brajohns

I was doing a valve adjustment on my 98 3.0 and noticed that one side was a lot oilier and dirtier than the other. Is this normal? Does anyone else have this? I assume it has something to do with the PCV valve being located on the rear, but I'm not sure. The car drives fine, so I don't think it's hurting anything, but I thought I'd post it to see if I have a problem. The car has 171k miles on it.

Rear valve train on left. It's almost black compared to the front.

[IMG][/IMG]

Rear valve train:

[IMG][/IMG]

Front valve train:

brajohns

Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

DaInFaMMuS1

Thats interesting to see. Probably has something to do with the pcv valve and the fact that the exhaust from the 2nd bank has to mix with the 1st to go through the exhaust pipe, the backpressure might send back some dirty exhaust fumes too.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

some of that

but also because that back bank runs that much hotter then the front bank, due to a lack of airflow around it, so the oil fumes and such run that much hotter back there, so it's quite normal actually, and just for a heads up my 2nd gen TL look exactly the same when i adjusted my valves (except the back may have been a little lighter, but that may very well be the lighting though) (and I KNOW my oil has been changed every 3k miles since new with quality oil)

also OP what oil do you run, a little higher quality one might help some....

brajohns

That's an interesting theory. A mechanic friend of mine said the same thing, but he wasn't sure. Like I said, it's not affecting anything that I can tell, so I wondered if others were seeing the same thing. I usually run whatever high mileage 5w-30 from whatever oil change shop I happen to take it to. I did the last oil change myself, and put in pennzoil high mileage synthetic blend.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

maybe try a higher detergent oil such as valvoline or castrol instead of pennzoil, it should help it some (or more of those little crusties in the back that i be worried about more then anything (top of valve retainors and next to the springs and such); color is kinda secondary, it is just for the most part "stained" a darker color then anything
but as you also said it's not hurting much, so i would not worry about it too much (and as said maybe try a higher detergent oil, and don't go to the extremes to try and get it cleaner/spotless), and is still VERY CLEAN for that mileage (mine only had 105k at the time though, so not quite as many)


and it look's like you also do at least consistent oil changes, while also opting for the better oil then the absolute cheap shit, that most of the cars get in them

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

also to expand on DaInFA's; (i have not thought about it much till really now )
is that the front bank always get a fresh supply of air from the intake tube, which then goes to the lower crankcase, which then picks up some of the blowby (every car has some, it's about minimizing it) on the cylinders,
then that dirtier mixture gets carried up to the rear bank, after which a little bit gets deposited here and there, causing the crusties and darker color (basically it never gets fresh air like the front does), which afterward that air finally gets sucked into the intake through the PCV

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

also almost forgot to add the 5w-30 , you may loose that few tenths in gas mileage, but what you get back is better protection for the engine (same grade mine gets)

brajohns

Well to tell you the truth, I thought our cars were supposed to have 5w-30. I didn't know it would cost in gas mileage though.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

thinking about the newer CL's and TL's with their 0w-20 bullshit (it all of a sudden changed on the TL in like 2002 from 5w-30 to 0-20w, without really even a single change in the J32A1 motor)

and gas mileage, you are talking MAYBE 2/10's at max, with mainly being measurable when new and under laboratory conditions

SupraManAG

It seems line you have lack of flow on the exhaust side. Why are you adjusting the valves in the first place.

brajohns

Because I have 171k miles and it had never been done to my knowledge. All the exhaust valves were out of tolerance.

purple3.0haze

i was told by a mechanic that once an engine get's older 130K+ miles, its really not a great idea to do a valve job because the valves have worn into the seats so much and the springs loose a tiny amount of their rebound strength; so it can sometimes cause more problems than good. I just turned 140k and my valves are kinda noisy but i'm just going to leave them the way they are :2cents

SupraManAG

dude just do the adjustment. believe me you are doing more damage than by not. one way or another you are choking the engine. you have an asthmatic engine

purple3.0haze

damn, i just cracked out the CHILTON. looks like i know what i'm doing next weekend.. not to thread jack, but what kinda tools do you need and where can you order new valve cover/manifold gaskets.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

dealer, i had a "quality" aftermarket one, have one of the bolt seals (and no you can not overtighten them either, due to the bolt having a built-in stop) actually harden up on me enough to cause an oil leak on me within like 20k miles,
and the leak was bad enough that it was causing like a drip or two on the ground everytime i had parked, so not just a little residue on the valve cover, but an actual leak/drip

DaInFaMMuS1

I agree, I'll never use any valvecover gaskets other than OEM, all others either don't fit right or crack and break prior than they're supposed to.

SupraManAG

You need your usual. wrenches sockets etc
You need to buy yourself a valve clearance tool. Make sure you buy a metric and not sae. Notice how i am telling you about all of my mistakes. Take you time and do not rush. Follow the directions on the book. Adjust the valves carefully. When reassembling be careful not to pinch the seals and not to over tighten things. They wind up breaking. Place all properly and enjoy. Its rewarding, believe me.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

never had an issue with them before (and considering the fact, even for everything including the spark plug tube seals also, it was not that much more then aftermarket to begin with)
just on mine with like two of the bolt seals hardening up, and one of them leaking, the rest of the seals where fine (the first one was not leaking but you could tell it was not far away, and then the second one that was the leaker was the one right next to the PCV valve, so only thing i could really think of it all the crankcase gases and such [plus a lcak of airflow around it] basically got it too hot on a regular basis causing it to harden and leak)the other one that was also hard was also on the back valve cover, but on the drive belt end instead, so again kinda a lack of airflow around it)

LLkoolskillet

I was told that the J30a had hydraulic lifters so there was no need to do a valve adjustment. Reading the above has me questioning some things now.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

i can't recall any automotive honda motor ever having hydraulic lifters (and no the passport and acura slx don't count, cause those where isuzu motors, or more specifically GM motors)

SupraManAG

hydraulic lifters? im pretty sure they have rocker arms

purple3.0haze

it says right in the owners manual "adjust as needed" and i can see rocker arms so no way its hydraulic

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

rocker arms don't mean shit as far as whether it has hydraulic lifters or not, you both are thinking of the old type that are huge; there are newer ones that are nicknamed "peanut lifters" which are about the size of the peanut, and will fit right into the end of a rocker arm when properly machined for it (and as far as an oil supply to them, it goes through the rocker arm, kinda like how connecting rods sometimes supply pressurized oil to the upper rod bearing)

purple3.0haze

^ good to know for the future, thanks. But the point is kinda that the 3.0 doesn't have hydraulic lifters

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

as posted before from me, basically no Honda made automotive engine has hydraulic lifters





and as far as the peanut lifters go, i can't seem to find a picture of a set right now, but i can think of one appliction for them though, and that was like mid 90 subaru's roughly with a SOHC cam design (and not the DOHC)

TexasTony6777

I would agree with the popular response. Your right side of your engine does get hotter. How ever I believe it has to do with oil flow. Oil will flow in and out quicker in the left side of your engine vs. the right side. The oil on the right side sits and cooks a little longer due to acceleration.