Car in the shop for motor issues- cams and lifters

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+1 On the Valvoline VR1. I buy it off the shelf at O'Rielly here in Memphis. I do not trust the addatives to mix in with other oils. It is just my opinion that the the addative is risky vs. having the zinc content formulated into the oil by the manufacturer. I have used Comp Cams Break-In oil and then run the VR1 as the regular maintenance oil.

 
IS Mobil one a high zinc oil?(Just looked and nope) And no, this is the first time I have ever hurd of any mention of high zinc oils. In the Harley community it has not come up in 20 years and I have had as much as 120 hp(turbo) out of my 1200 sportster. Please explain. Interesting read. May look for an additive if I can't find right oil. Update, Looks like Lucas, Edelbrock, comp cams and a dozen others make an additive.

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2012/10/18/tech-101-zinc-in-oil-and-its-effects-on-older-engines/
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Just to go off topic for a moment have you ever run Motul 300v in your bike its good stuff but hell is it expensive.

 
I usually run vtwin specific oil in bike. Never used Motul.

 
I ordered a Summit street cam, lifters and timing chain. I decided I want my car to drive right. With the other components I should have a pretty good running car. I have to decide on rear end gearing. I have 2.75. Thinking I may have the Mechanics put in 3.25. Any thoughts on that. Not ready to change out my FMX yet or maybe ever so the ratio change might give me a little more oomph where it matters. I do drive about 6 miles of highway twice daily. speed limit is only 55 though.

As far as the bike is concerned I usually use Harley Syn. My bike does not get used enough to need anything special.

1357422671255.jpg

 
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Soooo, the shop it going to basically stab a new cam/lifter set in?

Maybe I missed it...

If the old one ate a lobe or three, keep in mind that all of that iron from the cam and lifter faces is still all over the inside of the engine.

If it were mine, I'd be real uncomfortable about doing all of that work and then firing it up with all of those metal pieces floating around, and stuck in the pores and puddles of the lifter valley.

Sounds extreme, but I may consider a complete teardown and flush first.

Just a thought.

 
Soooo, the shop it going to basically stab a new cam/lifter set in?

Maybe I missed it...

If the old one ate a lobe or three, keep in mind that all of that iron from the cam and lifter faces is still all over the inside of the engine.
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+1. There hasn't been a single forum member with engine experience that hasn't suggested hot tanking the block of my '72 Q-code.

The Q-code had encountered a similar problem to your engine: It was re-cammed by a bunch of blockheads that didn't use break-in fluid at all. Shortly thereafter, the cam rounded out the bottom of the lifters (and vise-versa) until the lifters began to jam in their bores.

The result: 4 bent pushrods, a wiped cam, wiped lifters, and little metal thingies floating around in the oil to scare me.

-Kurt

 
They have not pulled the cam yet. I don't know the condition but I know it was not designed to idle like I want my car too so it is getting changed anyway. If the engine needs more love it will get it. Just buying what I think will be necessary. Have no idea what will be found. I am prepared for a rebuild mentally but I don't want to drop 3 grand if I don't have to. Just hoping but not thinking it is going to be that simple. We will see. I am looking for a bit of luck here. Spent more than I wanted to and it is eating into my comfort zone now. I am not looking to have 20K into this by the end of the summer. I could have bought a really nice car for 20 grand with no headache. My neck surgery came at a bad time. I have already spent 4000 on doctors bills and that was not part of the plan. It sucks but it is what it is.

 
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We finally know what is wrong. I have several exhaust valves stuck open, a couple of bent push rods and some rebuilt heads in the works. Not sure how valves get stuck but I suspect it was heat related and ream size related. He said the heads look to have been worked to produce a pretty stout racing motor and that explains the heads, headers, carb, exhaust etc. He said it had a big fat cam in it and in the end I am certain with enough money it will work great when it is done. I also have knew axle seals, a rear brake job(shoes down to rivets), working emergency brake and 350 gears. I look forward to having everything working right. Next week I will know how much and how well it will really run. It is time for the money train to stop. I am ready to drive a good car.

Can't wait to here the list of parts needed to rebuild these worked heads. I need my car back fast now so no time or money to buy expensive replacement heads.

 
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We finally know what is wrong. I have several exhaust valves stuck open, a couple of bent push rods and some rebuilt heads in the works. Not sure how valves get stuck but I suspect it was heat related and ream size related.
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More or less the same failure as my '72. The lack of break in fluid caused the cam to mushroom the bottom of the lifters, causing the lifters to stick in their bores.

If you don't have any witness marks on the pistons or valves, your bent pushrods might be from the pistons lightly pressing the valves against the stuck lifters at slow speed - probably on the last few times you cranked it.

-Kurt

 
Valves are stuck, not lifters. I think the top end might have either been under oiled or hot. It was built to run and I think it was sold when it stopped. Who knows what was done. I just know several valves were stuck and this car might have been a bit abused.

 
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Valves are stuck, not lifters. I think the top end might have either been under oiled or hot. Who knows what was done. I just know several valves were stuck and this car might have been a bit abused.
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The clearance between the guide and valve is at its minimum when the engine is cold, not hot. Corrosion and carbon can jam a valve, but I doubt either.

A valve can bend at the stem instead of the head though if they've smacked the cylinders, and that's pretty effective to jam the valve AND bend a few pushrods, courtesy of Mr. Lifter.

Make sure the shop puts single-grove, single-lock valves in those heads, not the two-piece, 4-groove OEM valves. That's the one must-do upgrade if you're changing out the valves.

-Kurt

P.S.: Have the shop save the old lifters. Betcha dollars to doughnuts that at least a few of them are mildly mushroomed.

 
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I will call tomorrow and make sure I get single groove valves. Thanks for the tip. I plan to have all the parts that are taken off put in a box in the trunk. I do appreciate all the tips and advice.

 
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Final tally. 4 bad exhaust valves, Head rebuild, Cam ok but changed, Lifters o'k but changed to go with new milder cam, intake likely cracked and changed to dual plane Edelbrock, starter solenoid replaced because if slow starter turn off, voltage regular and alternator changed because drawing current when off. $3300 plus about 700 in parts.

 
Final tally. 4 bad exhaust valves, Head rebuild, Cam ok but changed, Lifters o'k but changed to go with new milder cam, intake likely cracked and changed to dual plane Edelbrock, starter solenoid replaced because if slow starter turn off, voltage regular and alternator changed because drawing current when off. $3300 plus about 700 in parts.
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Wow! Is it all working to your satisfaction? Chuck

 
I pick it up Monday. I forgot to mention rear brake job, axel seals replaced, new shackles rear and lower front springs to improve stance. The 700 was for manifold, cams, lifters, shackles, not sure what the head rebuild charge was but I suspect 500 bucks or so. I pick it up Monday, he wanted to drive it around for a while and make sure the battery draw is really fixed with the starter solenoid(I asked him to change), and voltage reg and Alternator are what his magnetic gismo showed to be drawing current when the ignition was off. I expect it to drive perfect when I get it back because it will be almost new.

Final tally. 4 bad exhaust valves, Head rebuild, Cam ok but changed, Lifters o'k but changed to go with new milder cam, intake likely cracked and changed to dual plane Edelbrock, starter solenoid replaced because if slow starter turn off, voltage regular and alternator changed because drawing current when off. $3300 plus about 700 in parts.
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Wow! Is it all working to your satisfaction? Chuck
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