318 Q & A's

[Norse]

Mostly questions & looking for answers.

Background; 1981 318 (Imperial), low miles (under 80k, but not exactly known), sat for at least a decade, FI long removed, currently running a Direct Connection/Mopar electronic distributor and Edelbrock 650 carb.
Had a 750 Holley on it at one point.
Stock exhaust (though that will be going away soon).
All emissions removed.
Runs great.

While replacing the valve cover gaskets I noticed the passenger side has some baked on oil on the rockers, under the valve cover and the push rods (the driver side was clean comparatively).
I've pulled the rocker arm shaft and going to clean it and the push rods.

Other than doing an oil/filter change, running it for (about) 1000 miles, then doing a change again, is there anything I can/should add to the oil to help "clean out" any build up?
(Marvel's Mystery Oil, etc...)
Is this normal for 318's? (I've only ever owned BB Mopars before this)
TIA

 

[AJ/FormS]

Somebody probably already did the other side for you,lol.

Don't forget to re-orient the rocker shaft correctly and return all parts to where you found them, especially the rocker arms!

 

[Master M]

Marvel Oil is a good choice in the crank case, use it regularly. Use it also in the fuel tank.
I rebuilt a carb 19 years ago in a car that does more sitting than going.
I have used ethanol gas, and Marvel in the fuel and have not yet had to take the carb apart. It starts up and still runs excellent.

 

[BudW]

I can’t give good methods of cleaning out sludge (haven’t needed to do so, except after catastrophic failures). The only thing I worry about is getting a thick glob of sludge caught in the oil pickup tube causing additional problems, after cleaning.
BudW.

 

[Aspen500]

There are times when leaving the sludge alone, provided it isn't 1/2" thick or something, is almost better than trying to clean it out without the engine disassembled. I mean, cleaning the rockers and pushrods with them off the engine is fine but trying to desludge the valley or rocker area of the heads by flushing it to the pan can, as Bud said, end up as goo in the bottom of the pan that won't drain out, and get sucked into the oil pickup or block it completely.

 

[Oldiron440]

I'd pull the pan if the block is that back because when you start gleaning your not going to be able to keep the junk out of the pan. And if the motor good at all by the time you run all the trash you've gotten loose through the motor wit won't be.