Thread: 235 I6 stuck lifter

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I have to move my '51 Chevy from 1 of our tent garages to another, so my dad can put his truck in the 1 my car is in. 2 days ago I put the charger on it ( dead batt, sat since august ) and hooked up my soda bottle temp fuel tank, sprayed some hot start in the carb and tried to start it, it didn't so I checked for spark and got nothing, so I replaced the condensor, and I got it running. but now that it is running, 1 of the front lifters or valves is sticking causing quite the clatter, and it didn't go away after a few minuites running, I shut it off because I'm afraid of flattening out a cam lobe. oil preassure is great at just over 15 PSI at idle. what can I do to unstick what ever is stuck? it used to do the same thing on a rear valve/ lifter before, when it hadn't been fired in a while, but went away within a few minuites, unlike this 1.

Probably a valve stuck open. Take off the cover and spray it with penetrating oil, and pop it closed with a big screwdriver. Tap it open again and pop it closed a few times til it loosens up.

cool, I'll do that tomorrow. thanks.

Those 6's are renowned for sticking since they had no oiling to the top end unless you jury rigged one.I had to do that with my '52 when I had it in high school. And when they sit....the sludge build up can really let them get noisy

not a stuck valve. rather than pop the cover off, I removed the oil cap and shined a light down, and had my mom turn over the engine whail I watched for the valves to go down, and both did. however, the valve in the front appears to be bent, in relation to the other visable valve, this could be the noise, or only other thing would be sticky lifter, I think.

the engines fine, the valve only appears bent, from looking ontop thru the oil fill hole. anyway, filled up my soda bottle tank, fired the car up, and moved it into the other garage, by the time I got it in the other garage, the lifter had stopped making noise, when I looked at the temp gauge, it was just starting to get warm. I let it run until it was at operating temp, and then shut it off.

glad to hear you didn't have a bent valve... those always are a pain.... i've had them take out valve seats, pistons and even cylinder walls.... not fun

Those old 6 Cyl engine got their oil through a passageway that came up along side of a head bolt ( the centre one I think ) to the rocker shaft. In the old days it was a common thing to take the head bolt out and clean the sludge out of the passageway. If it ran long enough like that you may have a problem with the rocker ball and pushrod seats as they would wear from lack of luberication.

Bob

Originally Posted by Bob W

Those old 6 Cyl engine got their oil through a passageway that came up along side of a head bolt ( the centre one I think ) to the rocker shaft. In the old days it was a common thing to take the head bolt out and clean the sludge out of the passageway. If it ran long enough like that you may have a problem with the rocker ball and pushrod seats as they would wear from lack of luberication.

Bob

to me it looked like everything had oil on it ( wasn't dry, just that the lifter was ither not pumping up, or it was stuck.

That valve looked bent because the intakes are at a different angle than the exhausts. Glad to hear it started running better on its own. I'd try some Rislone in the oil, and an oil change after a few runs.