Flathead Friday: Cam, Lifters and Valve Lash. Progress!

Mart

Mart

Well-known member
Please find attached for your entertainment my latest video featuring the Crusty Flatty.

It's beginning to start to come together. I check the cam, scare up some lifters and then tackle the tricky job of setting valve lash. These are non adjustable lifters and with the deep cleanup cuts on the seats I have to trim the ends of the valves quite a lot. This is getting to be a dying skill, and once again I'm more or less self teaching and going from first principles.

I must stress I'm not an expert and offer this for entertainment only. I do share some little insights though that may help you if undertaking a similar task. The last part was previously published so you may have seen it before. Thanks for watching. Mart.

https://youtu.be/u2dDqNZxCmA
 
I started watching your video Mart and I notice you have the valves in wrong. The dished valves are intakes. The exhaust are flat and they are a harder material.
 
Oh no Jack, that could be a disaster. Are you absolutely sure? I might struggle to get 8 more flat valves. I did notice that the dished ones were not marked EX where some of the others are marked like that.

I based my decision on using them on the fact that they were removed from a 59A block from the exhaust valve positions. You can see them on the "Prepare the stunt block" video. Whoever built that motor, back in the 50s put those valves in the exhaust locations.

Before I pull them all back out, can I get a second opinion?

So, can anyone else either confirm the dished ones are definitely inlet only, or are there some exhausts that are dished?

Are there particular markings that can be checked?

It was a lot of work setting those valves. I will redo them if necessary, but if it's only a maybe rather than a definite then I'd rather leave them.

So can anyone offer further advice on this?

Thanks, Flatjack for the heads up.

Mart.
 
Mart,at least some aftermarket valves are dished both intake and exhaust. They are made of suitable material for exhaust use and sold to use in either position. Mine came from SBI just a few months ago and were offered in this way.



Terry
 
Just took a 38 21 stud apart ,don’t believe the valve train had ever been out and all the valves were flat
Was the dished out valves a later thing?
 
As noted, a magnet will verify. It won't be attracted to exhaust valves. I have seen after market dished valves suitable for exhaust, but not stock Ford.
 
From Solihull to Oskosh.....could you feel Jack looking over your shoulder ?

Mart did you mike the center cam journal for excess wear...that journal takes a beating.
New cam bearings or go with originals, it's an oil pressure thing.
You are becoming a sage in the truest sense of the word.....your opening " Hello " is
priceless. Every moment is as good as it gets.
Charlie ny
 
Mart, I really like your videos. Just as an FYI I pulled this info from a ford manual. The sequence may be easier on an engine with the bottom end assembled.

When these valves are open.------------Adjust these valves
4EX 1IN-----------------------------------3EX 8IN 6IN 7EX 3IN 2EX
3EX 4IN-----------------------------------1EX 7IN 5EX 2IN 4EX 1IN
1EX 7IN-----------------------------------8EX 5IN 6EX 4IN

Gap spec'ed in this manual:
Intake .010-.012
Exhaust .014-.016

I have a 38 - 41 221 CI tin sleeved engine with an Isky 77B cam on my stand now. I used the sequence above to check the valve lash.
 
flatjack9 said:
As noted, a magnet will verify. It won't be attracted to exhaust valves. I have seen after market dished valves suitable for exhaust, but not stock Ford.
Click to expand...

Thanks for flagging up the valve situation, FlatJack. I feel like people have "got my back" on this job. (If that is the right expression).

Mart.
 
Charlie ny said:
From Solihull to Oskosh.....could you feel Jack looking over your shoulder ?

Mart did you mike the center cam journal for excess wear...that journal takes a beating.
New cam bearings or go with originals, it's an oil pressure thing.
You are becoming a sage in the truest sense of the word.....your opening " Hello " is
priceless. Every moment is as good as it gets.
Charlie ny
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind words, charlie. No I did not mic the cam journals, I might have not liked what I saw...

Glad you're enjoying the videos.

Mart.
 
41ford1 said:
Mart, I really like your videos. Just as an FYI I pulled this info from a ford manual. The sequence may be easier on an engine with the bottom end assembled.

When these valves are open.------------Adjust these valves
4EX 1IN-----------------------------------3EX 8IN 6IN 7EX 3IN 2EX
3EX 4IN-----------------------------------1EX 7IN 5EX 2IN 4EX 1IN
1EX 7IN-----------------------------------8EX 5IN 6EX 4IN

Gap spec'ed in this manual:
Intake .010-.012
Exhaust .014-.016

I have a 38 - 41 221 CI tin sleeved engine with an Isky 77B cam on my stand now. I used the sequence above to check the valve lash.
Click to expand...

Thanks 41. that is the method I used to use. I had no problem with it. The new method I came up with is now my preferred method though. The above method just shows it is not absolutely imperative to have the lifter directly opposite the lobe when setting the lash.

Mart.
 
Might be something unique to the mushroom valves. All the 8BA intake valves I have are dished and they are magnetic. I'll have to dig out some mushroom valves and check them.
 
I had to run out and check my current engine project with a magnet!:eek:
A C8BA, all valves are dished, the intakes are shiny with no magnet attraction at all (stainless?) the exhausts have a slight magnetization.
 

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