I've been a member for a few years now reading and learning from experts and guys who try hard and want to share. I just finished the dreaded SAI clean up (with much success - whoo hoo!!!) and noticed some seeping oil on the valve cover, so I'm doing that too. Thanks to all those who have gone before and taken the time to teach the rest of us.

While cleaning up the engine case (ok I wanted it pretty and not just functional) I saw some things that puzzled me. I think I'm seeing some cracks in the case, but something tells me these are not truly cracks. Has anyone else seen this while doing some cleanup?

This one is a 98 C2 with just under 60k miles.

BTW any product recommendations for final cleaning of the sealing surface face before I install the cover and new gasket?

Final comment for those of you who will doeither the valve cover or the SAI Be patient with the SAI and just keep going and for the valve cover, - very easy to do if you have the heater hose off and the exhaust manifold down

 

Its perfectly normal - not sure how they are created, but they are just on the surface.

I wipe down the sealing surfaces with brake cleaner and if I really want to be **** isopropyl alcohol. I also lubricate the rubber gaskets with Down Corning 111 - it keeps the rubber more supple and I have had very few leaks over the years.

Cheers,

Mike

 

The casting marks are normal.

If you're already in there, I'd suggest doing all valve cover gaskets. Numerous owners have reported replacing the lowers only to see leakage again. From the uppers...


Andreas

 

Those are minor casting defects. The metal on the surface cools faster than the core (lots of reasons for this) and results in slight surface irregularities. The oil that seeped into the pitted areas just highlights them. If someone spent some time with a buffing wheel, most would dissappear entirely. As Mike said, they are just on the surface.

Cheers,
Dave

 

Thanks for the update guys, puts a minor concern to bed, maybe answers a question for someone else down the road.

I'm going to think about the upper, need to do the search to see if its been written up before. It's hot (really really hot) here in Houston, so I do maintenance in the summer and drive it fall, winter and spring. So, next up is the distributor caps, rotors and belt, then on to bleeding the brakes. Next summer we get to shed the SUV look.