What have you done to your wagon lately? (Let's keep the thread going!)

Took a ten hour trip and still not leaking at the trailer controller under the dash.
The car ran perfectly and used no oil. It's still nice and golden so that's a good sign things are running properly.

I do have a lifter or rocker tick that's bugging the hell out of me. It's not bad but I can hear it slightly and it's like a mosquito in your bedroom at night. Try and sleep knowing that thing is in there. I'm not familiar with Ford engines only Chevrolets. From looking at parts at rockauto.com it appears that they are not adjustable like the Chevy. From what I understand the original owner had the heads off at some point and put on a rebuilt carburetor. He said he was told to shave them a bit to add power so he did. I'm assuming he needed valve seals but an not certain what or why it was done. He was old and his memory was past its prime. He said it had a rim blow horn and was trying to.make it work, it doesn't have that lol.

So any ideas ladies and gentlemen?

 

The Chevy rockers have an initial adjustment. After doing that, you have to leave them alone. If the hydraulic tappets start ticking, you won't solve the problem, through tampering with the adjustment. They will tick, because of varnish accumulation.
When you mill the heads on a Ford, you should have equal material machined off of the pushrods

 

I get the Chevy rockers, lots of experience with them. It's the ford valve train set up I'm unfamiliar with. Is there any adjustment in them? Thanks guys

 

Which engine do you have? In most cases, the answer is no. But I do know that the mid-60s Windsors had studs and ball trunnions, making them adjustable. Essentially, if the rocker arm assembly is attached with bolts, the answer is no.

 

Sorry is the 460. So how does one correct a rocker tap? Besides money and work I'm thinking I have to go through the whole valve train?

 

I'd remove the lifters and inspect them for wear. If excessive, have them replaced, along with the camshaft or have only the lifters replaced and the camshaft ground. An integral machine shop will stamp the amount milled off of the heads onto them. If you aren't sure as to if the previous owner had mounted the heads onto the block himself or had it done, I'd replace the pushrods with new ones which have been machined down to the amount milled off of the head or have the lifters machined down to that amount.
If the lifters don't show signs of excessive wear, simply disassemble them and soak them in solvent. They should operate silent, afterwards

 

What weight oil are you using? I tend to try the easiest thing first when it comes to issues like this. Perhaps an oil change and a different motor oil may make a difference? If that doesn't do the trick then it's likely you will have to resort to more invasive repairs.

 

I've used several different oil brands and weights. Current is Amsoil, 3 quarts 30 and 2.5 50.
It's not critical at this point but I do want to get rid of the tick. I was planning on changing the 1977 smog/dog cam at some point so I will change out the valve train at the same time. I've already put a new timing set in it. I wanted to get rid of the old plastic coated gear and install the cam straight up. The factory cam was 8 degrees retarded if I remember correctly. That improved power fuel mileage alone.

 

Have you tried that Lucas stuff? Works pretty well for a band-aid

 

I may just pull the valve covers for a look see. I cant remember if I did an engine flush when I bought the wagon but I may also do that the next oil change

 

Well, it was worth a mention, but you're one step (or more) ahead of me.
Sounds like you may need to start digging deeper.

 

Or simply turn up the volume

 

Also a viable alternative, albeit likely a short term solution.

 

Well, after fighting a vibration in the front end of the Fury, having new brakes come apart twice and then learning that my mastercylinder was dying I decided to make a change.

I decided it was the right time to upgrade to disc brakes.




The kit I got came with a new mastercylinder, which replaced the old, failing single reservoir mastercylinder.


I only did the fronts for now, since I had a very strict budget I was working with. But even with the drums on the back the difference is unbelievable. I've only driven it a bit since I picked it up this morning, but it's like going from the stone age to the space age.

It was a big deal for me, first time I've really ever done an "upgrade" to a car that wasn't my primary transportation (and therefore "necessary"). We'll see how it goes, but I am pretty excited.

 

Pretty! That’s awesome. What kit did you get? Did you have a booster on the old set up? Plenty of cars have discs on the front and drums on the back. Way to go