I feel dumb asking this but my car is running within temp range but the valve covers get burning hot to the touch after driving the car only for 10 min or so. Is this abnormal, and if so what are some causes of it? I was thinking it might be a exhaust valve problem or something since the head were getting so hot. Usually coated valve covers don't get so hot..

 

i would say almost anything in the engine bay should not be comfortable to the touch after running it for 10 minutes..........

if you are really that concerned about it, i would take it somewhere....generally, things in the engine bay get hot, and metal things directly connected via metal to the combustion chamber get REALLY hot.. but thats just NORMALLY :P

 

Yeah i just don't recall them getting that hot and they don't get that hot on all my small blocks. Of course those are thin valve covers and probably dissipate heat better...