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If any strong arm prying needs to be done do not stron arm against the lifter!!!! Place to short blocks of wood or steel on EACH side of lifter (maybe a couple of bolts use your imagination) and pry against the top of the blocks and the end of the valve. Try that first before vice grips etc. Keep alot of snake oil on it.

Thanks all! I am starting to believe the whole old/bad/sticky gas theory. All Four stuck valves are intake!! Also they are the EXACT same # cylinders that I got zero compression from when I tested. Un-torquing the head now, gona do this right!

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Depending on what you find after removing the cylinder head, it would be a good idea to do a valve adjustment if no other repairs are needed. Others here can advise you on their favorite procedure.

(o[]o)

JW, good call, I had one of those solid lifters tapping just a bit when it was running so it was on the to do list but I think that I am going to remove the valves and (keeping them in order with their springs and keepers so they get put back right where they came from of course)springs and really clean it right so in am not having to do this again next month. Plus while I have them out I am going to take the springs to the machine shop to have them tested to sort out any wear ones. I found new ones for $6 each so no need to screw around with spring shims or any of that. Well, I will keep yall posted! Steve

Well, as long as you are going that far - might as well reface the valves and lap them into the seats. Then of course you will want to check for worn guides. Beware, you have just entered the "Mission Creep" zone.

(o[]o)

Victory at last! Had to get a buddie, AND use the hoist. Then wiggle the head about 8,000 times...Cleaned the head some but was ready to call it a night. I will clean the crap out of it tomorrow tho. Got to figure out if my valve compressor is gona work on this motor without pulling the intake and exhaust too. What a pain in the rusted a$$!!! It WILL run, and run good too, weather it wants to or not! JW how do I lap the valves properly, also how worn can the guides be if the valves are sticking in them? What do you mean by refacing the valves? I for sure want to do it right the first time. Anyone else have any tips for me? Thanks

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Refacing the valves is commonly known as grinding them. You will need to take them to a machine shop or other shop that has the equipment to do this job. You can get the angle specs from the shop manual. I believe Packard used two angles: 30 and 45 deg., but I don't know which angle is for the exhaust and intake. Looking at the valves will quickly tell you the angle for each. If the valves have been ground before they may be too thin to do another grinding. If this is the case, then you will need new or good used valves.

Lapping is a way to improve the surface on the valve seat. It is a simple procedure using lapping compound and a suction cup tool. This can be done only if the seats are in good condition and do not need to be ground. Grinding the seats also takes a special tool and grinding stones. This was a common job "back in the day", but is a lost art now as all the engines have their valves in the head and not the block. Folks just take the head to the shop for a valve job. If the seats need grinding you will need to find someone who has the tool and stones and is willing to come to your house to do the job in the car; or, tow the car to the garage or shop.

Lapping is the final step in a valve grind job. It mates the valves and the seats and serves as a check (with the pattern left on the valve and seat) to make sure the valve-seat contact is at the proper place on each.

Years ago I did a valve job on a 1939 Cadillac V-8. An L-head engine. The exhaust valves were all replaced because they were too thin from previous jobs, and one had cracked. Also, one of the valve guides was replaced. The valve seats in the block were in great shape and lapping the newly refaced intake valves and the new exhaust valves worked as I did not have to have the seats ground. Measuring and getting the valve stems to the correct length to set the pistons in the hydraulic lifters at the right setting was the most difficult part, but you do not have to worry about this as you have mechanical tappets.

Good luck,

(o[]o)

Thanks, Joey. I am hoping that I will get lucky and be able to get away with I really good cleaning. Not sure tho at the intake on the #1 seem "more stuck" then the rest of them. So I went out there after letting the MMO sit, got a wood dowl, put it in the center and hammered them down. They were WAY to stuck for the grab it from the bottom thing, I tried it. So then I used the starter to spin it over and the same four stuck again, more MMO, tapped them down again, got them stuck again, more MMO then let them sit. When I go out there I am blocking the holes that drain to the crank case and when I tap them down this next time I will blast it from the bottom with carb cleaner before I get them stuck again, and repeat that a few times. anyone know where I can get one of the scissor type valve spring compressors that allow me to do the job of removing the valves without having to remove the Manifolds? Thanks, Steve

I have now had them stuck and un-stuck 6 times today. It does seem like they are SLIGHTLY easier to beat down now, but still stuck as hell. I am going to keep messing with them and try a little acetone up top in with the MMO. it is so scummed up that the MMO just sits up top and does not even run down the stems. I have been blasting the stems when down from the bottom so as to try and pull the cleaner up in to the valve guides when I bump them back up with the starter. I will keep working them 'till my awesome vintage Valve spring tool (the RIGHT one for my inline, not the one I have for SBC's) comes, then pull them out and clean the shit out of everything! Stuck vavles are AWESOME!......

Dear NC:

Go to NAPA and see if you can buy a valve spring compressor for a flat head motor.

Then take those valves out. The minimum you need to do is polish those valve stems so that they don't collect gum. Also buy a wire brush to clean out the guides.

If the faces are clean then grinding them may only serve to reduce the margin. I knew old timers who swore by this method and I guarantee that if all you do if free them they will stick open again.