Technical Beyond frustrated with rebuilt 241

Me again and man am I down. Finally got to the breakin of my rebuilt 241 after carb issues, heating issues, etc. fired right up today, timing set, fuel regulator dialed in, vacuum looking good, then the tapping noise and the engine shut down. Pulled drivers valve cover and found super loose push rod on #8 cylinder. Guessing I have a messed up lifter? Where do I start now? Remove intake and valley cover and have a look first before I really freak out? Man if the cam is shot I’m over this project. Used breakin oil with additive, got rpms to 2800 and things were great, for about 8 minutes!

 

Hopefully just a bad lifter.

 

Budget36. Thanks for the optimism! I need all I can get!

 

Can you pull a rocker, rotate the engine by hand and check lift? I don’t know anything about Hemi valve trains, I’m stuck in a Chevy world

 

Pop the valve covers off and check rockers for even lift

drain the oil snd cut open the filter snd look for metal.

taking the intake etc. Off and inspect sucks but is not the end of the world.

did the car just die and now won’t restart ?

 

Hey man bad lifters are all over the place they rebuild them none are new. no body wants to make new lifter bodys dont threat they just re surface the face and maybe the ball got stuck. dont give up
Ray

 

I don’t think lifters are rebuilt. I’ve never had a core charge when buying them. I can’t see it being cost effective for anyone to go scrounge up used ones and rebuild for sale.

 

You just need to calm yourself down, I think we have all been there. I had a 360 mopar that gave me fits after a overhaul, valvtrain, water leaking out between a head and the block, I was done with it. In the long run it was simple fixes and I had a great little motor. Hell I had a 440 ready to build because I hated that 360.
Give it overnight and start on it tomorrow, it's just a mechanical fix.

 

Vandenplas, yes it ran great for about 8 minutes then made the tapping noise and slowly died. Wouldn’t fire back up

 

Oldiron 440, you are right! Thank you. Man this project has been 5 years to this point then this happens.

 

How did you pre lube the engine before starting it?

 

Budget36, I think I’d have to pull the valley cover off to see that movement but I’m probably wrong. One pushrod is so loose like there is no lifter pressure at all

 

Bandit Billy, pulled the distributor and ran a slotted rod to spin the oil pump with drill motor. Oil pressure was about 55 psi. Rotated engine until we saw oil weeping on both heads.

 

Solid or hydraulic lifters? Regardless can you use the PR as a gauge/extension?

 

No need to take anything apart to check for a flat cam lobe. Just hold the rocker down against the pushrod with your thumb/finger and turn engine over and watch for lift. If it has lift comparable to others then it's a bad lifter or possibly pushrod not seated into the lifter.
Eddie

 

Eddie, thank you. I’ll check that first. Man I’m glad I found this site!

 

Budget36, hydraulic lifters! Probably gonna not touch it for a few days. Let myself cool off and take it responsibly!

 

Good idea - like was said - hoping for the best with that little 241 !

 

Dan sorry to hear you have some gremlins and most likely something stupid easy fix. Who’s lifters cam did you use? I have adjustable rockers on mine.
I am a huge fan of the 241 and have a few of them on in a 1932 cabriolet . A great motor and very reliable .

 

Um, I think that sumbitch is toast, and if you keep screwin' with it and wastin' your time on it while you could be building a SBC, you're just gonna wind up more frustrated and mad at the world. You might even kick the dog!!
Tell ya whut.... I'm headed to the scrap yard tomorrow morning, so I'll swing by and pick it up, thereby saving you the trip. At scrap prices it should bring about $17.50, but all I got on me a 20, so we'll call that good.
See ya in the morning. Oh yeah, you will help me load it, right?

 

241.6 Dodge Red Ram in a 41 Plymouth 4 door sedan. The guy who did the work and invested most of the cash was in the same spot as you are in now. I obtain the car right off of him on the side of the road (where it stop running) for a small amount of cash and to provide him with a ride home. In the trunk of the car (and it was a big trunk) were many parts, original parts of the engine, that he replaced. I had a battery, a camshaft, set of lifters, a carburetor, fuel pump, and several gaskets sets. He never found out what the problem was, never did a compression test just replace parts. The main issue turned out to be a bad valve (half of the valve head was missing), a rebuilt battery (this is around Ft Knox, KY), and a faulty carburetor (the rebuilt one that he installed did not have a float in it). I guess what I am saying, is to find out the problem before you start taking things apart. Follow these guys suggestions and you will have that 241 running like a Singer sewing machine.

 

Five years is a long time to overlook simple stuff, or forget what work you've done, or haven't done yet.

Are the intake and exhaust pushrods the same length for this engine?

 

28phonebooth. That was good. I’ll give you that

 

Clay mart. I had the motor rebuilt. I’m pretty sure the rods are the same length tho

 

Continentaljohn, r
The cam was reground and I’m not positive about the lifters. Had a local rebuild the engine. I’m going to see the builder today

 

Coconuts. Thank you for the advice. I’ll take it a day at a time and be thorough.

 

Budget36. Hydraulic lifters and I’m not positive I understand the gauge/extension part

 

I was thinking (for a piece of mind) you could put an indicator on the PR, rotate the engine and see the lift.
Just save you from pulling the intake (for the time being) and prepare yourself for what’s ahead.

 

Budget36. