LB7: Grit and grime under valve covers

[C.bowles2]

Hey guys whats the best way to deal with the grit and dirt that falls onto the head from pulling the valve covers? I blew it all off before i pulled them but stuff still fell down in there. Any tips? Doing lb7 injectors on this one so thats why i had the covers off. Im gonna change the oil but should i tell the customer to run this oil for a short time then change it again? Thanks

-chris




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[PureHybrid]

Pull the rockers and get a shop vac with a small hose. If dirt fell into the lifter bores you're kinda screwed, hope for the best.

 

[whitetrash21]

Pressure wash before pulling it apart

 

[OregonDMAX]

Pressure wash before pulling it apart

Water isn't the best idea, I used compressed air and got all the dirt out from around the valve covers.

 

[Burn Down]

Pressure wash before pulling it apart

This is what I do as well. Just did headgaskets and studs on my lly and not much of any dirt got in the engine when I pulled it apart. I take care not to power wash the ficm and ecms, never had an issue with water in the 12 years I have had my truck.

 

[whitetrash21]

This is what I do as well. Just did headgaskets and studs on my lly and not much of any dirt got in the engine when I pulled it apart. I take care not to power wash the ficm and ecms, never had an issue with water in the 12 years I have had my truck.

I do mine once a year....same way. Keeps the under-hood mostly clean of the real nasty shit

 

[SickLL7Crenshaw]

X2 on pressure washing before, let it dry, then use air. Plus once you get everything off the top of the valve covers you can clearly see if dirt is on top near the rubber gasket. Close off all openings and use air again. First lb7 job I was i did the same. Used shop vac to get all I could then poured oil to flush the rest down to the pan. Drained and refilled. 5 years later and 150k she still a rollin. As long as it's not a shitload that fell in there you'll be fine.

 

[C.bowles2]

Alright guys thanks for quick replies, it wasnt a whole lot but i just wanted to be thorough with this job. A lot that can go wrong and bite me in the ass lol It was just some small finer particles that i could see that stuck to the oil residue on the head. Most of it was from the lower valve cover where the gasket ended and the little bit of dirt/corrosion that didn't come off with compressed air, like it was baked on or something. Should be good now, shop vacced what i could then used an oil can pump to flush most of it. Thanks guys! I did merchants deluxe kit on this one and after installing all the injectors and return lines i realized their heavy duty return line banjo bolts were included. Duhhhh Oh well. I guess i lucked out because they all came out and torqued back in just fine without any type of striping of the allen head. I vacuum tested the return lines also and it held fine. Hopefully this truck wont be a mosquito repeller anymore now. Smoked white like crazy.




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[C.bowles2]

Wow these glow plugs on lb7's are a huge pain! I got them all out but one. I used merchants air hammer set up and ill say it works damn good. The one thats still in the head broke. The hex part twisted off with almost no pressure. Gonna try an extractor and see what happens.




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[Rancelot211]

Sounds like a party lol

 

[C.bowles2]

Sounds like a party lol

Haha your not kidding

Heres the one that broke off, i used a bolt extractor, the kind that a 3/8 ratchet can go on, and used that with a 3/8 air hammer bit. All while air hammering and turning at the same time.

Never had a problem with any other generation engine's glow plugs. Lb7's kinda suck!

 

[IOWA LLY]

Wow these glow plugs on lb7's are a huge pain! I got them all out but one. I used merchants air hammer set up and ill say it works damn good. The one thats still in the head broke. The hex part twisted off with almost no pressure. Gonna try an extractor and see what happens.




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What is this air hammer setup you speak of? I'm curious... Glow plugs are a huge pain!

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[C.bowles2]

What is this air hammer setup you speak of? I'm curious... Glow plugs are a huge pain!

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Its a smaller air hammer, with a 3/8 drive bit in it and a 12 mm socket that bottoms out on the glow plug (so it doesn't it the cylinder head) And for the broken one i used this 6mm extractor that i put on the air hammer bit and used that to smash it onto the broken glow plug, and kept hammering while turning it loose. See the air hammer bit has a hex section where a 3/4 wrench goes on and you can twist it loose while it hammers.

 

[IOWA LLY]

Ooooh. That is sweet! Gonna have to get me one of those!!

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[C.bowles2]

Ooooh. That is sweet! Gonna have to get me one of those!!

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Yea it worked great, saved me a lot of time. Merchant automotive sells the kit, $50 for the air hammer bit and socket or $60 with the air hammer, so you get an air hammer for ten bucks lol

 

[minerigger]

Damn that's a tool worth buying

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