Bent Push Rod

[Jerry/MT]

I have a Milwaukee optical scope and will look around through the spark plug hole to see if I can see any damage up on the valve head itself or on the head of the piston. Still looking to hear from any Ford guys on how much of an ordeal the head removal is, if any. If it's not too big of a pain I would rather tear it all off and have all of the valves checked out - I have a guy who has rebuilt several heads on some of my cars....many of which had seized valves. Mind you all of these car engines were in cars that had been idle for many, many years. Tomorrow I will grab a small gear puller and make a small slide hammer to hopefully move the valve back up.

I doubt very much that the valve is bent because the push rod buckled so there is not actuation of the valve. Soundguy had three of these on a Ford 4000 a month or so ago and he was worried about the same thing and there was nothing wrong with his valves.
Before you pull the head, get some brake cleaner and spray the heck out of that valves stem. That's a pretty powerful solvent and it should cause the valve to release. Be patient and you can save yourself some effort and not have to remove the head. Once the valve releases, hit it again with brake cleaner then push it down manually and see if it comes back right away. If it does, then squirt some ATF on it and let it set and repeat the process untill you get an immediate return of the valve. While you're at it, order your pushrod and pour some ATF down ALL the vave stems to prevent this from happening again. When you get your pshrod, install it and adjust all the valves. I had a neighbor who had a chronic problem on a 9N Ford and he added a pint of ATF to full tank of gas and he claims he never had sticking valves again. You can decided whether you want to do that or not as a preventative. Usually these problms occur from a lack of use.
Removing the head is not a tough deal but why do it if you don't have to!

 

[Johnp33]

If you are gong to try freeing it up buy some of the injector cleaner in the purple bottles, I do not remember the name.
It works really well, put it in a spray bottle and spray the Valve stem, If it has a valve seal it will be a waist of time then you have to remove the manifold and get at it from inside the port.
I use it to remove carbon all the time. spray it on, tap the valve with a small hammer, in an hour, gently, when it breaks free push it down and spray it again, You have to do it quit a few times to get the stuff up the stem far enough to clean it. Then put shop air in the cylinder to see if it leaks.
Just a thought!

 

[ldammeyer]

If you are gong to try freeing it up buy some of the injector cleaner in the purple bottles, I do not remember the name.
It works really well, put it in a spray bottle and spray the Valve stem, If it has a valve seal it will be a waist of time then you have to remove the manifold and get at it from inside the port.
I use it to remove carbon all the time. spray it on, tap the valve with a small hammer, in an hour, gently, when it breaks free push it down and spray it again, You have to do it quit a few times to get the stuff up the stem far enough to clean it. Then put shop air in the cylinder to see if it leaks.
Just a thought!

UPDATE: the valve is free ! After a trips to Tractor Supply, Autozone, and True Value I was able to build my first slide hammer valve puller. After trying for about 30 minutes to get my contraption to work I went to my back up plan of taking a pry bar and inserting it between the already compressed springs and then applied slight positive upward pressure while sharply tapping/striking the valve stem with a hammer. After 3 blows it popped up with a lot of force. Over the next hour a lubricated / tapped / lubricated / prayed, etc until it is no longer binding and seems to be good to go. I have ordered a new push rod and will install it next week and hope to have it running by next weekend.

Any more ideas on fuel additives for this next tank of gas to get the rest of the valves cleaned up?

 

[Short Game]

Any more ideas on fuel additives for this next tank of gas to get the rest of the valves cleaned up?

I had an F350 with a 460 that had bent pushrods and collapsed a lifter from valves sticking shut. I put in a new lifter and pushrods and after that, I put a quart of diesel in every tank of gas. I don't know if that was why it never stuck another valve, but it made me feel better to think it helped.

Glad to hear the valve is free.