Uh-Ohhh!!

[daddyo23]

Since it was a warm day, (+30) I decided to finally get some work done on the '48. I took off the valve inspection covers to clean the sludge out as this is afairly new car for me. As I was dragging my finger through to get a glop, imagine my surprise when I pull out a vavle keeper:eek: Start on the front three, here's another one! Mild panic sets in, but at least they didn't go anywhere else. I tried to see which valve they came from, but I can't tell.

I've done ohv's before but this is my first flattie I've had this happen. Why would these pop out? What all is entailed to find out which one? Can I drive it a few miles to a shop with a lift and a spring compressor? Any and all advice will be avidly read and appreciated. Thanks,

Wayne P.

[Plymouthy Adams]

odds are they were dropped long ago and your valves are properly "retained" as quick look will verify..most folks will just grab another rather than go look for the one that dropped.

[Niel Hoback]

Ususally, if a keeper is missing, the spring retainer will look crooked instead of level. Like Tim said, they have probably been laying there since the last guy was in there. For your sake, I hope so.

[Normspeed]

I think that even if one or more has dropped down into the pan, no harm at all would be done.

[daddyo23]

Thanks, guys. They all look level. It's not a good feeling though when you find parts where they are not supposed to be. Wayne

[Niel Hoback]

Not sure, but I don't think the drain holes are big enough to pass a keeper.

[Don Coatney]

Not sure, but I don't think the drain holes are big enough to pass a keeper.

I know they would not pass my brothers keeper:cool:

[Jim Saraceno]

Unless you have extremely weak springs, I just can not imagine any way for a keeper to get loose. On the other hand, I can't imagine anyone dropping a keeper, grabbing another, and not retrieving the dropped one.

First of all, that would mean you would have to have extra keepers then you would have to think that loose keepers floating around an engine is no big deal.

Very curious.

But I do agree with the others that you would be able to see it if you were missing a keeper.

I know they would not pass my brothers keeper

Don, I thought you WERE your brother's keeper.

[Plymouthy Adams]

back in the day if this went to a shop for a valve job..more than not the guy has a whole seletion of these keepers and the area it fell into is a pocket..the may or may not try to fish it out..and unless the car is involved in a rollover it would remain in the casting..remember..not all mechanics have the intergrity of onwer/operator. even doing this yourself with the manifold in place your room to work is limited..sight witout mirror and light is nil..

[John Mulders]

I thought the pan was intended for spare parts that would be protected from rust by the oil

[grey beard]

Wouldn't it be more than a little interesting to know just how clean the valve chambers of our forum members' eengines really are - even those who have had overhauls done since they own these vehicles. I have personally never torn down a MoPar flathead that had a clean valve chamber, so I am opinionated in the direction that dirt and sludge continue to collect here in many hobbyist's vehicles just like it did back when.

I realize that the oil quality most of us use today is a far cry from the stuff available back in 1950 in those two gallon cans many of us can remember, but our engines mostly are still running part-time bypass filtration systems and it's not rocket science that most hobbyist's engines seldom get up to true operating temperatures. Add to this scenario the old road draft vent tube, and I see a recipe for sludge.

It is my guess that there are many sludged up valve chambers being driven around today by unsuspecting owners. Wouldn't it be interesting to see some pics of a few of these that have had some miles put on them - with the valve pans removed.

Maybe if I paint my engine compartment again . . . . . . . JMHO:)

[Niel Hoback]

These are pictures of an engine that was rebuilt, but i have no idea how many miles are on it. I scraped quite a bit of carbon off the piston tops, so it has been used, and it did have a filter on it. I was so surprised at how clean it was that I took these pictures last summer when I was playing with it.

[Guest rockabillybassman]

A guy I know found a 1/2" ratchet and sockets lying under the valley cover of a Chev 454 that he had imported and been driving for a couple of years.

[daddyo23]

I only wish, Niel, that I could come close to getting it that clean. Scraped abit off the walls, it wasn't as bad as the '51 was. That motor had ring issues, though. Like Tim said, it is hard to really see what you're doing in there. Cleaned the sludge out of the drain holes, picked up the wayward keepers, and pumped the snot out of the foot feed. No choke, hit the button and fired right up. Then put the choke on for about five minutes until the frost melted off the base of the carb. Wayne