Bringing to Malibu home today.

[anakputa]

Have you inspected the valve covers on the inside? It looks like the valvetrain is hitting it..the rocker arm studs are not pulled out? (pressed in or screwed in?) thats the first time I ever seen the valve covers with a heartbeat.. 😱

 

[drogg1]

Pretty darn sure its a a dual plane but not sure as to what brand. An RPM AirGap is about the best dual plane out there but I'm not sure you'd see a significant enough difference to warrant changing yours out. Sounds alright even with that very suspect looking valve cover.

 

[Phoenyx]

Have you inspected the valve covers on the inside? It looks like the valvetrain is hitting it..the rocker arm studs are not pulled out? (pressed in or screwed in?) thats the first time I ever seen the valve covers with a heartbeat.. 😱

No, but I'll be pulling them off tomorrow. I've been looking all over the net for others with this problem, and it's hard to find. But every other I have found were people running aluminum valve covers and it was nothing more than a clearance issue between the covers and rockers. I'm hoping that's all I have here. There isn't much noise, so I hope it's nothing like the studs come out. Or anything else that could cause damage.

 

[1979ratrod]

your malibu sounds nasty! nasty as in good haha

 

[Highwood Malibu]

Good to see her going. Knew things would turn up one way or another.

 

[Bonnewagon]

It sounds tough! I'm glad you hung in there.

 

[Phoenyx]

Well was to cold and didn't really have a chance to do anything to it today. Gonna try tomorrow.

Also gonna go and see if I can pick up a cheap stud kit for the valve covers. Also (maybe?) those tab things that distribute the pressure around the bolt holes (ya know what I mean?)

When I install them, do I put any silicone on? They are el cheapo chrome covers, but I'm gonna use a set of those Fel-Pro rubber gaskets. And I have no experience with those, only used cork in the past.

Also probably gonna pick up a cheap set of gauges like this:

Because all the car has is the factory speedo and gas gauge, plus the tach I added.

And how hard is it to install a block heater with the engine in the car (no existing heater, so a frost plug will have to be pulled)? If it's a lot of work, winter's almost over and I'll leave it.

 

[drogg1]

Those tabs really do the trick. You wouldn't think they would make a difference but they do work. Also, a stud kit makes it a lot simpler too. Position the cover and gaskets, etc. No, you don't need any RTV even with the Rubber gaskets. If you're covers are really warped and you can't get them to seal even with the "tabs", then yes you can use RTV but its no required. For example, my buddy runs rubber gaskets on his mod motor and he takes those off every day multiple times a day and they seal with no RTV. They are pretty heavy duty covers so they are less prone to warping also.

 

[Phoenyx]

Good, that's what I was hoping with the gasket.

 

[79loserbluebu]

Good to see you are keeping the car. For that hood bolt, Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. all sell fender bolts that were also the same exact size as the hood hinge bolts. They are like $1.50 each.