Rust on valve

[Creomod]

Ok I had a issue driveshaft broke hiway messed up trans so removed engine trans together (long tube headers). I had a exhaust leak at header so I removed header to replace gasket looked in exhaust ports at valves some look white but one had rust. Seems like coolant funny thing is I haven’t noticed it anywhere oil or smoke? What should I do engine only 3 years old or so. Now can this could’ve been caused from running lean? I couldn’t get afr correct and assumed it was cuz header exhaust leak but I think it might be cuz I was running valve covers for carburetor not efi. I thought it looked cool with 2 breathers but I think it sees it as vacuum I also found gas in between upper and lower intake. Any thoughts? Should I remove head ? I can’t do a compression test like I said I pulled engine to remove transmission. Craked intake?Blown head gasket? I don’t recall my engine overheating at all

 

[Noobz347]

You've got it out, you might as well swap the head gaskets. If you were getting water into the induction system then it's just one more thing you don't have to worry about.

Just clean up the heads and bolt them back on with a set of ARP head studs. Then it's just [done].

 

[Noobz347]

Also... Exhaust leak = a way for condensation to enter and assist the exhaust valve getting surface rust between heat cycles.

 

[Creomod]

Also... Exhaust leak = a way for condensation to enter and assist the exhaust valve getting surface rust between heat cycles.

I don’t think it’s this one because the rust is in passenger side exhaust leak driver side still debating to pull head not sure if that’s what needs to be done

 

[Creomod]

I opened up Lower intake I see some milky I’ll look extremely close when I get home from work in a bit we are having Christmas party but skipping it to check it out

 

[Creomod]

I looked inside the valley where head gasket meets with block I don’t see any break can that running wrong valve covers cause coolant to go into my engine? Should i really remove heads? Don’t want to remove heads if it’s just a vacuum leak. Any input? I need as much opinions as I can get. I’m working over time trying to figure out what route to go? Also the lower intake bolts were brand new when I installed them they came out rusty and looked like muddy milky substance

 

[Creomod]

I also believe this might be part of the problem I was running this bbk throttle spacer and I have the coolant lines plugged. How should I be running it?

 

[90sickfox]

The intake bolts should not come out rusty and milky. The throttle body os fine with the coolant lines plugged.

Does your car sit for extended periods. Both the valve and the milky sludge could be some weird condensation issue. That pic shows the egr ports. The ports themselves don't show signs of coolant.

Seems like you need to take that cylinder with the rusty valve and put it at bottom dead center. Then shoot some compressed air in the spark plug hole through a compression tester hose. If you hear air escaping past the valves you have an issue. If it pushes coolant out the radiator...or hissing from the oil fill then you have issues that need fixing.

Something else people miss is that a small amount of oil keeps the valves lubricated. If that valve isn't getting oil it can cause the valve to be rusty. Oil goes from the lifter, through the push rod, across the rocker, and to the valve stem seals and springs. If that lifter is bad it can cause the rest of the oil circuit to starve. Still doesn't explain the milky stuf.

 

[Creomod]

The intake bolts should not come out rusty and milky. The throttle body os fine with the coolant lines plugged.

Does your car sit for extended periods. Both the valve and the milky sludge could be some weird condensation issue. That pic shows the egr ports. The ports themselves don't show signs of coolant.

Seems like you need to take that cylinder with the rusty valve and put it at bottom dead center. Then shoot some compressed air in the spark plug hole through a compression tester hose. If you hear air escaping past the valves you have an issue. If it pushes coolant out the radiator...or hissing from the oil fill then you have issues that need fixing.

Something else people miss is that a small amount of oil keeps the valves lubricated. If that valve isn't getting oil it can cause the valve to be rusty. Oil goes from the lifter, through the push rod, across the rocker, and to the valve stem seals and springs. If that lifter is bad it can cause the rest of the oil circuit to starve. Still doesn't explain the milky stuf.

Doesn’t sit too long it’s a daily driver stock 302 get 40 3 bar I opened valve covers and oil looks good but that’s valve is alarming to me. I’ll do that small leak down as soon as I get out from work.

 

[Creomod]

ok the heads have 2 big ports where coolant goes 1 of the 4 doesn’t have rust the one on the passenger front side does that mean anything

 

[Creomod]

I see some rust along the side of the edge ports under the lower intake bolt holes how could I get rust on those bolts? Also header gasket very worn white brittle some places was thinly afr could’ve hurt my engine. Also my spark plugs are white mostly especially the long bar part. They look white corroded. So could a vacuum leak cause this? I also have some “sut” around the edge ports on the head to lower intake gaskets. I’ve pulled a couple engines and I haven’t seen that. I used a knife to “peel” it off . Anyone agree? By the way like the comment about bad lifter gonna swap that one out . Any input appreciated. I called engine shop and they were busy trying to sell me a 70s engine flat tapper

 

[Creomod]

The intake bolts should not come out rusty and milky. The throttle body os fine with the coolant lines plugged.

Does your car sit for extended periods. Both the valve and the milky sludge could be some weird condensation issue. That pic shows the egr ports. The ports themselves don't show signs of coolant.

Seems like you need to take that cylinder with the rusty valve and put it at bottom dead center. Then shoot some compressed air in the spark plug hole through a compression tester hose. If you hear air escaping past the valves you have an issue. If it pushes coolant out the radiator...or hissing from the oil fill then you have issues that need fixing.

Something else people miss is that a small amount of oil keeps the valves lubricated. If that valve isn't getting oil it can cause the valve to be rusty. Oil goes from the lifter, through the push rod, across the rocker, and to the valve stem seals and springs. If that lifter is bad it can cause the rest of the oil circuit to starve. Still doesn't explain the milky stuf.

And yes on second thought yes my car has sit for extended periods of time it sat for a few months but recently I started to drive it as a daily . I have no idea what to do

 

[Creomod]

Can a vacuum leak using wrong valve covers maybe not cause coolant to leak but if the lower intake gasket problem there could a vacuum leak pull a small coolant leak to where I get that little milky and rust on intake bolts?

 

[Creomod]

I I also hooked up cylinder to compressed air and listing to valve cover hole nothing as for the rad I had it already off. So just added water to thermostat housing and hooked up air no water trickeled out. I put my ear to the hose and I could hear air but I don’t think it was like air leaking sound it was the air from compressor but to me I couldn’t hear it hissing like a leak but then again I’m no expert