0 compression in #1

[glenn in camino]

With the valve side cover off and my wife operating the starter, I can see all the lifters and valves going up and down except #1 intake which doesn't move at all. I know the cam and all the lifters are in. How can this be?

 

[Gold Digger]

It sounds like the valve is stuck open.

 

[Hicktick]

The lobe on the cam is probally worn off , better pull the pan and look at the cam .

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

Before you pull the pan, just push the tappet down and see how far the cam pushes it up. If you use a dial indicator you can get an accurate measure of the cam lobe lift.

Can you use a narrow vise grip and twist the valve stem back and forth? If so the spring should push the valve back down. Spray the stem well with Kroil. Ethanol gas is great for making valves stick. Some old car guys have told me about their stuck valves when they use 10% ethanol, and it stuck the valve so hard on my motorbike that I had to remove the head and hammer the valve down.

 

[Hicktick]

My bad , I assumed he meant the valve was closed .

 

[Tom Endy]

Glenn:

From what you describe it sounds to me that the valve has siezed in the guide. Hopefully you have not installed stainless valves and bronze guides. This is a formula for siezing in a Model A where an abundance of oil is not applied to the valve and guides.

You might be able to free it up without pulling the head. Worst case pull the head and drive the valve out and replace the valve and the guide.

Tom Endy

 

[fordcoupe]

I had the same problum on my engine after sitting a while #1 cylinder intake valve stuck #2 cylinder ex. valve stuck no compression after removing valve cover and removing spark plugs i used a brake adjusting tool it has a nice curve in it to push stuck valves up and down after hand cranking lifter to it's highest point you have to spray trans oil or MMO on the stem true the plug hole before you start working on them let it soak for a while to soak in

 

[matt92vr4]

My dad's A had that problem when he first bought it. We soaked the valve with PB blaster through the spark plug hole and then tapped it down with a screwdriver and hammer. I had to hit it pretty hard at first. It continued to stick up with every revolution of the cam. I had to tap it down about 10 times before it was completely free. It's been running great since.

There is of course a risk of breaking the valve doing it this way. Danger is my middle name.