bad Babbitt Bearing or Valve Poor Quality Valve Job
 

I have a 1950 Ford Custom sedan with 239cu in flathead V8. For over two years I've been hearing a rattle sound from the engine. One mechanic tells me it's bad Babbitt bearing(s). Another mechanic says the rattle is due to a poor valve job sometime in the past. The car runs very well; no oil leak or loss of power. The rattle is not overly loud but noticeable. Wouldn't the car have "blown up" by now if I had bad Babbitt bearing(s)?

Re: bad Babbitt Bearing or Valve Poor Quality Valve Job
 

No 'Babbitt' bearings in that engine of yours. Ford discontinued Babbitt bearings back in 1936. It could be that you are hearing piston slap....

Re: bad Babbitt Bearing or Valve Poor Quality Valve Job
 

The first thing you need is a new mechanic.

Re: bad Babbitt Bearing or Valve Poor Quality Valve Job
 

Obviously, neither mechanic knows much about early ford v8s.

Re: bad Babbitt Bearing or Valve Poor Quality Valve Job
 

If the oil pressure is good, I would pull the intake and start checking valve gap, easiest thing to check. If wide, will have to pull heads and grind valves, &/or install adjustable. If pulling the valves to change lifters, may as well touch up or just lap them too.
I had a rattley 8RT that ran good, and disassembly showed a depression in the lifter where the stem rode, some quite deep. Could not gauge divot, but about .020. Don’t know why, but replaced with adjustables and lapped valves, run quiet

Re: bad Babbitt Bearing or Valve Poor Quality Valve Job
 

Oil pressure is good. What you're saying sounds much better than having engine pulled, disassembled and being sent off for machining.

Re: bad Babbitt Bearing or Valve Poor Quality Valve Job
 

That sounds much better. Do you have some more specific readings? Cold/hot idle and cold/hot at speed?

As an example of what can happen, my '51 had good oil pressure but an intermittent rattle when revved up with the clutch in. I finally got tired of it and pulled the engine to install a Merc I had built. To do the swap, I had to switch oil pans (put the Ford pan on the Merc.) When I was cleaning out the Ford pan, I found an inch long piece of the main bearing thurst surface in the bottom of the pan.

Re: bad Babbitt Bearing or Valve Poor Quality Valve Job
 

Dont take good oil pressure as no bearing problem. my 99a eng ran 50 hot and 25 hot idle for years ,yet still had a pair of rod bearings that had failed and a rear main , only a slight noise from the engine.
Lawrie