Poll

What do you think of these clear valve covers?

Those clear valve covers are cool!  You can see your high tech rockers, stands, and pushrods, tell the condition of the oil, and check for problems under the valve covers without unbolting anything!
93 (93.9%)
Those things suck!  I wouldn't be caught dead with those on my engine.  Throw 'em in the trash, along with the Popeil Pocket Fisherman, the Veg-a-matic, and the Ginsu steak knives!
1 (1%)
No opinion
5 (5.1%)

Total Members Voted: 90

Author Topic: Clear Valve Covers  (Read 51601 times)

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bartlett

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #30 on: May 05, 2013, 05:20:53 PM »
yea I thought more oil to ....are your heads restricted ?   p.s. I did see them leaking on the dyno pull... lol ...

jayb

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #31 on: May 05, 2013, 05:56:11 PM »
The heads have .070" Holley jets installed as restrictors, and unfortunately I see that you are right, the dyno pull does show a leak around one of the bolt holes, and it looks like also at the rear corner.  I think the rear corner might be the valve cover gasket; its pretty beat up.  But I obviously need a better seal around the bolt hole...
Jay Brown
- 1969 Mach 1, Drag Week 2005 Winner NA/BB, 511" FE (10.60s @ 129); Drag Week 2007 Runner-Up PA/BB, 490" Supercharged FE (9.35 @ 151)
- 1964 Ford Galaxie, Drag Week 2009 Winner Modified NA (9.50s @ 143), 585" SOHC
- 1969 Shelby Clone, Drag Week 2015 Winner Modified NA (Average 8.98 @ 149), 585" SOHC

   

rcodecj

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #32 on: May 05, 2013, 06:35:13 PM »

Great way to determine what size oil restricter to use in the heads.  8)

RJP

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #33 on: May 05, 2013, 06:43:09 PM »
I'd like to have just one clear valve cover....for checking drain efficiency of the head...Sure would beat slicing and diceing a good aluminum v/c just to monitor the oil flow and draining. Jay, are those covers on a sideoiler? I check oil flow on my s/o and found very little oil going to the heads, I think I asked you about this a few months ago.

jayb

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #34 on: May 05, 2013, 07:20:37 PM »
So, you want to borrow my valve cover LOL!  Sorry, not quite ready to let go yet.  The engine is a 428CJ, not a sideoiler.  The oil to the heads from a sideoiler block has to go through the grooves on the #2 and #4 cam journals, and this functions as a similar restriction to the Holley jets I dropped into the heads on this engine.  So I sideoiler shouldn't need restrictors, and should have a similar amount of oil up in the head as this engine.
Jay Brown
- 1969 Mach 1, Drag Week 2005 Winner NA/BB, 511" FE (10.60s @ 129); Drag Week 2007 Runner-Up PA/BB, 490" Supercharged FE (9.35 @ 151)
- 1964 Ford Galaxie, Drag Week 2009 Winner Modified NA (9.50s @ 143), 585" SOHC
- 1969 Shelby Clone, Drag Week 2015 Winner Modified NA (Average 8.98 @ 149), 585" SOHC

   

turbohunter

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #35 on: May 05, 2013, 07:54:40 PM »
Very cool Jay.
I've got a love hate thing going with the lights.
Also can't help but think of your 2008 vids on drag week and the SOHC rocker deal.
Wondering if......
Marc
'61 F100 292Y
'66 Mustang Injected 428
'66 Q code Country Squire wagon


corbins

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #36 on: May 05, 2013, 08:27:41 PM »
Very cool....I saw a set of clear ones on the Motown Missile pro stock in 70' at Suffolk dragway. Very neat !!

bartlett

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #37 on: May 05, 2013, 09:09:54 PM »
Yea Im the same way ..would love just a single cover for testing /valve/oiling/testing ect .... I dont think I would want them all the time, just for testing.  for a decent price Im a buyer ....

FOMOGO

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #38 on: May 05, 2013, 09:44:03 PM »
I kinda like them. Probably be a big hit at the car shows, and just fun see reactions whenever you pop the hood. Nice job Jay. Mike

sportyworty

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #39 on: May 05, 2013, 11:27:16 PM »
me likey A LOT!!

babybolt

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #40 on: May 06, 2013, 06:55:58 AM »
Do the LED's have a fast enough response time to use them as a stroboscope?

It the plastic transparent to one of those newfangled hand held laser temperature probes?

jayb

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #41 on: May 06, 2013, 08:33:40 AM »
Do the LED's have a fast enough response time to use them as a stroboscope?

It the plastic transparent to one of those newfangled hand held laser temperature probes?

You're reading my mind, Doug, and in fact I'm working on a strobe circuit for this setup right now.  The LED's will be fast enough, but I don't know if their lighting is sufficient to really allow you to "see" the valvetrain slowing down or stopping when the strobe is turned on.

On the IR temperature probe, no reason why it wouldn't work that I can think of, since infra-red light should pass through the Lexan.  But I haven't tried it...
Jay Brown
- 1969 Mach 1, Drag Week 2005 Winner NA/BB, 511" FE (10.60s @ 129); Drag Week 2007 Runner-Up PA/BB, 490" Supercharged FE (9.35 @ 151)
- 1964 Ford Galaxie, Drag Week 2009 Winner Modified NA (9.50s @ 143), 585" SOHC
- 1969 Shelby Clone, Drag Week 2015 Winner Modified NA (Average 8.98 @ 149), 585" SOHC

   

cammerfe

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #42 on: July 27, 2013, 12:14:15 PM »
At one time or another I must have stated here that you've obviously found a way to get at least 28 hours out of each day! What you've done is up to your usual standard---stratospherically high. I, too, think that a pent-roof is the ultimate!

KS

Chad D

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #43 on: August 25, 2013, 06:59:35 PM »
Progress report?  Is the Lexan surviving?

jayb

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Re: Clear Valve Covers
« Reply #44 on: August 25, 2013, 08:41:55 PM »
I've only had it on the dyno so far, I'm still waiting for a Quicktime bellhousing before I can put this motor into the car.  They're telling me now early September, so maybe I'll have the car running in October, but I've missed the heat of the summer, so it will probably have to wait until next year before I can really give them the acid test.  For what it's worth, when I broke the new cam in on the engine a few weeks ago the oil temp was up to 230 for at least 20 minutes, with the engine running at 2000-2500 RPM.  This didn't affect the covers at all; they are still nice and clear.
Jay Brown
- 1969 Mach 1, Drag Week 2005 Winner NA/BB, 511" FE (10.60s @ 129); Drag Week 2007 Runner-Up PA/BB, 490" Supercharged FE (9.35 @ 151)
- 1964 Ford Galaxie, Drag Week 2009 Winner Modified NA (9.50s @ 143), 585" SOHC
- 1969 Shelby Clone, Drag Week 2015 Winner Modified NA (Average 8.98 @ 149), 585" SOHC