Hello fellow MML'ers and DML'ers:
I'm going to pose this somewhat ignorant question to the group...(please
flame me privately) :-)
I bought a set of the cast aluminum valve covers for my '96 Dakota. I
had a local shop put them on, as it was a serious PITA to get the old
gasket material off the heads. The valve cover kit comes with two valve
covers, two gaskets, twenty screws, one oil fill cap, an oil baffle, and
some grommets (valve cover breather, PCV, etc.)
The layout of the valve covers is as follows (please forgive crude ASCII
art)
/--------------------------\
| _ Mopar |
| YY XX |
| Magnum |
\--------------------------/
Key: XX = non-slotted breather/PCV hole?
_
YY = slotted oil fill hole?
Now, here's the dilemma, with the valve covers on the truck, on the
driver's side, the slotted oil fill hole is towards the front of the
engine, and the breather hole is towards the rear of the engine (as it
should be)... However, on the passenger side the oil fill hole is towards
the rear of the engine, and the breather hole is towards the front of the
engine. This seems to be how they have to be, due to the fact that the
valve covers themselves are identical, there isn't a right or a left
side, per se (or is there?). Also, on the *passenger* side valve cover,
on the *rear* (slotted) hole, the oil baffle has been installed. My
question is, what is the purpose of the oil baffle? Is it to keep hot
oil from splashing up and into the PCV valve?? Is it supposed to be
under the oil fill hole for adding oil to the engine?? Which side should
it be on?? DUH! Can someone help explain this to me? Please feel free
to reply to me directly so as to minimize bandwidth waste on the list(s).
TIA.
Ciao!
Ned Vogler
(nvogler@rghosp.chime.org)
'96 Dakota SLT V8 5-sp 4x4 Club Cab
Gibson 3" Catback Exhaust/MPI FIPK-clone
MSD Ignition & MPI Super Street TBI soon!
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/9636/index.html
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