After my trip to the HAMB drags I decided to pull the motor from my car. I'm so frustrated with it (oil pressure and strange noises that are probably related) I'm convinced if I keep driving it it will most likely reach the point of catastrophic failure wasting a good block and Merc crank. First order of business was to get a junker running to swap in while I rebuild the Mercury. Pulled the intake on my temporary motor, hosed the valley down with oil and turned it over a few times. Some valves weren't moving. Took a closer look and I saw a valve that had completely punched thrugh the top of a lifter. Stuck closed. Surely I didn't do this by forcing the motor to turn over? (it wasn't that hard) Several more were stuck open. A few taps with a hammer handle had some of the valves moving - some were stuck solid. Right now I'm torn between trying to scab some valve parts from an earlier motor and throwing this together as a temp, or just starting down the road of disassembly and complete rebuild on my "spare". I think I need some exchange information concerning earlier (48) and late valve parts.
Did you happen to use repop adjustable lifters? Lots of those were going around that were waaay soft.
I have three words for you my friend: small block Chevy. Seriously, sorry to hear about your troubles. JH
I have three words for ya. A runing flathead for $300 . Ok four words and a very reasonable price, just because I like your car. later, jeff
hey mate, in all my travels ive never heard of this happening except in the case of poorly made adjustables. too soft from what ive heard. had someone hammered the valve closed in a past life do you think and pushed it through? danny
Actually I did this same thing to a lifter in my '52 truck. The engine was stuck when i got it, I applied all the juice I thought it needed to unstick it, but I wasn't patient enough. I put it in high gear and started to push against it with my Ford tractor, rocking it a little at a time. It eventually broke free and stuffed a valve through a lifter as you discribe.. Not kool.
Grim ,hollow stock lifter right? I can see this happening,probally valve stuck worst then you thought.I have parts for you if you can't get them local.Welcolme to the wonderfull world of flatheads.
Yes, it happened in the old days drag racing. My pal kept a second set of adjustables to replace the busted ones.
You can all keep your Chevies (for now) and your frog sucking crate motors. Looks like I did this to myself huh? PM sent.
Yes I have done this with a half inch drive braker bar on a stuck 8ba.I was happy to see it was just a lifter as i thought it had a bad cam lobe.
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