slant six help/ question.

Hey guys, I'm working on my wifes 64 Valient. It has a 225 slant six motor in it. The question i have is this. The car was starting to knock like it had a loose valve set up(you know tick, tick, tick,..) I planned on adjusting the valves come the week end but never made it. While at a stoplight the tick tick sound started going knock, knock, knock, stall. I turned the car off and hade it towed home.
I took the valve cover off and the #4 exhaust pushrod was loose (not connected to the rocker arm) I pulled the push rod out and its all bent. The question is should i put in a new pushrod adjust the valves and see if it runs or should i pull the head and see if there is any damage to the cylinder and piston. The motor has about 70,000 miles on it. There was no water in the oil, the oil level was good and all the plugs looks good (running alittle rich) and the rocker arm adjustement bolt was backed out most of the way.
Let me know what you think. Gregg

 

The backed off adjustment bolt could have caused the bent push rod. I've had them bend on non adj. hyd lifter set ups ( on another type engine), dropped in a new push rod & fired up with no problems. It's easy to try vs pulling the head.

 

Hey,

I had this on my '61 Plymouth poly motor. Since there's no oil /water
issues, I'd pull the plugs and spin the motor over, maybe even run a
compression check. If this reveals nothin' buy a push rod and try it.
Check as to why the adjuster came loose to begin with.

Swankey Devils C.C.

 

Thanks for the help so far guys! -Gregg

 

Been there, done that. Put in the new (straight) push rod, adjust the valves and drive it another 100,000 miles.

I worked at a service station way back and some guy came in for an oil change with an old Dodge van with a 225. Had the tapping lifters. Pulled the drain plug and NOTHING came out! Even stuck a screw driver in to be sure there wasn't a bunch of crap blocking the hole, nope NO oil! Put the plug back in, changed the oil filter and filled it up with oil and the guy drove it for years after that. Those slant 6's are tough.
Gene

 

Throw the push rod in, adjust the lifters and go. Look at it this way, if you wreck something you're gonna just pull the head anyway. Take a chance and save some work. (or not, what the hell do I know? I looking at a Mitsubushi in another window...)

 

I would just put a push rod in it. I had two slant six's with bent pushrods before and did the same thing without any issues.

 

While you have the rocker box off,

Check the rocker involved for thread slop at the adjusting screw. They're stamped units and cab be squeezed (gently) tighter if needed, for a temporary fix.

Also, probably not your issue but if you adjust'em static, run'er for a moment prior to re-boxing and visually check for oiling weepage, you want some. A dry rocker as well as a sticking valve can "float" 'til the pushrod hops.

 

Thanks again guys. I'm going to replace the pushrod, adjust the valves and see what happens...... Now i need to find a straight pushrod, wish me luck. -Gregg

 

Might be supprised what you can find at Auto Zone! Not my most fave parts place, but when we found bent push rods in my son's 360, the Zone had them on the shelf.
Gene