Curiosity killed the cat!

[P-12 Tommy]

There's been all this talk about cylinder compression numbers. So I decided to check compression on #2 cylinder with a compression checker. Mind you this is the first time I used this checker. I pulled the #2 plug and screwed the fitting in the hole. I pulled the coil wire and set it aside. To make a long story short, the fitting was a little too long and when the valve came up, it hit the fitting and apparently bent the valve (whatever valve is directly under the #2 spark plug hole.) After that I checked it again and ended up with no compression on that cylinder. Plus I see a perfect mark on the valve from the fitting. So it looks like fun time for me for the next few days. Drain antifreeze, pull the head, remove right access cover and pull off the front valve cover. I suppose I gotta get a spring compressor and so on and so on. I didn't pay attention to the length of the fitting. DOHHHHHHHH!!! Anybody else do something dumb like that? BTW....Does anybody have a spare valve I could buy?

Thanks in advance, Tom

Edited February 18, 2010 by P-12 Tommy

[Young Ed]

My friend did something similar with his lawn mower. Didnt compare the new plug to the old one and the store had given him the wrong length. In his case he needed a new cam. He ordered one and I put it in his mower. The next summer when he did his mower maintenence he over tightened the oil drain and split the crank case. So that summer we put a lower crank case in it. Its still running strong!

[mr63inaz]

Wow that is really lame . That now makes me wonder what I may have done with attemped to start mine with longer spark plugs ?? how long was this fitteing??

[Don Coatney]

On these flathead engines I use only the push and hold compression test devices. They are not invasive and the spark plug holes are redily accessible on these engines.

[JIPJOBXX]

Darn that to bad-I really feel for you as it is a pain in the butt to make a mistake like that and now you haft to go to all the work to repair it.

[JIPJOBXX]

I have been fairly fortunate as I have never had anything really go bad. I have blow up two batteries by mistake and had a rear wheel on a model A Ford fly oft and go right past me:D. But over the long haul I have been pretty fortunate. Oh wait a minute when I was in high school I had a 31 Studebaker and I installed an electrical fuel pump back by the gas tank. Well when I ran the lead wire to the pump I ran it right over the exhaust pipe and well you guest it? It shorted out but not right away but up in the mountain of course! My brother came to my rescue and he still remarks about that incident.

[P-12 Tommy]

It looks like I need a used intake valve if anybody has one. I'm gonna start tearing into it in the morning.

Thanks, Tom

[P-12 Tommy]

Is there a quicker way to change a valve or just the way I said it?

Tom

[jmooner3]

Well while were sharing duhh moments, I started my 50 (no radiator) ran it for less than a minute with my boy (proud moments for us as we've been struggling to get this thing going)... as the engine came up to temp, I noticed a wisp of steam/smoke coming out of the rad hose still attached to the top of the engine shut her down and sure as shootin, the oil that looked like a fresh oil change was milky... I can only suspect that in my infinite wisdom, I popped the head gasket, and the little coolent that was left in the engine jumpped the fence into the oil..Unless someone can tell me something worse I did:rolleyes: Won't have time to pull the head til next week...anything else I should look for in there?

[41/53dodges]

cracked block?

and dont feel bad P12, take one random guess what i did with No. 5 cylinder.

[P-12 Tommy]

What ticks me off about the whole thing is that it ran flawlessly.

Tom

[P-12 Tommy]

  41/53dodges said:

cracked block?

and dont feel bad P12, take one random guess what i did with No. 5 cylinder.

Put a hole in the piston?

[41/53dodges]

no, the plug hole sits right above the intake valve. it left a perfect imprint of the checker in the valve

[P-12 Tommy]

I'll be darned. The same thing except mine was #2.

[41/53dodges]

exactly. of course, the treads on the checker were wrecked, too

[Young Ed]

Better the checker then the head.

[55 Fargo]

P12 tommy, I installed spark plugs 1 time, slightly too long, it bent them up slightly to close gap some, and run bad immediately. I ws lucky no damage, and pulled plugs, and saw what happened. I have done a compression test, with a fitting the right depth so no problem. But from here on in, will use a tester like Grumpy Coatney's ( Hey Don related to Grumpy Jenkins by chance)..........Fred, PS we could all fit the Grumpy handle every now and then...LOL

[Jim Saraceno]

I guilty of having done the same thing. There was a deep reach adapter that I used to check the compression. On mine, the valve just peened over the adapter so I had to drill it out.

I then pulled the head to get all the filings out but the valve was unharmed. It didn't even have a mark on it. I may have had to put a helicoil in there but I really don't remember for sure.

[P-12 Tommy]

Well, here's an update on the bent valve ordeal. Got the head off and stuck a piece of receipt paper under the valve and cranked it. With the valve closed, the paper pulled out no problem. So there's just enough gap for it to not seat properly. Beside that, everything else looks good. The head has the usual bit of carbon buildup. It'll be easy to clean up. I bagged and marked bags with bolts in them just in case I get a brainfart. Tomorrow I'll pull the right front wheel and inspection cover and pull the front valve cover off. I should be able to pick up my head gasket package tomorrow and hopefully mid-week get my intake valve in the mail from Jim Yergen. Thanks again Jim! Here's a couple of pics.

Tom

[Jim Yergin]

Tom,

It went out in this morning's mail.

Jim Yergin