Just like the subject says. Not looking for an essay, just some key symptoms. Thanks!

 

A mild miss, loss of power up high. Obviously a bent pushrod isnt straight. Weak valvespring you cant see by eye, gotta test the spring. Rather easy to see on a dyno graph because it will float the valves.

 

tap tap tap tap tap

 

ahahahahahaha

 

The car shakes so violently at low rpm/light throttle that the shifter moves around. I was planning to take apart the valvetrain and the intake manifold, check everything and put it back together. If that doesn't fix this then nothing will.

 

Also... a constant pop/miss thru intake or exhaust, keep fouling out spark plug, etc...

 

When I bent one of my pushrods I heard a very loud ticking, the jackass that rebuit my engine didn't use self aligning rockers so the rocker was flipping from side to side rounding the valve tip and almost dropping it into the cylinder. Weak valve springs with kill top end power, you can't hear a worn out spring unless it's causing a miss, if its bad you might be able to see it on a dyno chart like spinner said. How many miles do you have?

 

Well as usual I guessed the problem. I got in my car today, started it and my vacuum was low... then it kept dropping... then I said hmmm I need to get home ASAP! So I moved about 50 feet in the parking lot and my car starts gradually clacking louder and louder... I looked at the oil pressure and it was fine so I hop into the nearest parking spot and shut it down ASAP. From the point of hearing the clacking to turning the car off there was about 5-7 seconds.

I thought I collapsed a lifter, so I pulled the intake. All the lifters were fine, but on pushrod was loose. Took off that valve cover and whatdya know, BROKEN VALVE SPRING! I have been chasing this problem for so long I was almost happy that it broke.

Anyway, the valve didn't drop and it moves very smoothly and seems to contact perfectly with the seat although I can't physically see it. The pushrod and rocekr are perfect. I recovered and rebuilt the whole valve spring and the shreds of the valve seal on that valve. I also pulled both locks and the retainer.

Could something be messed up that would require taking the head or short block out?? My other car is down so I need this one running. Can you break a spring and not mess up that valve, I guess that's my real question... Other than that, what valve springs do you guys recommend.

 

Valve could be bent from contact with the piston. Hold it up and see if it is the same height as the others using a straight edge.

 

Hey good idea man I will def. do that. Anybody else have a suggestion?