'51 Valve Clatter and Other Mysteries

Posted by Jim L. in OR On 2013/8/31 23:36:43

Hi all,

I've decided that this is the weekend I'm going to try and find the cause of the valve clatter coming from my '51 200 Deluxe.
First a little background. I bought this car in the Autumn of 2010 because it ran and drove and the '55 Patrician I was dealing on (thanks to this group) didn't. The only problem, it didn't run too well. I turned it over to a mechanic friend and told him to bring all maintenence up to date and, as I was told it needed valve work, look into that as well. I turned out the engine desperately needed a valve job and one valve (burned) and valve guide replaced. That and a tune-up and carb rebuild made her run strong and reliably - just not without valve noise.
After reading several related postings I think that at least part, if not all of the noise is caused by my mechanic not adjusting the hydraulic lifters when they buttoned it back up. I mean, who knew hydraulic lifters could be adjusted? Or needed to be? Having cut my mechanical teeth on OHV V8s, I sure didn't and my mechanic and his crew are younger than I am. By the way, I know the '51 288s came with mechanical lifters but the engine in this car was replaced with what I gather was a Service Engine as there are no engine numbers in any of the ususal places even after bathing the thing in Muric Acid. I wouldn't swear that it isn't a 5 main 327.

So today I put the right front on a jack stand, removed the right front wheel, access panel and valve covers and started up the engine to see what's what. Actually, I don't know what I thought I'd find but almost everything looked like it seemed to suposed to be. Except for the little "bleed holes" in each of the engine valve lifter castings. About three of them were spurting out oil on a regular basis; about eight were just seeping oil and the rest were bone dry or nearly so. I'm guessing they should all be doing more or less the same thing?

I've checked the galley oil pressure and it's right on. Which means I've reached the end of what I know what to do. So Any and all advise, help, thoughts or anything else is both needed and asked for.

One other odd thing. The exhaust manifold has a very small opening with a tube sticking out of it about an 1/2 inch. Why is that there and what is it for? I stuck an ice pick in the tube and it goes all the way in to the exhaust manifold?????

By the way: My thanks to Gator for the tip about turning valve lifters in Mark from Coos Bay's thread. So far all the lifters that aren't loaded are turnable.