Horrendous squeal from my engine! I need some help :D

[Sparticus]

UPDATE: I have started re-seating the valves etc, never done this before so the father is advising aka taking over 'cos he wants my car!

I have discovered that one of the valves doesn't move as smoothly as al the others, this the same one that squeaked when the rocker above it moved? I shall clean them all up and soak it all in petrol!!

Parts also arrived today so i can fit HG once the head is done!

[IslipMinor]

Is it still tight with oil on the stem? Is it an exhaust or inlet valve?

[bmcecosse]

Oh no!! Have you eliminated the by-pass hose???????
More seriously - was there any evidence of oil on the rocker gear - or was it 'dry' ? If it's tight/squealing it's going to need a new guide and probably a new valve. Check if the valve is bent.....

[les]

The valve may have 'picked up' from binding at some time, you might see some roughness on the stem, if so, rubbing with a small oilstone should smooth it. If it's too bad I'd replace it and check the guide.,

[Sparticus]

Okay i have managed to remove the two suspect valve bits...both had very tiny blemishes, 1 or 2 on each, about the size of a full stop I have used some wet sand paper very very gently and they now run the same as the rest.

I'll have to pretend i didn't get that bmc

[chrisryder]

You still haven't said which valves they were. Remember, exhaust valves don't need valve stem seals.

[bmcecosse]

You must ensure there is oil flowing to the rockers........has anyone been messing about with the rocker shaft and/or the support pillars ?

[MarkyB]

Quite tiny blemishes can easily cause problems later on unfortunately.
Run you fingers over the flat surfaces to see if there are any irregularities and make sure there isn't any rubbish on or around the bases of the head studs too.

[IslipMinor]

I would check that the rocker pillar with the oil feed hole is lined up with the feed hole in the head.

Are we chasing a possible non-problem here? It seems more likely to relate to the head gasket failing and that can certainly produce some very unpleasant squealing sounds!

[bmcecosse]

I had indeed assumed the 'squeal' was simply high pressure gas squeezing out from the gasket - until this noise was reported from a valve stem....... The valves must all slide easily in the guides - falling out by gravity if the head is inverted.

[Sparticus]

The head has been reassembled and all cleaned up. Before doing so i tested every valve numerous times making sure they slide out easily, like mentioned i turned the head upside down onto a rug and they all fell out....god job i had marked them

Cleaned the block face up and the bores now ready for the head gasket.

[Sparticus]

Terrible news All the push rods go in but one....it's like there's something block it's path...god job i have tightened the head down

[chrisryder]

You must have pulled a follower out with the pushrod (they stick together with the oil). You'll have to remove one of the rectangular side covers to poke it back in.

[Sparticus]

THANK GOD....i was terrified!

[MarkyB]

There is a bit of an art to getting push rods out, a short lift and twizzle then another short lift to try and determine if it feels too heavy to be the push rod alone.

[Tom and Maria]

I find that lifting them a small amount (3/4'' or so) and then lightly tapping the end with a spanner or something usually is enough to shock the followers off.

Tom

[bmcecosse]

Just shoogle them.....

[Sparticus]

Just shoogle them.....

I take that's a technical term?

[bmcecosse]

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/shoogle

[Sparticus]

haha that is superb!