Checking for valve train racket, cut up valve cover. POS 440

[cudaken]

 Boy I may catch Mustang Hater in starting new question's.

Like I posted before on the 440 POS, thinking that maybe a bad lifter or cam. Running the 440 with out valve covers at the very least make a mess and might start a fire when the oil hits the headers.

I have 4 set's of stock valve covers, here are a few idea's thay I have and questions.

Question, where does the real mess come from, oil running over the heads or the oil coming up into the rockers arm or push rods?

The ides

Cut a valve cover down to where there is only say 1" left around the base. That way I can lay by hand's on the rockers and feel if the sound is coming from the valve train. If I have a bad plunger in a lifter, when I push on the push rod side will that change the racket?

Cut say only 2" off the intake side in a V shape and use a stethescope to help pin point racket? Will be tuffer with the rockers moving but less of a mess.

By the way, what temp does engine oil hit? Mine at idle temp does not go over 160 and takes a while to get there with the cross flow. Have some gloves and could steal a oven mitt for the wife, she only has 10 of them

Any other ideas in this train of thought? Like to try something like this first. From what I have read so far, finding a bad plunger or lop is more of guess work with out a lift guage or some way to test the pressuer to press down the plunger in a lifter unless it it real junk.

                                Cuda Ken, owing a POS again

[Chryco Psycho]

you can press the rocker down by hand & feel if the lifter is not holding pressure , the oil sprays up off the rockers so you would need to cut only the topof the cover off & towards the intake side or just use a piece of 5" tall cardboard to keep the oil from spraying over the heads like I do & save your covers

[Steve P.]

Like Chryco said.. You can also use a screw driver to press down on the push rod side of the rocker.. Leave the oven mitts in the house if you know what's best for you....  Hehehehe.....


After reading much of your problem, I would have to say it's a bad lifter.. I would pull the valve covers. Check all push rods and rockers. try to compress the lifters. My bet is that a push rod is bent or a lifter is not working right.. Be damn careful about removing p-rods and lifters as you can drop lifter pieces down into places that only God sees.. Haha... Keep a telescopic magnet handy.. They are great for pulling and collecting parts...

[cudaken]

 Steve, I pulled the valve covers the other day and all look's well with the rocker's and push rod with the intake on.

When I push down on the ROCKER ARM, I do that with the POS running?

Steve, I will have the intake off before I pull anything out. 

                               Cuda Ken

[Chryco Psycho]

no pushdown on the rocker arm with the valve unloaded [closed position] & the engine off

[firefighter3931]

no pushdown on the rocker arm with the valve unloaded [closed position] & the engine off

You want to check the lifter while it's on the base circle of the cam.

Ron

[cudaken]

 Thanks Guy's, saved me a oil bath.


                                 Cuda Ken