valve adjustment

[rivera11]

when i open inspection cover to adjust valves i found a keep at bottom near

#1 valve. without pulling engin how can i find out if there is a keep missing in any of the valves? tried to compress spring but it would compress down and i couldn`t see keep...even vought a small video camera to see it but we couldn`t see it help.. 1946 dodge flat head..

[Merle Coggins]

See my reply in the "Adjusting Valves" thread.

Merle

[rivera11]

Merle, thanks for info...i`m a poor shadetree mechanic trying to keep my dodge on the road..this will help..thanks again

[suntennis]

If a keeper is missing, the valve will only be retained by one keeper and will hang up, causing missing problems. I had the missing problems with a new rebuilt engine that had only one keeper holding number 6 exhaust valve. The keeper was near the valve. This one valve created problems for both cylinders 5 and 6. All things tested good except that at idle, when spark plug wire for either cylinder was removed, it had no effect on the idle speed.