Plugs and stuck valves..awe!

A

AlanD

Senior Member
I know I don't post a lot here, I prefer to listen and learn. I appreciate this forum and all of ya'll!

It appears that my 1930 coupe has developed some stuck valves. I admit I let her sit longer than I should have, but after having this girl for for 20+ years and this is the first time I've had stuck valves I'm inclined to blame the fuel we have these days (especially after reading threads about stuck valves on this forum).

I noticed something was wrong when I turned the engine over with the starter, I heard and felt the missing compression steps. (btw I love being able to feel immediately when something is not right - I know you know what I mean)

After doing some checking and all, and then after doing a search on this forum about the issue of stuck valves, I've got some PB blaster soaking (hopefully) into the valves.

Since I pulled the spark plugs for the first time in many years I took pics of them and am fairly pleased with their appearance (I thought they would have more carbon buildup than they did) but I'd like to get your opinion, see the attached pic. It's interesting that the #4 plug was darker that the other three - reason?

I'll let you know how this saga unfolds.
Thanks
Alan in Louisiana
 

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Hi Alan,

My car would tend to pop when going down hill so I thought I would the Marvel Mystery Oil just for the fun of it. It stopped the popping so I am assuming that it is lubing the valves and or changing the fuel/air ratio just enough.

Mike
 
I usually just pull the side cover and spray some cleaner on the guides and stems while turning the engine over by hand. Some usually need some 'help' . While the valve is hung up/open just turn the engine until the camshaft heel/flat is up [ lobe down] and spray some more 'goop' on the guide/stem while 'helping' the valve spring pull/push the valve down. A couple times will usually free them up. The side cover comes off with the manifolds left in place.
 
if you were around in the '50s you might recall that if you got some gasoline on your fingers and rubbed your fingers together you could feel a slight lubricating quality to the fuel...it was slippery.

Do that today and you will just feel a dry , dragging sensation. Today's fuel is very very dry. Many of us run some Marvel Mystery oil or Rislone in our fuel, about 3 shotglasses per 10 gallons. I had enough of stuck valves in a '54 Packard recently and once I began adding MMO to the fuel in all my cars, Voila, no more stuck valves. The amount used is not enough to cause smoke from the pipe. And yes, the alcohol in our polluted fuel today has its own special detrimental effects.
 
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tbirdtbird said:
if you were around in the '50s you might recall that if you got some gasoline on your fingers and rubbed your fingers together you could feel a slight lubricating quality to the fuel...it was slippery.

Do that today and you will just feel a dry , dragging sensation. Today's fuel is very very dry. Many of us run some Marvel Mystery oil or Rislone in our fuel, about 3 shotglasses per 10 gallons. I had enough of stuck valves in a '54 Packard and once I began adding MMO to the fuel in all my cars, Voila, no more stuck valves. The amount used is not enough to cause smoke from the pipe. And yes, the alcohol in our polluted fuel today has its own special detrimental effects.
Click to expand...


Yep, todays fuel is junk. I like lead. It may be bad stuff, but, I still like it. It keeps things lubed. I happen to be a Sea-foam guy, but, thats beside the point.
 
If just spraying the bottom of the valve stems doesn't get the stuck valve to free up, then remove the mainifolds and spray the tops of the guides also. You can also just remove the plugs and try to spray at each open valve, but this is more of a hit and miss, but it's still worth a try.

Once you get the engine running, swap the plugs between 1 and 4 and see how they look after several miles.

I also use 4 oz. MMO with each 10 gallons of gas for my Model A's and all my small engines.
 
You can reach the tops of the valves by using a long screwdriver inserted through the spark-plug holes. Tap them down a couple times and they should free up after the engine starts.
 
OK, apparently I have just one stuck valve in #2. Got out my Free Harbor Freight LED flashlight and watched each valve. They all move except this one.
With the way the engine ran I thought it was more than one.

So I tapped on it with a screw driver and it moves really slow. The valve rod must be gummed up - just like the above posts say.

Going to do the marvels mystery oil treatment when I get it running. For years I have been using this STP lead additive but its all pretty old - I wonder if it expires.

Any thoughts on why #4 plugs is darker?

Thanks Guys
As my Grandfather used to say - "much obliged!"
 
I'm also curious about that plug being darker. My #3 & #4 plugs are always wetter or more fouled than the first 2 plugs.
 
OK, not as bad as we thought.
In addition to adding MMO to the gas, since you actually have a stuck valve now also add a qt to the crankcase. You want the MMO to get at the valve any and every way it can. Stay at it, you'll free it up. My '54 Packard is a straight 8 and at least half of them were stuck, and there is no looking at them from the plug hole. I thought it would never start, and it usually starts real nice. I dumped MMO into that thing like you would not believe and set the idle up and let it run for about an hr. Kinda smoked the neighborhood but it was during the workday/weekday no one home so no one noticed. Waited for a windy day also. They got free and are still free with MMO routinely in the fuel. I have long since drained the oil
 
I think I got it!
I used a heat gun to soften the straw on the PB Blaster and put a nice right angle in it. With this I was able to get up under the valve face and spray the rod. I worked it up and down, and after about an hour and the plugs back in the compression feels right as the engine turns over.

I spent the rest of the evening draining the old fuel out. Today after work I'll put new gas in with MMO and clean those plugs a bit, then start her up.
I'll let ya'll know how it goes.

Thanks everyone for the help and advice!
 

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Halleluiah!! Started her up and runs like a top, like she always does.
I told her I was sorry for neglecting her.
After totally draining the tank, I put in about a gal of fresh no-eth gas with MMO. This will get me to the station.

By The Way - Happy Valentine's Day
I'm so glad I have a sweet who likes the Model A too.
 
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