  Get your goggles out. |
Once in a while you hear a clattering sound from your valvetrain up front and do not even think about it. The small block engines are prone to oil starvation during hard cornering, that is why we occasionally do not pay too much attention to those irritating valve noises. The same idea of oil starvation came to my mind, when I recently heard that sound again while driving. Thinking of some debris in the oil flow and the sound disappearing after the next start, I did not pay much attention to it. On my return drive however that sound came back and I planned forward to pull the valve cover the next day. First I saw nothing spectacular. Then I jumped the engine for some circles and checked the rocker/valve lash. On a hydraulic lifter engine, there should be almost none. That is what I saw after unscrewing the rocker of the no. 8 exhaust valve, where I had located something wrong. In fact it had too much play, when the valve was closed (spring unloaded). |
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This is a close shot of the rocker and lock nut. Apparently no side rail traces of a contact with the valve retainer. Can I use this rocker again? |
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Another view of the situation and that damned little metal piece that I found then. |
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What is it? 
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Any idea?
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 Now, where is the bigger part of it? I checked it with a magnetic picker down the oil channel - no result. I checked all the pushrod channels - nothing. Probably have to drain oil now and look for the other half of the valve cap? |  The rocker arm on the right shows a different wear pattern. This is the one from the damaged valve tip. I will replace it. Update: 16.Aug.- Drained the oil - nothing in there. Frustration on my side! Even the magnetic oil pan plug screw did not have any metal pieces on it. Is it still in the oil channel? I am waiting for the spare parts. Parts shop keeps telling 3-4 days. I like these guys. Update: 21. Sep. - Boy is it already 1 month ago, that I drained the oil. Have to do sth. about that. Well problem seems to be solved soon. Thanks to Don Yarbough, Ex-Wild Ponies of Hanau and back in the US, managed to place an order for a package of the valve stem caps, Part No. C90Z-6550C. Yes, Ford services them! And another nice fellow Mustanger (Vince) found one on his old 302 engine and sends it to me. Mustang fellows are a true family. Thanks guys....and lesson learned, never trust a supplier with 20 years of experience. This one told me, he only knows this part of younger 302 engines, which was not true. Update: 4.Oct. - Installed the stem cap, torqued the new rocker arm down, new oil filled in, battery connecting.....cranking without the coil connected, coil connected, cranking again .... it fires up.....ooohps bad noise! Shutting down. Update: 5.Oct. Pulling the valve cover again, looking, cap still seems o.k, cranking over, works fine except for a not so nice noise ....oooohps? Another rocker got loose as well. Didn't I pull the intake rocker as well to check the valve. Shadetree mechanics have a bad memory, must be. Doofus award to me, but still fortunate boy. Torqued down the other rockers as well, putting back the valve cover, ignition, fires up....aaaaaaa, runs well and sounds as smooth as before. First tour around the block revving only up to 2500. Sounds still good. Will take care for another 100 miles, then have a look. Thanks to all who helped me. |
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