weak, light headed, had to sit down before finishing, then sit down and rest in between everything ,blowing the back patio off, loading the lawnmower , driving home , unloading , unhooking the trailer , showering, shaving , taking a break between everything because I was short of breath and weak , still had the tightness too. Finally called my wife, she came home and hauled me to St Francis hosp., where I was diagnoced w/ afib, my upper heart was beating about 144 to 180 times a min. , and the lower part wasn`t.
They did 5 ekg`s over the next 12-14 hrs. , and all sorts of stuff , and gave intervenious whatever, I came back in rythym about 1 in the morning.
Then off to an atomic stress test " wouldn`t wish that on anyone , but thankfully was over in "the longest 10 min. of my life"
Al good except for a lower vein comin out of the bottom of my heart , had a little plaque build up, but showed to be circulating as well as the rest of my body, which they said was good. Supposed to take care of it w/ cholesterol drug and blood thinner------------
Morall of the story, don't overdo it when ur pushing 73 , and about half dehydrated, when the humidity is way the hell up there . ------But do stop and smell the roses -----------bob
Except wed. , I mowed my lawn (1 acre), then decided to go mow my daughters, before church if I hurry, she was out of town on business for the TPD. I always mow her lawn the next day after mine. Well I loaded up the tractor ,went over and let her puppies out, put them up , then mowed her lawn, got her little mower out and trimmed, got the blower out and started blowing the drive off, got a big lump in the top center of my chest, almost in my throat, guess that's what threw me , was wondering if it was gas. Started loosing my breath, hot, weak, light headed, had to sit down before finishing, then sit down and rest in between everything ,blowing the back patio off, loading the lawnmower , driving home , unloading , unhooking the trailer , showering, shaving , taking a break between everything because I was short of breath and weak , still had the tightness too. Finally called my wife, she came home and hauled me to St Francis hosp., where I was diagnoced w/ afib, my upper heart was beating about 144 to 180 times a min. , and the lower part wasn`t.
They did 5 ekg`s over the next 12-14 hrs. , and all sorts of stuff , and gave intervenious whatever, I came back in rythym about 1 in the morning.
Then off to an atomic stress test " wouldn`t wish that on anyone , but thankfully was over in "the longest 10 min. of my life"
Al good except for a lower vein comin out of the bottom of my heart , had a little plaque build up, but showed to be circulating as well as the rest of my body, which they said was good. Supposed to take care of it w/ cholesterol drug and blood thinner------------
Morall of the story, don't overdo it when ur pushing 73 , and about half dehydrated, when the humidity is way the hell up there . ------But do stop and smell the roses -----------bob
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The problem is the lack of machine shops these days. Back when i started automotive there were 3 local to me.
All three were run by relics from the 60s and 70s.
Two passed away and one of those two shops is boarded up with everything in it. One of the other shops was torn down and is now a parking lot. The building they tore down had been built in 1920. RIP 1920-2008.
The third shop is there but the owner is only there once every few months and spends most of his time in a home. I visit him every once in awhile but he is exhausted with cars and the whole mess and is very grumpy and disinterested.
Then at one time I used the machine shop at the auto school. That was supposed to come to a halt when I graduated. One of the instructors liked me and let me keep using the mschine shop even after graduating. Since then, that instructor passed away, so there is no one I know there anymore.
That puts the next available shop an hour and 40 minutes drive away.
This engine is going to get power washed in the driveway and hopefully that is good enough because it's going to have to be.
Do it yourself, it's easy....
How to Rebuild a Small Block Part 1: Block Prep
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