More pics.....the close ups didn't come out very well. The cam and lifters look good...but then again, the engine only has 70K on it.......I will try to get the heads off tonight.

 

Keep the pics coming. Very nice. Did you notice any potential for leaking coolant from the valley gasket?
Pic of the damaged area would be nice to see when you get to it?

 

Is engine that golden brown color, or is that the light / camera? If it is that color, what kind of oil have you been running, and how often do you change it?

 

Yes it is golden brown. It looks like it is varnished. I bought the car with 42K on it. Now at 70K. I have been using RotellaT 15W-40 since I got it and change the oil every 3,500 miles. Close up of the right head, rocker arms and inside of the valve cover gaskets. My push rods looked junked up also. I am thinking about running a marvel mystery oil (kerosene) through it when she is back together. Putting in some cheap oil and marvel for a week and then put in the Rotella....any other suggestions?

 

While you have it apart, take something non-mechanical, like the valve cover or oil pan, and try the various formulas on that. May take some serious solvent that you can mix with oil, but could apply to open engine with brush or spray. Brake cleaner? Toulene? Put some on a white rag and see if color comes off on the rag.

While Rotella can get oil sludge of by dissolving it slowly, varnish is more of a baked on finish. Inside the bearings one would hope it was worn away by friction.

If you can soak in solvent you may be ahead of trying to do it when put back together. Pix of 180K or so with mostly Rotella applied by Street Wolf, and another lower miles with cheap gas and oil.

Colonel Sanders would be proud of this one....

 

Might want to check the PCV breather system from the valve covers to see if that is clogged, which could account for extra oil laden vapor in places including the valley area. Laquer thinner may help. BTW, when using solvents use lots of ventilation, keep away form kids and pets, wear chemical splash goggles, etc.

 

Are there are any solvents I want to avoid? As in will damage something in the heads or valve train. I have a long/narrow tray that would hold the head nicely where I could brush on thinner.....

 

Solvents can attack seal (like valve seals) - but you'll be replacing those. There are plenty of parts cleaner solvents that you can buy for soaking. Would avoid anything that is corrosive or does not play well with aluminum.

 

if it bothers you have them hot tanked at the machine shop

 

Well that's kind of the point.......I was/am not overly concerned with it, just surprised. I was debating on how much effort I wanted to put into this. The engine has never been overheated (while I have owned it anyway) and did not have any codes. I had a slow coolant leak that I could not exactly trace to the head gasket or valley pan gasket so I was just planning on all replacing them, but....i was not going to have the heads inspected, tanked or the valve seals replaced....