Oil in Plug Wells Causing This?

[JRA2000TL]

I'm pretty sure the leaking valve cover gaskets are the issue, but here's what's going on. When I first start the 89 (cold start), it idles a little rough, and really stumbles when I try to take off; however, once it hits 4k and the secondaries open up, it smooths on out. I've noticed that once the car warms up to normal operating temp that it doesn't always run so rough.

I've cleaned the MAF, replaced the fuel filter, replaced the air filter, and I've done a front 60k. I have no CEL, and I know for a fact my valve cover gaskets are leaking quite a bit. The top 60k and bearings are my winter project.

Just want to make sure there's nothing else I should check.

 

[jayro]

That is pretty much exactly what mine did prior to my 60k. I had oil in the plug wells also.

 

[sperold]

It is the single biggest problem you can have and the symptoms vary all over the map. With mine, there were no obvious symptoms, but it failed the E-test, which way my tip-off.
It is reported to ruin the plug wires, so if you have a new set, it would pay to dry the plug wells out.
I would move up the gasket / wires / plug change. Another sad result of my experience was I had to change my catted Y-Pipe, as the bad mixture fouled my converters. It did this without ever having a check engine light and maintaining relatively good gas mileage.
I can't say for sure the two things are related, but I think they were, and I regret not acting sooner.

 

[RichieSHO34]

Yeah my 90' does the same thing, it will fluctuate from about 1000-800 up and down till I give it a little gas, I plan on getting plugs, wires, valve cover seals and plug well seals, very soon so I'll let you know how it goes. How did you go about cleaning your MAF?

 

[JRA2000TL]

Yeah my 90' does the same thing, it will fluctuate from about 1000-800 up and down till I give it a little gas, I plan on getting plugs, wires, valve cover seals and plug well seals, very soon so I'll let you know how it goes. How did you go about cleaning your MAF?

Just remove the 2 screws on the MAF, which sits on top of the air box. Gently pull the MAF out and get some MAF cleaner (CRC makes it, and you can find it at any parts store), spray the thin wire filament down and carefully place it back where it goes and screw it back down--that's it.


Oh and as for driving the car alot with oil in the plug wells and clogging th cats, I don't drive the car often at all. I've probably put less than 1000 miles on it since I bought it in Feb. I guess oil in the plug wells could make it run pig rich with black soot coming from the tailpipes too.

 

[turbo79]

Tip: Be sure to put a thin layer of your favorite RTV on each side of the plug well seal before you reinstall the cam covers. (I like the copper RTV myself.) That will prolong the sealing effect.

 

[SeanMc]

Tip: Be sure to put a thin layer of your favorite RTV on each side of the plug well seal before you reinstall the cam covers. (I like the copper RTV myself.) That will prolong the sealing effect.

I wish I would have done this. My new ones are leaking pretty badly....

 

[turbo79]

I wish I would have done this. My new ones are leaking pretty badly....

Well, when you take it apart to pull the cam covers to fix this, it would be good to also use a light smear of RTV on the cam cover gaslets as well. Just be thorough (completely cover - light coat - both gasket mating surfaces).

 

[JRA2000TL]

Yeah, good idea on RTV around the plug wells. I want to say when I had my 90, I just applied some around the edges of the valve covers, notably where they dip into that half moon area....I'll be sure to put some around the plug well areas this time. Waiting for pleasant, cold weather, to get out there and spend some time on it. I'll need to rent a Rotunda kit while I'm at it.

 

[SeanMc]

Sorry, I was thinking of the valve cover grommets. Ugh....

 

[JRA2000TL]

Sorry, I was thinking of the valve cover grommets. Ugh....

Oh yeah, seems as if my last SHO (90) had some of that stuff splooged all around the grommets. I think those were on the ones with the the stripped vc bolts.

 

[rubydist]

rtv on both top and bottom of the valve cover grommets is a very good idea too, since they likely have gotten hard as rocks over the years....

 

[SeanMc]

These are new ones as of last year.