I have one valve, I think its the 3rd one from the back of the engine to the front on the passenger side that is making a god aweful claking noise. The push rod on that valve was bent to hell and I replaced it, but know its making this claking noise. When I take the Push Rod back out of that valve its doesnt make the noise though. I have a miss still with the car which I am guessing is related to this valve, so what could it be and what can I do to asses the actual valve without pulling the head? Also can I just leave the Push Rod off of that Valve and drive the car with just 15 Valves without doing damage to the engine?

 

If your spring is not broken and the rocker is ok, I'd suspect a bad lifter. I.e it is stuck and not allowing bleed down thus rather than cushioning the push rod it is slamming the rod into the RR and against the valve stem and bending the rod. Kinda like a solid lifter with too tight of an adjustment. It could also be a lifter that is not pumping up and therefore when you do your lash you are again turning the hydrolic lifter into a solid lifter.

Pull the cover and observe the culprit. After you isolate the exact rocker, check the adjustment and readjust if necessary. If that doesn't do it, pull the rocker off and see if the rod is bottomed out in the lifter or if after running the engine where the lifter is pumped up whether by depressing the rod that it can actually be depressed.

I doubt that it is the vavle itself, but rather the drive train....And no, you should not run without a valve opening, especially an exhaust valve. JMHO bavleerhs st

 

I just put a brand new set of Melling lifters in and they have zero miles on them. Also, the lifter has to be pumping cause oil is squirting up from the Push Rod. Im gonna check the Spring, but this thing has me stumped.