I recently purchased a '68 ford f100 with a 240 6. The truck had a pretty bad lifter tick, so I took the valve cover off and had a look. Most were loose, one was so bad I could almost turn it around. I was told to tighten them down with the engine running until they stopped clacking and then go a half turn. Seems simple enough.

That didn't work. Must be the procedure on chevys, the guy who told me that has owned and rebuilt alot of old chevys.

So I got on the internet and found that you're suppose to loosen until you can turn the pushrods by hand, then tighten them down until you can't turn the pushrods by hand, then tighten a whole turn, although some folks said to go only a half or quarter turn and it would be enough. Okay. Seems simple enough.

So I did that, and the valves where still clacking and ticking. I did it again, and the truck stopped clacking, but runs rough. So I did it again, and now it won't start at all.

I also noticed that cylinders 3, 4, and 5, have bent pushrods. Cylinders 5 and 6 have almost no compression, as I turn the engine by hand with my thumb over the plug hole. World of difference compared to the other cylinders.

So what on earth is going on? Am I doing something wrong, or is it just time for a new camshaft, lifters, pushrods, ect.? Or am I doing something wrong and its time for some new parts? Or is it at all okay to just loosen them up? The truck ran like a top with ticking lifters, is there really anything wrong with driving around with a lifter tick?

I'd have my father come take a look at it, but he's seeding (meaning working 12-14 hours a day 7 days a week until the crops are in. We live in a small farming community). I'm kinda trying to get this Ford on the road before my boss wants me to start seeding, otherwise its gonna be sitting in the shop a while and I'll be stuck driving my old beater for a while longer.