Worn Tappet

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

So I have a Ford 8N Engine I'm rebuilding. The tappets are worn, I was wondering if I put them in my drill press with a grinding wheel if that would get them straight enough on the top (I didn't know if they would damage the valve stems if they aren't perfectly straight). Also I think I might try to use the level to get the tappet straight with the grinding wheel by putting it on both of them in two different directions

 

[rustred]

read the post above , valve lifter concern.

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

Its just the top of them. The bottom is still convex, and the camshaft still looks good

 

[wore out]

So I have a Ford 8N Engine I'm rebuilding. The tappets are worn, I was wondering if I put them in my drill press with a grinding wheel if that would get them straight enough on the top (I didn't know if they would damage the valve stems if they aren't perfectly straight). Also I think I might try to use the level to get the tappet straight with the grinding wheel by putting it on both of them in two different directions

Take 'em to an engine machine shop that has a valve grinder with a V-block that can be set perpendicular to the wheel just for the purpose.

 

[560Dennis]

Seen worse , on the Fordson , 1/8 inch pocket and it ran . . Take the local machine shop as mentioned .
measure the camshaft while there for wear , well worth the effort measure everything you can .

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

Seen worse , on the Fordson , 1/8 inch pocket and it ran . . Take the local machine shop as mentioned .
measure the camshaft while there for wear , well worth the effort measure everything you can .

Yeah. Do you know the camshaft lobe measurement

 

[560Dennis]

Yeah. Do you know the camshaft lobe measurement

I got this off your tube ,Skip the worthless adds

should record you measure s and compare that to the specs in I T manual s
I would recommend a good surface plate and heavy V blocks so reference datum does not move Using dial indicator , micrometer ,calibration ,
I would place the contact of the dial indicator on the same spot ot camshaft for the test that way the measure s are more accurate Lift .
tell how you make out, helps every one that way .

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

I got this off your tube ,Skip the worthless adds

should record you measure s and compare that to the specs in I T manual s
I would recommend a good surface plate and heavy V blocks so reference datum does not move Using dial indicator , micrometer ,calibration ,
I would place the contact of the dial indicator on the same spot ot camshaft for the test that way the measure s are more accurate Lift .
tell how you make out, helps every one that way .

Thanks for the info. I can't find the lobe lift measurement in the service manual. I think I'll maybe send it in to get measured when I send my tappets in. I do not have a dial indicator or a micrometer yet. I bought this engine already rebuilt in September, but the oil pump was bad, so the bearings are now bad too, so now I have to rebuild it again, thankfully the cylinders still look good (still has crosshatch pattern). I think the crankshaft was new because it was never reground before and I think the guy put new bearings in. The camshaft looks pretty new too.

 

[560Dennis]

Thanks for the info. I can't find the lobe lift measurement in the service manual. I think I'll maybe send it in to get measured when I send my tappets in. I do not have a dial indicator or a micrometer yet. I bought this engine already rebuilt in September, but the oil pump was bad, so the bearings are now bad too, so now I have to rebuild it again, thankfully the cylinders still look good (still has crosshatch pattern). I think the crankshaft was new because it was never reground before and I think the guy put new bearings in. The camshaft looks pretty new too.

J T , have your engine block and the oil passages , parts that are contacting oil cleaned . , you have to get all the metal residue off and out of that engine. Im advising this because I sure don’t want you to have to do this all over again. Inspect and measure everything to make sure it is in specs and useable . AMust do . What I advise .
a plus did they put new soft plug into this engine ? If not do that , take them out before its professional washed that way tha block is clean

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

I might have it sent in to get washed. Do you know how much it usually costs. The inside of it does not look too dirty,

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

I'm planing on using plastigage.I got the crankshaft reground and I'm planing on putting new bearings in it

 

[used red MN]

I might have it sent in to get washed. Do you know how much it usually costs. The inside of it does not look too dirty,

Hello Jeremiah welcome to YT! You can’t get much done at an engine shop for less than $200. You can do that yourself. Web search engine galley cleaning brushes. Take the plugs out dump some solvent in there and brush them. Then blow them out with compressed air. If you really want to go the extra step throw the block in a pickup and take it to a car wash and pressure wash them out following the solvent cleaning. You will want to take some dry rags with you and some spray lube. Dry the cylinders right away and spray them down with the lube or they will rust almost immediately.
In the future I would recommend you post inquiries on your Ford on the “Ford 9N, 2N & 8N” forum in the manufacturers section. You will get many more replies there. In fact you might get over run by multiple folks telling you to do it this way or that way. They all seem to have their way of doing things that is the “right” way.

