I also just installed a Clifford cover, and found that after about 40 miles of driving I had about a cup of oil water mixture in the Air cleaner, what is this, and why is it happening?

 

What's happening is the baffle design in the Clifford is no good. If you look inside the cover there is a small box like cover with a hole
in each corner under the to holes for the PCV hoses. In the stock cover the baffles are under the PCV hose holes, but they also curve
down the side and have a small hole only near the bottom on the left side. This makes it very hard for the oil splashing up from the
pushrods on the left side of the head from getting into the baffles. Pull one of your hose fittings out of the Clifford and you will probably
find that the baffle is full of oil. That's the problem.

Gary

 

I was looking through some of the old post and ran across this web site.
http://monsterslayer.com/jeep/40Head/40Head.htm
In this article about doing a head conversions it states that the 86' 258 head had the same bolt patern as the 4.0L engine. Since
you have both valve covers and probably a couple of gaskets in the trash you can just match them up to see if the holes all line up.
By the way this web site is top rate. I suggest everyone explores it, as it has a wealth of information.
Good Luck,
Ethan

 

Is there a solution to this other then replacing the whole motor>
I have spent quite a bit of money and time for this valve cover and now the rocker arms rub the sides when it is cold outside, and I have half my fluids in the air cleaner housing. Give me another option for valve covers other then plastic or a possible fix for this cover is there is one please.

 

I have an 87 wrangler with the 258 and was told that the only valve cover that will work is the plastic ones. The aluminum ones all suck oil like crazy. Fortunatly, the plastic in the newer valve covers, while still plastic (yuk), is a lot better quality than in years past.

MudFlap 87 YJ POS!!

 

If you like engine fires, plastic is the way to go. I use 4WDH aluminum covers on 2 motors and have no problems. I also use a Mr. Gasket breather cap, with a 3/4 inch tube,in the back hole instead of routing it to the carb. I don't believe a late model aluminum cover will fit. My buddy has an 89 258 with the aluminum cover and the bolt holes are way different. CTjeepnut

 

I know that the bolt holes that hold the cover to the head are the same on the Clifford and the stock 95 plastic cover. What I have
noticed is that the stock 95 cover is not as tall as the stock 86 or Clifford cover, therefor what I need to know is, is the stock 95
cover tall enough?

Gary

 

From what I have been told the reason that the Clifford and 4WDH valve covers are taller is so that you can have extra room for a
roller-rockers. You should be able to check by taking off you current cover, and placing the 95' cover on will a gasket. (don't tighten
the bolts yet) Turn the engine over by hand and look to see if the cover moves. If the contact is minimal you might only hear a tap.
If the contact is minimal you may be able to fix it by using two gaskets to raise the cover.
Make sure that if you do do this have some one listen for contact after you start the engine. There is often some extra movement in
the rockers once things get moving.
Good Luck,
Ethan

 

I will not go back to plastic after having this cast Clifford cover on. There is a noticable difference in power, after the engine has warmed up. In order to mount this Clifford I had to drill and tap new holes on the right side of the head. I am concerned that when it is very cold I can hear the rocker arms rub the cover, again, until the engine is warm, and now there is oil blowing in to the air cleaner cover. Does this happen with the 4 wheel drive hardware cover as they look very similar. With that Mr. Gasket breather does that just sit in the back hole of the cover. Please if you have any info on this, help me out. This minor upgrade is becoming a pain in the a$$!

Thanks
CJ More

 

i keep telling evryone this... get an old steel cover off a gremlin or some other AMC car witha straight 6/.. you drill one new hole and presto.....all your problems are solved...

 

Will a metal valve cover off of a CJ work? or are the bolt patterns different??

Thanks

Kevin Speicher
President
New England 4x4 Club
http://www.ne4x4.com
79 Jeep CJ-7

 

the bolt one the very front and very back are bigger on some CJ's... in about 82 they changed the head for the 258 a bit, but it is nothing a drill won't cure

 

I just looked at three valve covers that I happen to have, an OEM metal from my original '80 Jeep 258,
the OEM plastic from the '83 258 that I replaced the original engine with and the Clifford that I used on
the '83. The "80 and the '83 valve covers are no where near the same. The '83 is straight on the right or
spark plug side the '80 is not, it has several insets at the gasket flange. I cannot see them being
interchangable at all. None are on engines so I got a good look at them.

 

Aluminum covres are quieter and they don't leak, but I know they won't produce more power. My 4WDH covers have no problem with rocker clearance, and it's kind of hard to believe that a reputable company like Clifford would produce a cover that has clearance problems. Could it be that it takes a while for tired lifters to pump up ? As for oil in the air cleaner , its only blowby, don't worry about it. The breather cap plugs right into the same rubber grommet that you used before. I know that a metal cover from a 79 will not replace my plastic cover, the bolt holes are the same but the covers are shaped different on the passenger side.

CTjeepnut

 

CTjeepNut,
When you say blow by, I'm ok with that, but in 40 miles I'm talking about 1/2 a cup of oil....That's beyond blow by! So this Mr. Gasket set up will eliminate this oil problem, or are we talking about I am going to have to replace it, in 40 miles?

 

I did an engine swap into my 85 CJ out of an 88 eagle.
It has an alum. valve cover and works great.
Both it and the plastic would interchange no problem.... thats why
I kept a spare (plastic).
Both are kind of tough to come by in Oh. and I sell used parts for
a living.

85'CJ7 258 4" runnin33's

 

CTjeepnut

It's not the lifter pump up, there are scrape marks on the inside where the valve spring keeper caps hit
the cover. ...and so who says Clifford is a reputable company. My cover was sent back to them and
they relieved the spots they found and shipped it back. No sorry for the inconvenience or anything.

 

Iv'e only used 4WDH covers, so from your experience I'll never use a Clifford. 1/2 cup of oil in 40 miles is excessive, maybe like someone said it's the way the baffles are built. You can try putting a breather cap on and see if it stops the oil loss, as just a breather will not be sucking oil out. Make sure your PCV system is functioning properly . CTjeepnut

 

I too put the breather cap in the back valve cover hole and disconnected the hose to the air cleaner. I used a K&N filter that fit right in the valve cover grommet. No oil in the air cleaner for over 100,000 miles now.

 

If you are having 1/2 cups of oil in your breather in only 40 miles you may be having other problems. Before my 83' I-6 258 died I had
a lot of oil in my breather, and it turned out to be a crack in one of my cylinder bores. After a while my oil would get milky and
would have bubbles in it. It might be worth going over the engine to check for other causes than the valve cover.
Good Luck,
Ethan

 

Hi all
Where do you get either the "Mr Gasket or K&N" breathers from I don't recall ever seeing one or was not paying attention.I am trying to put off a rebuild or remanufactured engine.My engine is running fine and strong except for the blow by ,and I do have a 1980 with the steel valve cover.they say it is probably rings.
Thanks

Learn to let go of what does not serve you ,but forces you to serve it

 

I put a Clifford on my 85 and have no oil problems at all, I feel like im missing somethun....

 

I installed the two K&N's in both my CJ's about 10 years ago and the filters were listed in the K&N catalog. My old catalog is very outdated but you should be able to pick up a new one. These filters are a small cylinder, about 2" diameter by 2" long and have a stainless steel post; I think the diameter is either 1/2" or 3/4" to fit right into the valve cover grommet. Replace the grommet too as it oxidizes and crumbles pieces of rubber into the valves.

 

I replaced my stupid plasic cover with the Aluminum cover from 4WD (looks very similar to the Clifford). Not a single ounce of trouble. LOVE IT!