Thread: Harmonic balancer on 454 has 4 timing marks.....

Tweet

Originally Posted by repoman3809

What do you make of this. There was some super white substance on inside each head. Mostly on top of the rocker studs and inside of valve cover. The oil is fine, the water in the block was fine(remember I pulled apart the front of motor. I could see down in the oil pan and obviously in the water jackets). The stuff was just in the heads, it doesnt look like milky oil, more like some type of assembly lube.

Also what you make of the rust?

The above mentioned was bothering me. I didnt have much time, so I just wanted to do a few more checks on this today. I checked everything....exhaust tips(black), dipstick(clean oil), pan, though bottom of timing chain cover(clean oil), oil filter(clean oil), water jackets(clean water [remember boat...water pulled n thur outdrive, blown out exhaust]).

But the inside of valve covers is caked in this white crap. Reminds of white hand cleaner or crisco, with maybe a touch of brown tint. It's mainly sticking to the top/inside of the valve cover(more on right bank). Though some on the top of the rockers and some laying in the low points of the head(low stuff is milky). Plus a decent amount of rust all over. The rust is on the head and springs. More on the rear sides of head(6&8-5&7). But the most on the right bank, especially 5-7.

Which reminded me, the exhaust coming out this bank never seemed as strong as the opposite side. The exhaust tips have black rubber flappers to keep the water from coming back in. The exhaust tips sit above the waterline, but under the boats swim platform. The flapper on the left side bank(2-4-6-8) actually hits and marks the above swim platform. The right side(1-3-5-7) doesnt(or not much). This also follows the compression readings(2-4-6-8 reads higher).

I wonder if for whatever reason, I'm getting some serious condensation issues. The right side valve cover has a breather filter, where as the left cover is sent back to air filter. That might explain the rust and white stuff. If so, I wander if the rust is effecting the valves ability to seat.

I sprayed the valves, springs and heads with some lube oil. I tried to get as much of the rust out as I could. We'll see if the helps future tests....