Ok here is my problem. I have a 292 y block in my 1955 f100. The truck was sitting in my garage for a long time and I had problems with seals and springs caused by old bad gas. I got the heads done and put it back together but I have another problem. The number 3 exhaust when you adjust it you have to loosen it alot to get a .019 gap. But when you revolve the motor there is a lot of gap between the push rod and the adjuster on the rocker arm. Do you think its a stuck lifter or a bad rocker or adjuster? I should have adjusted the valves and made sure everything was ok before I put the intake on. What do you all think?

thanks
Jerry

 

 

measured all the push rods and checked to see if they were straight. I think it might be the lifter sticking and not going all the way down the bore. I had the same problem before I got the heads done. What do you think? How can I check to see if this is problem? I guess I should have checked all this before I put the valley pan and intake on.

Thanks

Jerry

 

Are the y block lifters solid? I think so, so its not a stuck hydraulic lifter. ( I mean in the lifter itself) though if your'e talking about the lifter sticking in the block, I suppose it could be. Could you take something long and gently tap down on that lifter and see if it will go down? If so could you work it and free it up by blindly shooting penetrant down the hole? Good luck, let us know how it comes out.

 

Okay thanks for all the advice. I think this is my plan of attack. First I will take Greg Rogers advice and spray pb blaster and see if this will free it up. Next I will swap adjusting nuts from another rocker. Then check the push rod again for length and straight. Then I might swap the rocker arm pedestal from side to side. If all this does not work then I take off the intake and see if the lifter moves correctly. I guess its test test test. Just throwing parts and tearing it apart for no reason is not good.

Thanks

Jerry

 

Do you still have the rockers and pushrods installed? If so just bring the cylinder in question up to where you adjust the valves and tighten the valve to 0 lash. Gently tap on the adjusting screw with a mallet to see if the lifter will move farther into the block. If it does just keep working it in and out by turning the motor to open the valve and tapping on the rocker to close it after turning the motor back to the original position.

 

Thanks Mechmagcn. I have a couple of questions. Why zero lash? And regular hammer or dead blow hammer? I measured how many turns out I had to turn adjusting nut to get .019 gap. And then sprayed pb blaster and rotated motor. Then I hit the rocker with a dead blow hammer and was able to turn adjustment half a turn in. I will try your suggestion tomorrow and will let you know.

Thanks
Jerry

 

Myself I would remove the push rod and manually move the lifter up and down with a magnet to see if its sticky
Also does it have valve stem caps? .sounds like the lifter is not bottoming out on the heal of the cam. **** happens while ya sleep..

 

If the push rod is not moving both ways and the rocker arm is free on the shaft, the lifter is stuck in the bore. If you "had the heads done" the rockers should be ok.

 

I just tried swapping adjustment nuts onto the bad number 3 intake. No change. Then I swapped push rods no luck. So that leaves me with the tappet is not going into the bore. So here is my question. Could i stick a long enough screwdriver and tap the tappet? I would measure the distance down the bore from a reference point. And then proceed to tap the bad number 3 intake tappet. what do you all think?

Thanks

Jerry

 

Tapping gently on the lifter is the only way I know to get it loose. Be gentle. A hardwood dowel rod slightly smaller than the lifter bore might be a better choice but be careful not to splinter it. If it sounds solid to the tap, it may be on the high side of the cam. My guess is, it won't take much to free it.

 

Hi here is a update. I took everyones advice that it was probably the tappet. I tested swapping adjusting nuts and push rods. So I went to see if I could make the tappet move. I took off the adjusting nut and pushed the rocker out of the way. Then I pulled the push rod out and taped it to a 3/8 extension. Then I hit the extension with a hammer and felt the tappet move. Then I put the push rod back in and adjusted the clearance. Then I rotated the motor several times and the clearance stayed the same. Also while fixing this problem I found out I had a bent push rod on number 3 exhaust. So I decided to check all the push rods and found this was the only bent one. Just wanted to give update and to say thank you .

Thanks

Jerry

 

Good deal, glad you got it!

 

Well I guess i updated to quickly. The same lifter hung up again. It looks like I have to take off the intake and see why its hanging up. Without taking off the intake I am just guessing whats happening.
Wish me luck

Jerry

 

Good luck..