SHOULD I BE CONCERNED Rocker Arms

[dbextreme]

About two months ago my engine caught fire (top of it). I have been gathering pieces and am taking off all the burnt stuff and replacing with good stuff. I was in the process of replacing the valve covers and noticed this. This is a pic of my rear head, please see the middle cyl rockers. Looks like the middle cyl is heating up more then the outer ones. The front head doesn't have this problem. I did plug the LIM coolant holes about 6-7 months ago, but don't see that causing the off color. Opinions would be appreciated.

[Elite6]

In the end I bet swapping motors would be better rather than screwing with that one IMO. Who knows what the hell that heat has done to the block or LIM? Did all your wiring melt?

[dbextreme]

The fire didn't burn long.. Acutally not even long enough to damage the paint on the hood. I figured if the heat was that bad then the hook would have paint damage before anything other metal. As for what burnt on the motor, all the wiring over the UIM melted, fuel lines melted, and a little of the UIM melted. The front three injectors had the plugs melted to them, but the back three (ones right at the back head) were untouched. You can see the O2 sensor plug in the pic and it's fine. No fire heat affected the back of the motor so this was a prior issue I think. Here's a look of the damage, I didn't think it was that bad...

[FordMan77]

I wouldn't go so far as to replace the entire motor, unless of course you have the cash laying around.

And no, not all his wiring got melted as I can see it in the pic above. At least the back half of the harness that is. And the block is iron so I doubt that is bad. LIM *could* get damaged but that would have to be a pretty hot fire since it lives in 200*+ temps minimum under the hood normally. I would think the whole car would have to go up to get near that hot.

I wouldn't worry about the off color rockers. Mine looked like that and it runs fine. Just nature of the beast I guess. In fact the outer 2 cylinders look dirtier to me in that pic. I always thought they should be a gold/brown color and not black.

[CrazyGuy03]

Lack of oil , faulty lifters, oil build up...

[dbextreme]

I looked for lack of oil or blackages but nothing that was sticking out. There was still oil puddled in the tip of the rockers above the spring on both arms (all 6 actually). I know it got VERY hot several times when I drove it home before I did the LIM gaskets 6-7 months ago (I refused to park it, it had to get me home so I just pulled over 3 times and topped off the collant and drove on) and wonder if it's residual from that? I didn't pull the valve covers off when I did the LIM.. Should have.

[indygrandprix]

Mine are all the brownish color except the two on the drivers side are more so the black/grey color. I'd say your good. Sorry to see your engine caught on fire there. Thoes damn valve cover gaskets i tell ya

[dbextreme]

IKR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I appreciate it.

[indygrandprix]

Even tho you are obviously going to have to put new valve cover gaskets on you may want to remove the heat sheild from the front manifold. I replaced my valve cover gaskets on my engine not realizing i needed to get new gromets for the bolts and so it started leaking again a week later and my engine caught fire a tiny bit. Luckily i had a water bottle and put it out and it just melted the bottom of the engine cover a bit. So when i got home i removed the front manifold heat sheild and ran it that way for a few months till it warmed up and i replaced the valve cover gaskets again and also the grommets this time. But once i removed the heat sheild it never smelled like burning oil again and never smoked or caught fire. Someone else may have input on this but i think it's a good idea.....

[dbextreme]

I was debating on doing that. I need to remove the heat shield to clean all the fire debris out from between it and the manifold, I just won't put it back on. LOL

I finally found a harness yesterday and will call the salvage yard tomorrow and get it on it's way to me so HOPEFULLY next weekend I can get it back on the road. After this, I will always carry a fire extinguisher in the car. I do remember that burnt oil smell, my Firebird has it to. The front of the intake is leaking and/or either the waterpump or opti seal is leaking. Gotta tear it down the weekend after I get the GP back on the road.

Thanks for the info!!

[BillBoost37]

It's normal for your middle cylinders to run a little warmer. Intense would skew for it in the fuel injectors in their tunes. Although those are definately different.

[dbextreme]

Just a tad different huhh... LOL

[BillBoost37]

Well...your rockers in general are also looking like you should do more frequent oil changes.

[dbextreme]

And I will agree with that 100%. I neglected her for about a year and not doing routine maintenance like I should...

After I get it running, (harness should be here Friday) I'll seafoam it and get back on track. Hopefully the seafoam will help a bit. I'll do a can in my oil and through the vacuum line off the brake booster. Go from there..

[dbextreme]

Got the car running finally!!!! After 2 hours in the rain today because it wasn't going to stop me, I was so close, I fire it up.. Fuel lines are a bit unethical I guess, but they are working for now. I could NOT find a 90 deg 5/16's fuel line so I had to get a straight one. I'll heat it up a little with the heat gun and see if it will settle some, if not I'll zip tie it down and over time it should form the right contour. And for the record those stupid spured fittings that "slide" into the nylon lines, HA.. I tried everything and couldn't get it to work so I got the fittings you see in the video instead. The seem to work great. I'll button things up tomorrow and go for a test drive. :-)



^^^ CLICK FOR VIDEO

If all goes well tomorrow I'll wash it, (needs it bad inside and out) put my tinted tails on, and show off the debadging my buddy did for me cause he got bored.. LOL