Hi guys I'm new to this site,as far as sending messages. I got a 1955 VICTORIA that had a bad cam and lifters. When I took the cam and lifters out, there were 4 lobes that were completly round and 4 lifters that you could eat soup out of. I could never set the valve lash. I wonder why. Anyway I put the new cam and lifters in, adjusted them cold then adjusted them hot, no more noise. The question I have is, when I start the car up It's kind of noisy until the oil gets up there. It's like that for about 3 -5 minutes until she warms up. I gaped @ .019. Is this normal. Does anyone know. Thanks.

Welcome! What grade/type of oil are you using?Hows the oil pressure?I just rebuilt my 292 and the difference in how much quieter the lifters/valves are is amazing.I did deepen the oil groove in the cam to .032 which is highly recommended if you replace the camshaft.Maybe too late for you I guess.Most stock/replacement cams are only grooved to .018 which is not enough to get good oil flow up to the top end.Are you getting a reasonable amount of oil through the rocker arms and and shaft?

  

 HI no I didn't groove it out. And I'm using 30 wt oil.

While it is nice to get oil to your top end almost immediately, I don't think it is that important because the rockers really don't need that much oil. The oil only lubricates the rocker arms on the shaft. A good oil will stay in the rocker bushings until the fresh oil gets there. This is why I prefer 10W40. It circulates a lot quicker. I have always found the noise in a cold engine coming from excessive valve clearance. If your cam wore out completely, it is quite possible that the tips of your rockers have a notch beat into them making it impossible to set the clearance with a feeler gauge. I have an attachment on my old Sioux valve refacer that trues the rocker ends. When you first start a cold engine the gap is wider and the valves clatter. As the engine warms, the valves expand and the gap narrows. Although it has been the subject of much discussion, I am a firm believer in adding ZDDP. My father represented one of the companies that licensed the additive from the patent holder 60 years ago, and the demonstrations were impressive. As a last convincing demonstration, he would have me crawl under his 1950 GMC pickup, drain all 8 quarts of oil into a wash tub, and then he would drive about 100 yards and return. I would then refill the oil. He did this over and over with the same pickup. I would be hesitant to try that with today's oils.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

 Thanks for the information I'll try the 10w40. Like I said It's a new cam and lifters Thanks.

Hi Kenneth! As far as the lash closing up as the engine warms up,why do the  Ford specs say .019 hot OR cold.Never understood how it could be the same cold or hot.I prefer the Shell Rotella 15w40 myself.Several members are using this and others have their own favorites.Any 10w40 is not really the entire answer.

  

If cam was original, it was likely cross-drilled. If not (grooved journal), and cam bearing is orig., there could be a wear ridge that is restricting flow (reason people often deepen the groove in replacement cams).

If rockers ARE badly worn, you could still get an accurate lash with a dial indicator type tool.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Oldcarmark, the way I read the shop manual is to set the valves at .019 cold if the engine has been disassembled. It then says to run the engine 1/2 hour and recheck the valves with the engine running and set to .019. This is the way I have always done it. I don't recall reading .019 hot or cold anywhere. It just wouldn't make sense because gaps get closer as the engine warms up.

Kenneth

Fredricksburg, Texas

Bobby: first welcome to the site. It's unfortunate you did the repairs before you contacted this site. Further to the other suggestions posted, check the type of oil you used for it's zddp content. If the container is marked with a "star burst" (looks like a gear) it's for late engines & you should probably replace it. Unfortunately, it should have been in the engine for start up. Did you use a cam lube when assembling the engine? As mentioned you may have worn rockers. To check for adequate oil at the top end, pull the passengers side rocker cover & start the engine cold. You should have reasonable evidence of oil within a minute or two. If after a few minutes there is no evidence of of oil up there, refer back to the forum. Good luck.

Paul

"Oldcarmark, the way I read the shop manual is to set the valves at .019 cold if the engine has been disassembled. It then says to run the engine 1/2 hour and recheck the valves with the engine running and set to .019. This is the way I have always done it. I don't recall reading .019 hot or cold anywhere. It just wouldn't make sense because gaps get closer as the engine warms up."

When I first fired my '56 Bird after it's long slumber, I really fought the lash adjustment. If you have the original adjusters, with the slotted jamb screw, throw those bastards aways and get the '57 and later screws. I think Tee-Bird products was the best price I found. $40-50 in parts will change your life. Seriously.

Secondly, I think it was either here, or on the HAMB, that I learned the following "trick":

• FOLLOW THE VALVE ADJUSTMENT SEQUENCE IN THE SHOP MANUAL, SKIPPING AROUND ON VARIOUS INT/EXH VALVES AS THEY PRESCRIBE AFTER ROTATING THE ENGINE BY 90, 180, 270 DEGREE INCREMENTS AS THEY PRESCRIBE.
• WHEN ADJUSTING THE VALVES, TAKE THEM DOWN TO ZERO LASH, SO YOU CAN JUST TURN THE PUSHROD WITH YOUR FINGERS.
• BACK THE ADJUSTER OUT 1/4 TURN. DONE

This takes away the variance you'll get after the rockers wear in, as well as the feel of drag, etc. When I got my heads back from Tim, I assembled everything, followed this sequence, and life was good. Very little valve noise, but just enough. I've always been told that if solid lifter engines are quiet, the lash is too tight. Also, I do this sequence when the engine is cold. Due to the thread pitch on the adjustors, the technique above provides .0196" if I recall...

Todd in Central California...about half way between Fresno and Sacramento

1956 Thunderbird - 1960 F-100 - 1961 Starliner - 1961 Imperial