Leaky heads ?? Options

[TonyAKAVW]

I dropped my1.8L engine recently to try to take care of a bad oil leak I've had recently. In the process of removing things off the engine to find the leak, I discovered a black deposit at the seam of the head and each cylinder. Is this deposit something I should worry about? I'm not really planning on keeping this engine long term, but I'd like to know if its on the brink of disaster or whether this is okay.

[Mark Henry]

My first reaction would be yank them and freshen them up.
But if you are going to change the motor soon I might fix the oil leak, clean it up and stick it back in.

Does it pass a compression/leakdown test?
Take a large screwdriver and pry against the spring retainer (don't wreak anything) it should have almost no side to side movement. You have to deciede how long before your new engine is ready (be real) and do you want to chance it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

BTW I'm in the same boat and I do have my fingers and toes crossed. I don't want to spend much because I'm going bigger. If I was keeping the engine I would do it now. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)