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dirty head problems

nancea

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Mo
1998 xj 140xxx miles, bought with 70xxx miles, always changed oil and filter at or under 3000 miles, air filter changed every 6. Yesterday I took a gander with a flashlight down in the valve cover through the oil fill hole and there was this huge clump of oil/greese. I'm talking probably the size of a tenis ball. I cleaned it out with a shop vac and small hose the best i could plus scraped around with a screw driver and sucked some more. This has me worried that the entire head is filled with this crap. ANyone had the same problem? Thinking about taking the valve cover off and giviing the head a good cleaning. What's you thoughts on this? Motor runs like a champ, doesn't smoke, use oil or knock. Oil doesn't turn dark quick like a diesel or nothing after oil changes. I'm pissed. maybe the original owner before me didn't change the oil frequently enough.????
 
Sounds like you might benifit from a few cycles of auto-rx (check out their web site) I hear it cleans sludge and carbon like nobody's business. A bit expensive (two bottles cost abot $40) but people swear by it. I just bought some.

Or maybe try some seafoam.
 
only oil i have used in it is regular 10w-30 mobile (non-synthetic)

would you mess with taking the valve cover off and cleaning. I run seafoam through the intake and gas every 15xxx miles or so. sometimes i use lucas injector cleaner.
 
If you have tennis ball size goo, you should take off the VC and investigate. Big goo no good. Sorry to be overly technical.

It's entirely possible that you're getting some coolant in there via a hairline crack mixing with oil, making goo. Oil by itself in a warm working motor shouldn't goo up.
 
srimes said:
um, shower and use shampoo?



someone had to say it.

I was thinking it!!! :laugh:
 
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