[T3] Valve woes

[Fiesta Cranberry]

Hi all,
Haven't posted in a long time, no problems since the new engine until now.

Background: We converted my '71 SB automatic (The Baroness) from FI to
stock carbs in 2008.  Except for minor adjustment, etc, she's been problem
free.  She gets very light use.  I've probably put less than 10,000 miles
on her since the conversion.

Problems: this year, I started having fuel pump (mechanical) failures.
 Replaced it twice with the $30 Brazilian job from MWM.  They went out
pretty fast, so I had a NOS one refurbished and installed.  Seems to be OK.
 We also replaced the fuel line, thinking it may have been rusty.

Now, I'm having valve problems.  The # 1& 3 valves keep getting really
loose.  The rocker arms have almost no resistance when when I move them,
they're floppy.  It's like the pushrods are too short, even tho we measured
them.  We replaced the pushrods with longer ones (yes, we measured) and now
it's happened again.  They are not bent or damaged in any visible way.  My
friend John thinks it needs a valve job, like maybe the valves are stuck.
 But it gets such light use, that's hard to believe on a new engine.

When we rebuilt the engine, everything was new except the case and the
camshaft.  We had the case rebored and cleaned.  We had the camshaft
refurbished (not sure of the correct word).  The engine has performed
beautifully until now.

We turned the engine by hand yesterday to see if the camshaft was lifting
as it should, thinking it might have cracked.  It lifted OK.  We are
stumped as to why this is happening.

I don't think replacing the push rods again without knowing what is going
wrong is a good idea.

Any ideas?

Lori & The Baroness, 1971 SB no longer FI



-- 
"I wrestled with reality for 36 years, and I'm happy to say I've finally
won out over it."
                                                  ---Elwood P. Dowd
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