Re: AMC I-6 Oil weapage / leakage / seepage

[Jock J Jocewicz <namdra@xxxxxxxx>]

I have to agree with Peter 100%!

On Tue, 19 Oct 2004 10:55:35 -0500 Peter Marano <carmine@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
writes:
> Oh Frank!
> 
> Stop!  The plastic valve cover was never any good! I take issue 
> with
> 'Most didn't start to leak until 15-20 years old.'  The several that 
> I
> remember having to stop leaks on were less than five years old.  I 
> wonder if anyone had a plastic cover stay dry for five years.  
> Adding to 
> the woe was that a large portion of the plumbing and wiring was 
> attached 
> to or prevented access to the valve cover.
> 
> At one time AMC had a good valve cover sealing strategy.  A groove 
> in 
> the valve cover accepted a seal with a large cross section and the 
> fasteners applied the pressure to the top center of the cover.  The 
> 
> original plastic valve covers had fasteners at the top, but the 
> plastic 
> cover was not stiff nor thermally stable enough.
> 
> When the 258 was redesigned for 1981 AMC would have done well to 
> build 
> the valve cover similar to the 250/287/327 and the 195.6.
> 
> Does the plastic valve cover even save any weight over the steel 
> cover?
> The kit that came with the revised plastic cover to stop the leaking 
> (it 
> didn't) may have weighed more than the steel valve cover!
> 
> Was any auto manufacturer successful with a plastic valve cover!? 
> (Detroit Diesel had a plastic valve cover on the series 60 when 
> introduced)
> 
> Peter Marano
> slowly regaining his composure in Kenosha WI
> 
> 
> > Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 18:46:39 -0400
> > From: farna@xxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: AMC I-6 Oil weapage / leakage / seepage
> > To: mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Message-ID: <ADVANCES62ZbLAX3cf3000001cf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > 
> > I wouldn't exactly call it a "design flaw", though I know the 
> 
> plastic valve cover is much hated. It will warp over time, but the
> 
> cars/engines were made to last around 10 years with few problems.
> 
> That being the general design criteria, I'd say they met that.
> 
> Most didn't start to leak until 15-20 years old. The last AMC car
> 
> made was the 88 Eagle, it's 14 years old (but doesn't it use an
> 
> aluminum valve cover?). A lot of the leaks are caused by people
> 
> reinstalling too. The plastic valve covers really need to be 
> snugged
> 
> up but very little torque on the bolts. To much uneven pressure
> 
> around it and it will always warp. Surfaces need to be squeaky 
> clean
> 
> before applying sealant too. It worked well, but I don't have an
> 
> inch-pound torque wrench, and most mechanics wouldn't take the time
> 
> on a valve cover unless they already knew it was a problem area.
> 
> SO I agree with you in one respect -- it wasn't the brightest idea 
> in
> 
> the long run, but I wouldn't say it's a design flaw from an 
> engineering
> 
> standpoint.
> > 
> > 
> > On October 18, 2004 Brien Tourville wrote:
> > 
> > 
> >>These engines ran a plastic valve cover that
> >>was a failure the day it was installed.
> >>
> >>AMC removed using a few of the bolts - why
> >>I'll never know - which allows the plastic to
> >>'bulge' - allowing the gasket to fail in areas.
> >>
> >>The aging plastic warps - adding to the number
> >>of gasket failures.
> >>
> >>There have been a number of engine fires
> >>due to these Design Flaws.
> > 
> 
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 


Jock Jocewicz - President/Editor NAMDRA
8537 Antioch Rd., Salem, WI 53168 (262) 843-4326
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