lifter adjustment on 1939.

[Woodie1]

I have a car that I believe has lifter noise. How do I crank the engine over to check clearance on the valves without an engine crank tool?

[marko39]

You can use a socket and breaker bar on the bolt for the crank pullly.

[Jack E/NJ]

They're not adjustable if originals.

[Woodie1]

I don't think there is room for a socket at a quick glance. I don't know if it has adjustable lifters or not. I know I can be in for more work if they aren't.

[40cpe]

Originally Posted by Woodie1

I have a car that I believe has lifter noise. How do I crank the engine over to check clearance on the valves without an engine crank tool?

You can use a remote starter button to turn the engine. On an early Ford it would be connected to the small terminal on the starter relay and to a good ground. Just touch the button to bump the engine over.

[Shoebox]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by 40cpe

You can use a remote starter button to turn the engine. On an early Ford it would be connected to the small terminal on the starter relay and to a good ground. Just touch the button to bump the engine over.

My '39 Merc has a starter solenoid with a button on the bottom that you can bump the engine over with.

[Pech33]

Doesn’t the solenoid have a button underneath, to bump the starter? I almost ran over my foot when I first bought the car and wondered what that button was. Put it in neutral with the brake on. I don’t think it will start with the switch off, but it will move if in gear!

[Karl Wolf]

Put the car in high gear, on a level surface- bump the car one way, then the other
to get the engine to turn where you wish.
If you pull the spark plugs, it's even easier.


Karl

[Brian]

Crank handle!

[ford38v8]

All spark plugs out.
Ignition off.
Intake manifold off.
Jackstand on the frame by one rear wheel, that wheel off the ground.
Transmission in high gear.
Helper at the rear wheel turns the wheel at your direction, to precise points for you to use a feeler gauge on each of the lifters. This can be done regardless of whether the lifters are adjustable or not.

[Step-down]

I ground the socket down on a Bench grounder to fit and welded a steel rod on side to fit between the radiator .
Pull spark plugs .

[Woodie1]

Lots of good ideas here. I would use a crank but they are very rare to find. I hope to get to this if it ever warms up.

[Brian]

Just a thought...you say it's a 39....If it's a deluxe, could you, after removing plugs, simply turn the engine by using the crank mounted fan?

[Rodrelic]

I have had a motor rattling and the gap was huge. The valves had dimpled the lifters so could not realistically measure. Rather than have the tops reground, got adjustable set. Would have to pull valves to remove lifters, and grind seats to close the gap only way I know.

[blucar]

Before you get your knickers all in a bunch, I would suggest that you pull the intake manifold, then you can look down into the valley of the engine to check what kind of lifters you have. If the lifters have small hex-head bolts in the top, they are adjustable, Smooth top lifters, not adjustable.
If the lifters are adjustable and were installed correctly, there will be a small hole in the lifter boss in the block, were a small drift punch can be inserted to hold the lifter while it is being adjusted. No hole the lifters require a special wrench to hold the lifter..
I don't recall grinding the valve seats to adjust Ford valves, as I recall the valve stems are ground after the valve seats have been ground..
Nothing beats a set of Johnson adjustable lifters..

[51woodie]

Good suggestion blucar. When I got my '46 Coupe, 59A engine, a previous owner/rebuilder installed adjustable lifters. They didn't drill the lifter bores for the punch to hold while adjusting, so I had to buy the tool that locks the lifter for adjustment from Carpenter.

[drolston]

Originally Posted by Brian

Just a thought...you say it's a 39....If it's a deluxe, could you, after removing plugs, simply turn the engine by using the crank mounted fan?

Yes, that will work, but it takes a pretty good pull, and those fan blades are easier to bend than you might expect. The result is noise and vibration. I had to remove and straighten my '41 crank mounted fan after using it as a crank handle.

The other reason is safety. There has been serious damage to man and machine from throwing a fan blade that suffered metal fatigue.

[Rodrelic]

Originally Posted by blucar

Before you get your knickers all in a bunch, I would suggest that you pull the intake manifold, then you can look down into the valley of the engine to check what kind of lifters you have. If the lifters have small hex-head bolts in the top, they are adjustable, Smooth top lifters, not adjustable.
If the lifters are adjustable and were installed correctly, there will be a small hole in the lifter boss in the block, were a small drift punch can be inserted to hold the lifter while it is being adjusted. No hole the lifters require a special wrench to hold the lifter..
I don't recall grinding the valve seats to adjust Ford valves, as I recall the valve stems are ground after the valve seats have been ground..
Nothing beats a set of Johnson adjustable lifters..

New valves you can shorten, too much gap with current valves don’t know how to change without lowering them into the block. Be nice to use new valves, but if it ain’t broke…..