Valve stem question

[Flchallenger]

New build on a 440 stroker. a lot of clattering so I pulled the valve cover and found some of the roller rockers were loose and found a collapsed

lifter. The valve tip on this valve has small ridges on it. Is this normal. Do I need to replace the valve?

 

[Flchallenger]

Don't know how I got the post all screwed up with the pic in the middle. Please excuse.

 

[Flchallenger]

Could the gooves be for oil?

 

[Chryco Psycho]

I assume it has low miles on it , it would seem to be sloppy finishing polish on the valve tip , I would take a fine file & smooth it out Or better yet why are you not using lash caps with adjustable rockers , then the roller tip has a smooth hard surface & larger area to roll on , they are only about $40 for a set , I use them in every build with adjustable rockers . No need to replace the valve , it will be fine .

 

[moparleo]

When you say new build but not sure what parts are in it, who built it ? If it is new, why isn't the builder involved since they should know what they did/used ? Any warranty or just an acquaintance who did it? Much more information needed. Problem could be any number of defective parts OR installed improperly ??

 

[Flchallenger]

Doesn't have a 50 miles on it. Builder refuses to look at it. Said don't bring it back. I took it to coastal customs & restoration in Freeport fl. He puts the car together and at the very end sells the business to another guy keeps my car and finishes and then tells me good by and don't bring it back. Multiple issues with wiring, poor grounds, overloaded electrical system. Overheating problems, radiator overflowing from the cap. Just a host of crap. So valves clattering like hell and I pull the valve cover and lifters were loose and one lifter collapsed. Same one as this valve tip. It's my problem now so I got to figure it out. What are lash caps. I started this under a different post about the lifters. It has roller rockers and some wear is showing on them. added picture. What are lash caps.

 

[Flchallenger]

Looked up lash caps. Can I just stick these on the end of the valve stems?

 

[Chryco Psycho]

Yes , they just sit on the valve tip .
you shold have a thin metal shim between the rocker & the hold down to prevent the wear there ,
Good to know about Coastal Customs , no one needs to ever support that business !!

 

[Flchallenger]

So would I still need to file the valve tips smooth. Would I need to pull the head remove the valve and then reassemble. I am afraid of getting metal filing in the engine. Any advice.

 

[moparleo]

My personal opinion, If you have this problem that is obvious you probably have other problems not so obvious. You probably have a few dollars invested in this engine and it would be a shame to have the rest of the engine fail. It would be less expensive in the long run and put your mind at ease to have someone with a better reputation and track record to tear down the engine, recheck the parts and clearances. Replace suspect parts and reassemble it. That way you now have someone with first hand knowledge of what you have, exactly. And you won't be chasing your tail from now on trying to guess what the next problem might be, or have a catastrophic failure and lose all the money invested in the engine. But that is just me. Your money/time.

 

[fasjac]

I agree with Leo, this stuff is expensive!
To be on the safe side, and to know exactly what you have, Id have to bite the bullet and pull it. Tear it down and check it all out. JMO

 

[Flchallenger]

Anyone familiar with someone around Northwest Florida. I live just outside Panama City Beach, Fl

 

[Chryco Psycho]

No need to file the valve tip once the lash cap is on to protect it .
I am in Panama But I am a lot further south in the Republic of Panama !
Clearly they had no clue what they were doing , we already know you have 2 obvious problems just in the rockers so I tend to agree it should be looked at by someone knowledgable or bigger issues will likely appear down the road I am always here to help by text or phone if you need .

 

[fasjac]

Anyone familiar with someone around Northwest Florida. I live just outside Panama City Beach, Fl

Sorry, only in Tampa for me.

 

[fasjac]

Since the valve train is off, can you do a leak down test? Just throwing stuff out there. And if you did a compression test before that would be good peace of mind.

 

[Flchallenger]

I am looking at doing a compression check this weekend. Also another person suggest just measure how high each valve comes up as you turn it over to check and see if it has worn the cam. With plugs out I though I could turn it over and just go thru and see if one or more varies. If it does then I know the cam needs to be replaced. So I am going to get that done this weekend and see where that takes me. Also going to drain oil and cut open the oil filter. I will post next with the results.

 

[Racer Dave]

It sounds like the builder was relatively clueless about engine work, as many custom shops are. While they build beautiful cars they often just bolt things together when it comes to engines and didn’t adjust the rockers correctly – which would explain clattering.

I would at a minimum pull the heads and check some things. Is the pushrod from that cylinder bent? That would tell a lot. A collapsed lifter could be the result of a bad lifter, but more likely caused by any number of interference issues. Check retainer to guide clearance, valve spring stack height, look for signs of piston/valve collision, and check valve guides for too little clearance – a problem some aftermarket heads are notorious for.

I’ve never seen a valve tip worn like that before without there being actual breakage of a rocker or roller tip. It could just be poor quality control on the valve finish, and lash caps would preclude replacing the valve. Also, what brand are the roller rockers? The cheap Chinese ones look great until you start to run them…. Then they fall apart and destroy your engine.

 

[moparleo]

I would still recommend a complete teardown and inspection by a competent engine shop. A few hundred could save a few thousand and you will know what you have. Right now what you have inside is just a guess. Your money though...

 

[Flchallenger]

Cam looks fine and checked all the valve heights they are in line with each other. I pulled one of the heads to just make sure it had the stroker kit in it. It does. Anyway I am looking at the head gasket and there are two water jackets blocked by the head gasket. Also three at the bottom are restricted with a slot cut in the gasket. Is this correct?

 

[Flchallenger]

It's the triangluar shape between the clynders and below the cylinders. You can see the horizontal cut in the gasket that lines up with the bottom water jackets.