WTB: Drivers TTA/3.0L valve cover

[1 quik6]

I'd really like to put a second valve cover breather on. I contacted my local junk yard and they have nothing. They gave me a list of phone numbers to other yards that did have them. Most had 3.8L 4 bolt valve cover but one had the correct 3.0L listed for $15!!! Unfortunately the number I was given was incorrect :-( I call my local yard for the correct number or the yards name but they said too bad. Sucks not having a decent local junk yard for older cars.

Anyways, Does anybody have a valve cover they'd be willing to sell me? I saw philthy from TTA.com had a nice set of powder coated covers with gaskets for $150 (probably a good deal for what they are) but I just don't need all of that. I plan to grind and polish it anyways. I'd be willing to spend around $50 - that sounds reasonable for just one cover right?

Thanks,

Eric

 

[Gus_Mahn]

I'm hitting three pick and pulls this weekend. What's the original application and years I'll find a 3.0L in? I'll try to find one for me and one for you? Aren't the heads also desirable? If so, which ones?

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

I picked up a few from a 86 lesabre. VERY easy to spot out, they are the ones with the center bolts holding the valve covers on.

The covers are on 2 and 4 door cars, mostly buicks...

If you guys dont find any, id probably let mine go, there were alot of them last summer before going to the scrapper

BW

 

[1 quik6]

Gus-Mahn: I don't know that the heads are really worth that much anymore. Last year that guy found a whole wearhouse of new heads that were pretty much new castings and sold them for dirt cheap. For new they were something like $135 so the old used ones really aren't anything that special, imho. It seems the valve covers are almost more rare.

As Quick6'n'-K.C. said, once you go junk yarding, you'll easily be able to notice it. The 3.8L valve covers have 2 bolts on top and 2 bolts on bottom. The 4.3L V6 have 3 bolts down the center but they are exactly the same distance from each other where ours are different distances. If you want I can email you a picture (I tried to post but pic was too large). I noticed that your in Chicagoland. Do you think we should be concerned about the aluminum being pitted from the nothern climate on an old Oldsmobile? I plans to sand down and polish the cover, I don't know how deep that pitting would go and if it would screw up my polishing process???? I honestly don't know if it matters or not??

Quick6'n'-K.C.: If you've got extra's that you're willing to get rid of I'd be grateful. I think Gus-Mahn is being very generous by offering his time to find me a valve cover (Thankyou Gus-Mahn). Let us know what you've got and what you'd need to get for them.

Thanks to both of you,

Eric

 

[Gus_Mahn]

I noticed that your in Chicagoland. Do you think we should be concerned about the aluminum being pitted from the nothern climate on an old Oldsmobile? I plans to sand down and polish the cover, I don't know how deep that pitting would go and if it would screw up my polishing process???? I honestly don't know if it matters or not??

I don't think it will matter. It's on top of the engine and likely gets a little oil poured on it from time to time, not to mention leaks. Castings don't always polish up perfect. I know fellows who have polished polished up new GTO 18" wheels, and some wheels have small blemishes from the casting process that show up after stripping the paint and polishing. Nothing major, but it would bother a perfectionist. I'll probably throw my valve covers into a vibratory polisher at my old job to get more of an OE look.

 

[1 quik6]

Gus-Mahn - it looks like I'm getting one from Quick6'n'-K.C. - Thankyou so much for the offer though. I'm sure if you find multiple there may be other board members that would love to buy them from you.

As far as polishing, I did polish my origional drivers side and it turned out really nice. The edges are incredibly rough on the bottom side but I don't think those will really show up that much.

Thanks again to both of you guys,

Eric

 

[Gus_Mahn]

I got one. It was on a 1986 ish Delta 88 with a 3.8. It has a hole on one end for the crankcase vent tube. Is this the same one as on the 3.0's? It has the non symmetrical center bolts. It was a little salty at $20. It was the only one in the whole yard, but I was able to score the other 2 things on my list

 

[1 quik6]

Yeah, it sounds like the right one. Good thing you weren't trying to find one for me too...I'd have been pretty disappointed that there was only one.

 

[Jan Larsson]

There's two versions of the driver side VC. One with the hole for the vent tube like on the TTA (long side of the VC) and another version with that hole on the short side (would face the firewall on the TTA) ...

The passenger side VC is all the same.

Used to be easy to find these but the TTA version (vent hole in right place) is getting pretty hard to find, last time I went hunting for a set (about a year ago) it took me 5 yards to find 2 of them ...

I got photos somewhere of both versions in the donor cars so can post them if that would help anyone.

And the our driver side one is a lot of work to get out of the donor cars as they are facing the firewall in those FWD's and the coil pack and other junk is in the way before you can get them off.....

 

[1 quik6]

I really didn't think that hole mattered because as a passenger cover it would be blocked off anyway, right?

Jan, wouldn't our drivers side cover be the same as the front of a FWD? It always seems to me that the oil is put in from the front of the engine not leaning over it.

 

[Gus_Mahn]

There's two versions of the driver side VC. One with the hole for the vent tube like on the TTA (long side of the VC) and another version with that hole on the short side (would face the firewall on the TTA) ...

The passenger side VC is all the same.

Used to be easy to find these but the TTA version (vent hole in right place) is getting pretty hard to find, last time I went hunting for a set (about a year ago) it took me 5 yards to find 2 of them ...

I got photos somewhere of both versions in the donor cars so can post them if that would help anyone.

....

Pictures are always good. Thanks

 

[Jan Larsson]

I really didn't think that hole mattered because as a passenger cover it would be blocked off anyway, right?

Jan, wouldn't our drivers side cover be the same as the front of a FWD? It always seems to me that the oil is put in from the front of the engine not leaning over it.

Yep the FWD "front" cover (with the oil fill cap) is our driver side one ... just there's two different versions used on the FWD as I pointed out in my post above.

If you use a VC with the oil fill on the passanger side as well then the vent hole would not matter and you plan to block it off.

If you like me just needed a spare to powder coat or polish then you would probabrly like to track donw the correct style one.

 

[Jan Larsson]

First photos of a SKylark with the correct VC's and the one with the oil fil on it also got the vent hole in the correct location. These VCs have the same identical partnumbers casted into them (on the inside) as our TTA covers.

Also grab the washers and acorn nuts as they been discontinued from GM ... find one that is really oily and the nuts/washers will clean up as new.

The VC studs/bolts are also useful specially if you plan to run roller rockers as they would need to be modified slightly.

And the bracket holding the EGR valve in place is the same as on our TTAs same goes for the small bracket holding the thermostat housing in place

 

[Jan Larsson]

Second set is of the other version with the vent hole on the short side as you can clearly see from the pictures. The part number casted into this on is different from the TTA one. The passanger side (so the one closest to the firewall in the FWD) is the same identical (casted part number) as the TTA one.

As you can see the front one is easy to get removed the rear one takes a bit more work and more tools.

And did I mention the metal heat shields on the plug wires are the same as originally on the TTA as well

And I can't remember what car this is ... sorry

 

[Lee Thompson]

Vc

I'm working on a TTA and will have some extra VCs in a few days. If anyone is still looking for some I will post up some pics.

 

[Lee Thompson]

Pics

Here is some that I have hot tanked and bead blasted. I have more.
1 with hole in end---$60 shipped
1 factory TTA----$60 shipped
1 factory TTA ---with baffle milled out to clear roller rockers---$75 shipped