[Swilkins]

Hey All,
I guess you can tellI'm working on my tractor again. Blew a head gasket so I pulled the head this evening and found out I have three stuck valves on cyls 3 and 4. Any suggestions on how to free them up without tearing the motor all teh way down. On a good note, the cylinders look about perfect and no metal came out when wedrained the 63 year old oil (just kidding but it was pretty nasty) that was in the motor.

 

[Kbeitz]

I just put some WD-40 on them and tap them closed...
Turn the engine over and over untill you dont need to tap them close.

 

[trout250]

read above post om marvel mystery oil, put you some mmo in a squirt an and squirt some in the valve and let it set for a while, ATF will also work , squirt into valve stem opening on al of them and turn over by hand or with starter, until you can get them freed up

 

[Kirk-NJ]

I use BP blaster on them. As stated tap them down with a hammer. Keyword tap not beat. rotate engine so valves go up and down and keep spraying until valves move freely. You can pop the side covers off and with the valve closed work it up and down under the spring with a big screwdriver.
I have run them after freeing them up like this BUT it's probably best after you get them freed up, and while the head is off, to pull the valves clean them stems and seats and relap them. This will also increase your compression.

Kirk

 

[Swilkins]

I soaked them in WD 40 over night so I guess I'll see this evening if that helped. They are stuck closed. If I had to guess, I'd say the tractor sat up for a long time. Are the side covers mentioned under the exhaust manifold?

 

[Kirk-NJ]

Yes behind the carb under exhaust manifold.Stuck closed are thougher because you can't rotate the engine all the way around through the compression and exhaust stroke. I have an industrial 8n engine I'm working on now had 3 stuck. Freed up two but the last one is being stubbern. Still soaking.

Kirk

 

[Swilkins]

Kirk,
What's the difference between an industrial 8N engine and a regular 8N engine? I had hoped to avoid pulling the exhaust manifold off because it's so rusted I'm afraid the mounting studs will strip or break but I guess I have to do what I have to so. On the good side, I'm sort of anxious to see how well it runs after I get this corrected. I figured it had a stuck valve due to a miss but never expected to find three stuck valves. My plan was to add some MMO after I replaced the head hasket but once I opened her up figured I might as well free up the stuck valves if I can. My barn is not set up to pull the entire motor so hopefully I can get them freed up without having to go that route

 

[JohnW]

DO NOT use the hammer directly on the valves as you TAP them down, use a block of wood. I have seen TAPPED down valves end up bent because the TAPPER got just a bit carried away.

 

[Swilkins]

Roger that John, I figure those things will be about 64 years old withinthe next couple of months and can just imagine what would happen if I used a hammer on a 64 y/o

 

[thenubsterman]

swilkins

WD40 sucks for breaking down rust, Bp blaster works better. What also works really well is a mixture of transmission fluid, and diesel fuel.

Hope this helps.

Paul

 

[smcmanus]

Get some throttle body cleaner at your favorite parts store. That will remove some of the carbon on the valve stems.

Have a nice day
Steve

 

[Swilkins]

Thanks guys, I picked up some BP Blaster yesterday

 

[rscurtis]

If the engine was running with the valves stuck closed, you most likely have a broken camshaft.

 

[Rolex]

I agree if they are stuck closed you have another problem, are they not opened by mechanical means and closed by springs.

 

[Swilkins]

I got them freed up (WD 40 worked fine) and they now work just fine by turning the engine. I went ahead and re-did them while I had it torn down. There was a head stud that had been replaced by a different sized all-thread that caused the gasket to leak arounf the number 3 and 4 cylyinder valves and I'm guessing it sat around for a while and let rust set in. Fixed it all while I was in there and hope to have her running this weekend

 

[Kirk-NJ]

great!

 

[JohnW]

:thThumbsU