valve guide seals going bad?
 

The car'slower intake manifold gasket started leaking coolant into the oil and when I got the manifold off, I saw this

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u.../manifold1.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u.../manifold2.jpg


The passage in the lower picis chock full of this oily gunk and the upper manifold under the plenum has a lot of oil in it as well, which appears to be connected. I read somewhere that this may indicate a need to replace the valve guide seals. Is this correct? The car is running well otherwise.

RE: valve guide seals going bad?
 

Leaking valve seals and/or loose guides shouldn't cause the whole runner to get built up with carbon like that, but I guess it is possible... A better indication would be the buildup on the back of the valve, but the only real way to take a look at this would be to pull the heads and if you were going to go that far, you might as well get them refurbished anyhow.

RE: valve guide seals going bad?
 

Could it be leaky valves or bad rings instead? Or, if it's running well could it just be cleaned up?

I had a problem with the fuel pressure regulator goingouta while back where it was getting horrible gas mileage - and I know the previous owner was running low quality gas through it for quite a while. Do you think these could have had an effect on it or caused it?

Would a leak down test be worthwhile? I'd like to avoid pulling the heads unless it's really necessaryof course.