1929 Ford AA with 3 sticky intake valves! What's the best solution?

[Fdohnke]

Gents,

My AA suddenly lost compression on 3 cylinders, so I opened it up this morning and found the intake valves on 2, 3 & 4 are taking about 4 seconds to return to the closed position. Attached a video taken with my Iphone through the spark plug opening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYDNF_gLg_8

Do you think I need to replace the springs or jus clean out the junk built up around the valve? What is the best way to clean the valves?

Thanks for looking.

[Fdohnke]

Attached a pitcture of the valve springs. Lots of gunk in there! What is the best way to clean these guys?

[broommaker]

My dad would take a mixed solution on laquer thinner and marvels mystery oil, 50/50 and with the engine running, rev engine and spray the solution into the carb, I remember it worked on a 35 ford we had with sticky valves. Washed away varnish from around the valve stems....

Jim

[broommaker]

With the valve cover off, I would spray the laquer thinner and MM oil around the valve and guides while turning the engine...

Jim

[tudoor]

Gunk engine cleaner will clean the valve chambers out, also spray the valves stems with gunk, then I would pull the oil pan and clean that too. Get a couple of cans to flush it out. Then wash it out with the hottest water you can get boiling hot will do. Then blow out with compressed air and dry completely.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

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NO, NO, NO, don't spray Gunk in valve chamber, it'll run down the passages to the mains, cam bearings, timing gears, etc. Leave well enough alone & just free up the sticky valves. If you ever clean up an oil reservoir, plug the oil passages with FAT pipe cleaners & don't forget to take them out when finished! A NEW MOTOR COSTS A HEAP OF MONEY$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Bill W.

[Tom Wesenberg]

What's the black junk running out of the rear intake port?
I'd use a can of Sea Foam in the gas, and another can in the oil.

[Barry B./ Ma.]

That engine looks like it has some miles on it. If it runs good and there are no loud noises in it I would just scoop out the goo, drop the pan and clean it out and also the oil pump, then use a good multigrade oil with Mystery oil added. Before you start it I would put some Mystery oil in the cylinders through the plug holes.

[Fdohnke]

Its gunk from the Fuel/Air mixture, both the intakes are full of this nasty black tar-like stuff. I'm pretty sure this is what's making the valves stick.

[Mitch//pa]

really bad old gas or some sort of tank sealer can act like a syrup and stick the valves. make sure you check your fuel tank etc

[Fdohnke]

The engire was running fine up to a couple weeks back. It's a replacement motor without a serial number (looks like the number was removed). I hit all the valves with MMO and already see sticky valves returning faster, but still sticking. I'll give the stuff a couple days to do its work, and just clean out what I can reach.

[Fdohnke]

I'll make sure to check the tank also.

[Mitch//pa]

put some fuel in a glass jar it should be clear//not discolored or dark

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Fdohnke

The engire was running fine up to a couple weeks back. It's a replacement motor without a serial number (looks like the number was removed). I hit all the valves with MMO and already see sticky valves returning faster, but still sticking. I'll give the stuff a couple days to do its work, and just clean out what I can reach.

How old is the gas, and does it have ethanol in it? I put some stale gas with 10% ethanol in my motorbike a few years ago and the valve stuck overnight. I had to remove the head and spray penetrating oil on the stem, then tap it pretty hard with a hammer to get it down. It took quite a bit of pushing up and tapping down before it finally was able to return on it's own. Marvel Mystery Oil is good stuff and it wouldn't hurt to put about 4 oz. in each 10 gallons, but for the first tank I'd use a can of Sea Foam, as it's a good solvent for stuck valves and lifters.

[Purdy Swoft]

Marvel Mystery oil and Sea Foam are good as said but to free up the sticky valve quicker I think a thinner penetrant would be good . I have used PB Blaster in a spray can with a stem. I remove the spark plugs and spray the sticky valve through the spark plug hole so the penetrant can flow down the valve stem. I also spray the penetrant through the valve springs with the valve cover off. Haveing the plugs out removes compression. I used the starter to turn the engine while I sprayed penetrant and tried to watch the valve action. This is how I unstuck the valves in my AA project. Be sure to use the large pipe cleaners in the oil passages like Bill suggests if you clean out the valve chamber.

[Fdohnke]

Great picture!

[Purdy Swoft]

Originally Posted by Fdohnke

Great picture!

Thanks Fred, Here is another. Its going back together slowly. I'm working on this one outside.

[Fdohnke]

The MMO did it! All valves working properly and motor has good compresion... now I seem to have lost the spark! No fire. These things keep you on your toes. Thanks for all the great info on the valves, this forum rocks.

[Mitch//pa]

Great news
Another MMO customer

[pat in Santa Cruz]

I saw some black gunk like that on one engine I helped out with. It was in the carburetor too, which is why the car did not run.Turns out, way back in the day, folks would mix up permatex #2 and alcohol as use it as a tank sealant. Well, ethanol dissolves it, and it gets everywhere. So how is the fuel tank?

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Is it possible to add valve spring spacer washers above the springs to increase spring pressure when you have some sticking valve problems? This could also help eliminate floating valves at higher RPM's. Bill W.

[txturbo]

Once you get it running put some MMO in the gas and oil.