I have a 1955 Thunderbird...when I purchased it in January it had been sitting since 2001....i changed the fuel tank fuel lines and carb...mystery oiled the cylinders and got it running. ..i noticed it was smoking a bit on the driver side..once i got the valve cover off that was coated with a tube of permatex, I realized that one of the push rods was not attached at the rocker..the push rod was fine . I reattached it and turned the engine over and realized the lifter was not lifting how can I tell if the lifter is stuck in tje up position or if the cam is damaged? Here is a picture of the heads and as good of a picture that i could get of the lifter.

Spray it down with a good solvent wait a while then tap the lifter see if it moves down. If its stuck up and moves then put the rocker back and crank it over. It's possible the lifter is stuck in the up position if that's how the engine sat for all those years. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

Thanks moon i will give that a shot

If the push rod/rocker does not move at all then I think you missed getting the rod onto the lifter when you installed it. Very easy thing to happen. Take the rod back out and try again, making sure you can feel it seat on the lifter cup. Valves will momentarily stick from sitting, then the push rod falls off. Once you run it more often that won't be such a problem. Usually 



Tom from the chiggerfarm located in the beautiful Heart of Central Texas

When you cannot dazzle others with your brilliance, baffle them with bullcorn!

Assuming that everything is generally good, then all of the adjuster screws will be in nearly the same position within the rocker arm.  If this was true or the adjuster screw was in farther than the rest when you observed the motion of the valves, then that lifter or cam lobe is probably worn.  If the lifter is stuck in the up (valve open) position, then the adjuster screw would have to have been adjusted out quite a lot more than the others.  If that was the case, then some penetrating fluid, and perhaps adjusting the screw so there is slight pressure on the lifter will pop it loose.  That looks like cylinder #6, so turn the engine over until you observe that both of #8s valves are closed then turn it another 90 degrees.  That will ensure that the lobes for #6 will be in the closed position and if the lifter is stuck, it will be able to move down.



Lawrenceville, GA

looks like a typical stuck valve,push rod falls out,lifter pushed up to aria not clean.this is caused by poor lubrication is my guess. had the same isue with my 57ranchero when i first purchased it.fix was new rocker shafts and blocking the spill pipes,and clean oil and filter.
This is after the problem has established .Iwould also run some oil threw the carb when 1st started as the valve stems ar mostlikley  verry dry. good luck.

Have you checked that the intake valve itself works up and down freely?

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Don't want to turn you down, but by the picture, the lifter has some sludge on top of it, what idicates the engine ran some time without that pushrod in place. maybe, you have a stuck valve, like some friends already said. Give the valve some gentle taps with a wooden or polyurethane hammer and see if it moves. If not, chances are you just found your problem.

Túlio Lazzaroni "FORD", Florianópolis SC Brasil.

'74 Ford Galaxie 500 292 V8

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