 

[buickanddeere]

The cam and followers are worn .
You can not repair them on a budget at home .
New lifters , new valve Springs, new valve guides and bringing the seats/valves and a regrinding cam are not expensive . Distrubuter buabings will also be worn and allowing the shaft to wobble .

 

[used red MN]

Sure the cam has wear it’s been in a running engine, pretty hard to say it needs replaced by looking at a photo. My other question would be what is your intended use of your tractor? If parades and shows 50 - 100 hours or less a year a cam that would be questionable in a real working tractor will last a long time in a minimal use machine. Not saying it is a bad idea to get it checked.

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

The cam and followers are worn .
You can not repair them on a budget at home .
New lifters , new valve Springs, new valve guides and bringing the seats/valves and a regrinding cam are not expensive . Distrubuter buabings will also be worn and allowing the shaft to wobble .

Thanks for the input! So I can't feel any movement in the distributor bushings. I can't see any flat spots on the camshaft. I will be taking the lifters in to get resurfaced. Can you take a look at the pictures and tell me if you think the valves/valce seats are too worn (I know its hard to tell in pictures but if you can just give me a guess) I am going to be lapping them.

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

Sure the cam has wear it’s been in a running engine, pretty hard to say it needs replaced by looking at a photo. My other question would be what is your intended use of your tractor? If parades and shows 50 - 100 hours or less a year a cam that would be questionable in a real working tractor will last a long time in a minimal use machine. Not saying it is a bad idea to get it checked.

I intend on reselling it, so I should make sure everything is good. Might take it to an engine shop to see what they think.

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

Hello Jeremiah welcome to YT! You can’t get much done at an engine shop for less than $200. You can do that yourself. Web search engine galley cleaning brushes. Take the plugs out dump some solvent in there and brush them. Then blow them out with compressed air. If you really want to go the extra step throw the block in a pickup and take it to a car wash and pressure wash them out following the solvent cleaning. You will want to take some dry rags with you and some spray lube. Dry the cylinders right away and spray them down with the lube or they will rust almost immediately.
In the future I would recommend you post inquiries on your Ford on the “Ford 9N, 2N & 8N” forum in the manufacturers section. You will get many more replies there. In fact you might get over run by multiple folks telling you to do it this way or that way. They all seem to have their way of doing things that is the “right” way.

Thanks! I will probably brake clean it good here then take it to a car wash and then the lightly WD-40 so it doesn't rust. Thanks for letting me know on where to post in the future!

 

[used red MN]

View attachment 100811Thanks for the input! So I can't feel any movement in the distributor bushings. I can't see any flat spots on the camshaft. I will be taking the lifters in to get resurfaced. Can you take a look at the pictures and tell me if you think the valves/valce seats are too worn (I know its hard to tell in pictures but if you can just give me a guess) I am going to be lapping them.

Hard to assess valves by only looking at one. If they all look like this one with the angled seat that the valve rests on fairly narrow like a 1/16” that is good. This one looks like it had the seat (metal ring) replaced and the valve face looks like it was ground when it was rebuilt. Looking closer at your pic 1302, to me it looks like it got a proper “valve job” during the rebuild.

 

[Jeremiah's Tractors]

Hard to assess valves by only looking at one. If they all look like this one with the angled seat that the valve rests on fairly narrow like a 1/16” that is good. This one looks like it had the seat (metal ring) replaced and the valve face looks like it was ground when it was rebuilt. Looking closer at your pic 1302, to me it looks like it got a proper “valve job” during the rebuild.

That's what I thought, Thanks!

 

[used red MN]

Just having it apart and knowing it is basically a rebuilt engine will be far more than most “flipped” old Fords see. For a resale I would put that cam back in and go for it. It will last way past the “tail light” warrantee.