nailhead engine rattle

**Brianbuick** · 02-06-2015, 05:30 AM

Thanks Much - looks like I have a weekend project ahead! brian

**Brianbuick** · 03-16-2015, 04:58 PM

After pulling the intake on my 53 super, I found some bad news!!! 2 push rods on the drivers side were not just bent = they were broken! About 1 inch from the bottom, completely broken in half. the valves were the second valve from the front and second valve from the back of the engine on drivers side. I'm guessing I have frozen valves from setting. Other than pulling the head, is there a way to tell if they are frozen? I conlt know if there could be any other cause - such as the push rod jamming against a collapsed lifter?
Also, a strang thing I have not seen in the forum. There is a metal divider plate mounted vertically above the middle of the camshaft - looks like it separates the front and back of the engine block. This was broken off and laying on the camshaft. Looks like it may have tangled with one of the broken valves, but I don't know. Anyone have seen this plate and if breaking off from vibration I guess is common?
I'll send some pictures, but looking like lots of work ahead.....

brian

**BornBuick** · 03-16-2015, 09:01 PM

Yes I have seen some railheads with the divider but many more without it. Regarding your valves to see if they are frozen or not and since the pushrods are broken. Take some Marvel Mystery Oil ( MMO ) and bath the valve stems with it. Then take a small rag and soak it in the MMO then rap it around the valve stems and let them just sit there for 1-week. Come back and take a wooden mallet and gently tap the ends of the valve stems as this should loosen any sections that has rusted. You are just looking for any movement. Take the valve lifters out of their perspective bores keeping them carefully segregated and separated as not to put them back into any bore of which they did not come out of. Them take one apart over a nice clean work table with a white towel underneath. Clean, then clean with kerosene and set aside. When reassembling the hydraulic lifter make sure not to put any oil whatsoever into the lifter body itself, just give them a final cleaning in kerosene and reassemble. When completed return the lifter(s) back into their rightful original bore. You will have to unbolt and lift the rocker arm assembly off of the head in question by removing the 2 main hold down bolts. After putting the replacement and correct pushrods back into their new positions, then re-install the rocker arms and shaft making sure the push rods align with all the rocker arm shaft cups. Toque the rocker arm assemblies correctly after applying a dab of machine oil on the threads. Never torque dry threads. When completed, you should be able to take your index finger and gently push down on the rock arm cup where the round head of the push rod sets into it, thereby pushing the pushrod down into the hydraulic lifter body and as your doing this quickly release your finger and pressure and the hydraulic lifter's internal spring should then push the rod back up against the rocker arm. This movement is only about 3/16 of an inch or so but it is noticeable. This way you will then be sure the hydraulic lifter is functioning correctly. Hope this helps you out. Sounds like you should take the whole rocker arm assembly off of each cylinder, clean and replace. Take all the hydraulic lifters out, dissemble, clean and replace making absolutely sure not to co-mingle or mixup parts from another lifter in to another so take one apart at a time, clean, inspect then reassemble. Also make damn sure each hydraulic lifter goes back into the same bore it came out of otherwise you will run into trouble with the cam's lobes which will cause premature wear and failure since your original cam and lifters have been matted and set from years of running together and each lobe and lifter has a distinctive wear pattern set from running off of each other.

**telriv** · 03-17-2015, 08:40 AM

ALL GOOD ADVICE. Only thing I can add is BEFORE you start actuating the valves is to MAKE SURE the piston IS NOT at TDC.

Tom T.

**telriv** · 03-17-2015, 08:41 AM

Also, forgot to add. The original poster found that pistons were hitting the head.

**BornBuick** · 03-17-2015, 09:28 PM

The pistons were hitting the head? Don't recall reading about that. If that is so, he just increased his compression ratio and should go straight on to methane