need a 351 cleveland motor builder /expert/ please PM me!!!

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72HCODE

"My World is Fire and Blood"
Joined
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My Car
71 Mach 1.
Hi if your an experienced engine builder i need your help could you PM me.


added info:

Hi all help appreciated.

Today i removed my valve covers to replace leaking gaskets.

when i removed my Driver's side valve cover i found a piece of what looks like a clip that was wedged inside the rear oil gallery on my 351 cleveland.

Can somebody tell me what its from?

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my engine was rebuilt a few years ago and this was not there the last time i opened up the valve covers.

i can not find anything that looks out of place in my lifters or rockers. the clip has very little damage to it. it appears to have cracked off from where ever its home was and then Wedged inside the oil gallery to the rear of the engine.

I have no idea when this piece fell off or what it goes to. engine was running well all last week, vacuum was good.

the broken part also appears to have part of a Fomoco Logo right where it snapped.

please help.

Wanted to add i just tested the piece and it is magnetic.


well i figured out what its from:

teflon valve stem seal.

TeflonValveStemSeal773.jpg


dame it

 
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wow..the things you find and dont wanna find when you open a motor...im in the middle of rebuilding my 351 cj right now...after 17 years of owning my car...it started too run rough...wasnt smoking or anything...figured it was time too fresh up the motor.....but to my shock and horror..when i took off the mainifold...there was a oil soaked rag sitting there looking back at me!! some one rebuilt the motor at some point and left the rag in the middle of the motor!! she never acted funny at all..im sooo lucky it didnt plug or stop the flow of oil...lol..i joked and said..well..it was just a extra oil filter;) and some one didnt cross hatch the cilinders right or anything...im glad i opened it now...and lucky..they didnt mess anything up..was defenatly amature hour in there..lol...are you beefing yours up?...2v..or 4v?

 
this engine was rebuilt less then 2000 miles ago.

wonderful ain't it.

 
I think this is not so bad. You dont must be pull your heads. You can fix it with a air pressure tool for the sparkplug hole and a spring compressor. Bring the cylinder to the upper death point when the valves are closed. Then put compressed air in the cylinder to hold the valves closed. Now you can remove the springs and the valve seals. You can build your own fitting with an old spark plug. Summit have the compressor for the springs.

You dont need the gun, Its not so bad at all :)

 
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I think this is not so bad. You dont must be pull your heads. You can fix it with a air pressure tool for the sparkplug hole and a spring compressor. Bring the cylinder to the upper death point when the valves are closed. Then put compressed air in the cylinder to hold the valves closed. Now you can remove the springs and the valve seals. You can build your own fitting with an old spark plug. Summit have the compressor for the springs.

You dont need the gun, Its not so bad at all :)
That process works, I did it a long time ago on another car.

 
well at this point i have none of the tools nor the skills to accomplish this, i have a competition cam rocker setup, so i don't know what complications will occur.

my fear besides at worst pulling the heads, is where is the rest of the valve stem seal.

 
Don't laugh, but years ago I read an article that suggested running the piston to the bottom of its stroke, then with the spark plug removed--pushing in about 20 feet of soft rope (like clothesline) leaving the end hanging out. Then turn the engine over by hand to get that piston up to the top of its stroke. The piston compresses the rope against the valves holding them in place while work is done to change seals/springs/etc. This is how I did my first valve seal swap on the first 351C that I had. It worked great and did not require any special tools (other than the valve spring compressor).

 
Don't laugh, but years ago I read an article that suggested running the piston to the bottom of its stroke, then with the spark plug removed--pushing in about 20 feet of soft rope (like clothesline) leaving the end hanging out. Then turn the engine over by hand to get that piston up to the top of its stroke. The piston compresses the rope against the valves holding them in place while work is done to change seals/springs/etc. This is how I did my first valve seal swap on the first 351C that I had. It worked great and did not require any special tools (other than the valve spring compressor).
did this many times back in the day,it works great a little time consuming but does get the job done

 
well right now, i've been calling my engine builder for 2 days and so far the guy has not picked up the phone. now with memorial weekend approaching you can bet no contact if any till next week, i have very little faith in this guy to actaully pick up the phone and help at this point.

I've been researching tools and honestly its very confusing due to the extra heavy springs i have on my valves.

right now i want to make contact with my builder.

I have no idea what manufacture or size he used for the valves seals on my engine, again there are tons of them on the market, replacing all of them on the engine is a bigger job that finding the one that failed.

I've read about the rope method for holding up the valves as well, thanks for that.

my concern in addition to finding the correct seals, and the correct tool to push the springs, will be setting up the lash and preload for the rods. also the possiblity of discovering more unseen damage.

right now my first line is hoping that the flake that built my engine picks up the phone and is willing to live up to his word and support his build.

If you have a tool recommendation for a valve spring compressor please post it.

its very confusing finding a tool that works on a cleveland and supports double heavy springs and is designed to be used on an engine with heads in place.

 
I have changed many valve springs(heavy) using the rope method.I made my own tool .Very easy to do.You should have no b problems.Looks like maybe the spring / damper assembly got the seal.You have to watch the clearnce between the seals and springs. go back to the spring manufacture to see what seals they recomend.

 
Here is the problem.

Have no idea:

What springs I have

What lifter type

What type of pc valve stem seal

I've been researching how to do the work and the tools needed but I'm missing details only the builder would know.

The best I could do at this point, order the compressed air fitting, order the valve spring compressor, take the rockers off at least one valve, mic the valve stem, mic the stem seat.

Take the 2 measurements and order a replacement from say comp cams.

Wait for the part to arrive, compare to the originals.

At this point if the match, I could install them if I manage to get the seal installer with the set.

Now I would pretty much replace any or all the seals. Assuming I find all the parts of the one that let go and there is no damage to the motor.

At this point if all goes well, I discover the bad one replace it, but now I'm left with an unknown preload on the rods, because I don't know what lifter I have nor the clearance specs on anything.

I'm pretty pissed since I'm at a standstill I can't get a hold of the builder to even get information let alone see if he can fix it.

:(

The work looks doable to me, but I lack the knowledge I need at the moment.

 
just got in touch with the builder today. first contact achieved.

no idea next step.

 
I have one of these spring compressors you can borrow, send me your address.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PRO-66784/

these work great since they hold the spring compressed then you can use both hands to fiddle with the keepers. I used it on stiff double springs with dampers.

You must first find the reason for the breakage, which is likely "too little" retainer to seal clearance.

To check this you should remove the heads, but It may be posibble to check carefuly somehow stuffing the cylinder with rope and opening the valve without loosing it in the cylinder

 
thanks i will let you know.

the engine builder first told me to reassemble the car to drive it over to him we discussed changing all the teflon seals to Viton seals.

he said he would look at the photos and get back to me.

i put the car together and went for a spin the a/c was nice, but looks like my alignment i had done has an issue i only had 10 minutes drive time on the alignement i had done, and i may have asked them to go too far on the caster i'm getting a banging sound from the drivers side i never had before. so i may have to go back and talk to the alignment place again,, its always something.

its a long trip to the builder so i want the car to be ready for it.

 
Lord how i hate poly bushings!

so i fixed the issue with the banging on the suspension.

Gurrr.

 
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