I just got a 90 dx with a b16 swap. The previous owner was real cool, seemed very knowledgable and all. Car runs just fine. No major issues. I was just doing some minor tune ups and discovered i needed to change the spark plug grommets for the valve cover. I pulled the valve cover and it looked like hell.

It looks "tarish" in the head. There is a thick substance everywhere and it looks like ****. The cams look great, no scarring. The plugs looked correct. I changed the oil and the old oil looks pooey.

When I fist got the car, I noticed the auto-meter gauge STAYED at rich, and the ecu was giving me a code "1" (OBD-0, o2 issue). I rewired the sensors, and all is good. The meter reads correct and the car is no longer rich. He HAD the secondary and primary o2 wires looped together and the o2 sensors twisted together running straight to the auto-meter gauge. The ECU was never getting 02 readings, thus running rich.

Adding this all up, I belive maybe the substance in the head maybe be old fuel mixed with old oil.

After searching seafoam, I am scared to run it since this film may be preventing leak. The car runs perfect, idles good, no smoke, gets proper mpg, not using/burning fluids, etc.

Should I be concerned with this build up in the head? or should I just ignore it and enjoy the car?

Thanks.

 

Ignore it. That build up is just what happens when you don't change your oil often enough... or the motor is high mileage. It's just dirty oil that has baked to the surface. It has nothing to do with the O2 problems you were having. It will have no effect on engine performance.

I aggree it's unsightly but who cares.

 

Thanks. Anyone else?

 

agree with what glagola1 said. Nothing to do with the problems you're having. The buildup isn't good persay but it's not hurting anything either.

 

I agree it is not a problem, but I use marvel mystery oil or risolone to clean it out. They are both available at most auto stores, my local honda dealer uses the risolone on all their returning leases to clean out the 20,000mile oil that no one had ever changed. They both come in a quart bottle and you change the oil and replace one quart of oil with one of these products, they are not harmful they are both just a heavy detergent oil that will dissolve crud and gunk,you leave them in for the full oil change interval 3-5,000 miles. they are not harsh like sea foam which I have heard can burn your rings if left in too long and actually degrades the oil

 

Thanks Jimmy, that's what I'll look into.

The car runs like a champ, but just knowing that crud is there bugs me...


Modified by VegaS10 at 10:51 PM 1/30/2007