1951 Pontiac Chieftain

[PhilA]

I checked the compression on #3 and #7 again and despite soaking down with solvents and giving the car a good high speed run #7 came round and is a healthy 125 psi, #3 less so:

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I wound the engine round to just after TDC on #3 and filled it with Berryman B12. That all leaked down through the valves so the head needs to come off and the valves need to be lapped in again. #7 is clicky noisy. They are cycle neighbors so will have had open valves while the car sat up after the storm. I'll clean the guides out again.

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Polished up the emblems on the wheel trims because I forgot to do them when I did the rest of the paintwork.

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Went get fuel and got stuck at the bridge again. Need to get a new battery, this one is toast.

Phil

[paulplom]

That's a bugger. What do you reckon the problem is?

[PhilA]

That's a bugger. What do you reckon the problem is?

Rusty valve seat.

Thankfully it's not hugely complicated to do, just a pain in the ass.

[paulplom]

It keeps you out if mischief.

[PhilA]

It keeps you out if mischief.

I guess. I need to shuffle the cars about on the driveway then; I've got a plastic folding table that'll serve as a workbench.

[DodgeRover]

Did they have a reputation for that when they were new? Seems an odd problem to suffer from after such a relatively short time.

[mercrocker]

Crap modern fuel, high humidity and an enforced lay-up all not helping probably.

[PhilA]

Crap modern fuel, high humidity and an enforced lay-up all not helping probably.

This. All sidevalve engines tend to suffer from it because the valve guides are at the top the valve chest, which is open to atmosphere. Condensation wicks up the stems because they aren't sitting in pools of oil like OHV engines, they rely on the oil mist inside the crank for lubrication.

That and the exhaust has no baffles, it's a straight through so the humidity gets in that way and rusts the valve seats, ditto the intake.

They are known for doing this when they've sat up for a while.

[PhilA]

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Since when have batteries become so expensive? $210 right there.

Don't regret it though, the car runs a lot better now, particularly at idle.

[Hooli]

No idea, but I need one in the XJR & the usual places are asking £200 or so.