Flathead sticky valves

[Peter Nieuwlandt]

Hi Guys

My 47 flathead is giving me  a hard time!!! I let it sit for about two years and when I fired it up ,it ran but not very well.
I looked at the ingnition wich was OK,Rebuilt the carburator and the fuel pump wich I was planning to do anyhow.
Everything looked Ok and truly the flathead fired up and ran for like 15 seconds,then it died again!!!
After several tries with the same result it finally kept running,although not real well but it ran!!
I turned off the ignition and let it sit again for a couple of hours after wich I started the engine again and it will start every time but it will only run for like 15 seconds.
My idea is sticky valves ? What do You think or could You give me an idea to free up the sticky valves without tearing down half of the engine?

Thanks and the best wishes for the New Year

Peter

[John Morris #23947]

It sounds like a clogged fuel line, or bad fuel pump, or a bad condenser. I would check the condenser first.

[baxterculver]

Hi Guys

My 47 flathead is giving me  a hard time!!! I let it sit for about two years and when I fired it up ,it ran but not very well.
I looked at the ingnition wich was OK,Rebuilt the carburator and the fuel pump wich I was planning to do anyhow.
Everything looked Ok and truly the flathead fired up and ran for like 15 seconds,then it died again!!!
After several tries with the same result it finally kept running,although not real well but it ran!!
I turned off the ignition and let it sit again for a couple of hours after wich I started the engine again and it will start every time but it will only run for like 15 seconds.
My idea is sticky valves ? What do You think or could You give me an idea to free up the sticky valves without tearing down half of the engine?

Thanks and the best wishes for the New Year

Peter

If the engine "ran but not real well", was it backfiring thru the carb and exhaust?  That would implicate the valves but could also mean the electrics.  If sitting for two years let the lifters drain down, they would need to pump up again but that doesn't take very long at all--if you have oil pressure and the oil is reasonably clean--but the engine would probably run butwith a lot of snorting, backfiring, puffing out the exhaust, etc.
I would investigate the fuel delivery system.  A clogged line or filter would let the engine run for a short time then die out.  A condenser can also heat up and fail--then work again when cooled down, only to fail after running again.  It'll drive ya nuts! 

[Bill Ingler #7799]

I would agree with Baxter that you could have a fuel delivery problem . Jumping from fuel to electrics and not checking out each fully before trying something new could drive one to have  several  beers in frustration, which is not all that bad. I would recommend starting with the fuel system first. One place that could be restricting the fuel is the connection at the tank where the fuel line comes out of the tank. Any crap from your tank could be partially blocking your line. Make sure the line from tank to fuel pump is clear. Disconnect the fuel line from the carb and pull the disributor wire from the coil. Get a can to catch the gas and have a friend crank the car for about 10 seconds to see what delivery is coming from the pump. Another place for fuel restriction is a small filter in the carb behind the fuel line inlet connection to the carb. Just a process of elimination. It could could also be that the fuel pump is the bad guy. Unless the fuel pump is of recent rebuild, gas could have done a number on the pump diaphram.

[Big Fins]

Start with the fuel itself. 2 years is a long time for fuel to sit not moving at all. Get a can of fresh gas and run a line fron the can to the fuel pump. Unless like Bill said, you ruined the pump diaphram. Valve trains don't go bad just sitting.

But out of curiosity...How can you just let a beautiful old car just sit for two years without running it?     After a week, I just need to at least sit in it and hear it run. It's a bad withdrawl symptom. 

Fins

[Wayne Womble 12210]

Sounds like fuel to me too, but a simple compression check will verify that the valves are working correctly.  Thats liiterally as easy as pulling a plug and sticking you finger in the hole, if you dont have a compression gauge. You can tell if there is enough compression and go on from there.

[homeonprunehill]

Hi Guys

My 47 flathead is giving me  a hard time!!! I let it sit for about two years and when I fired it up ,it ran but not very well.
I looked at the ingnition wich was OK,Rebuilt the carburator and the fuel pump wich I was planning to do anyhow.
Everything looked Ok and truly the flathead fired up and ran for like 15 seconds,then it died again!!!
After several tries with the same result it finally kept running,although not real well but it ran!!
I turned off the ignition and let it sit again for a couple of hours after wich I started the engine again and it will start every time but it will only run for like 15 seconds.
My idea is sticky valves ? What do You think or could You give me an idea to free up the sticky valves without tearing down half of the engine?

Thanks and the best wishes for the New Year

Peter
[/quote



12-29-07
PETER, My guess would be, BAD gasoline, You can check for "sticking- valves easy-enought by removing the plugs and doing a compression check on each cyilnder. If you don't have a compression gage-kit, you can still tell if the valves are "stuck open by putting your thumb or fingel  use the TOMMY Middle Fingel) over the spark-plug- hole while your Wife or friend turns the motor VIA starter. (Take off the distriburtor cap while doing this.)If you don't build-up pressure, don't start un-bolting the heads just yet.I have other good ways. Good Luck,JIM

[Peter Nieuwlandt]

Hi Guys

I got my 47 running again !!! Finally with a lot of patience and a whole lot of WD 40 I was able to free the sticking valves while turning the engine by hand and spraying into the opening valves through the spark plug holes !!!
I'm glad it worked out and Your advice was a good help!!!
My flathead is running fine now and I will be on the road again pretty soon !!!!

Thanks again and A Happy New Year to everyone

Peter

And yes Big Fins!!! I let this nice 47 sit for two years due to a lot of work in the business and driving my other Caddy's!!!
So not so bad afterall !!!! But I promise to excercise the 47 in 2008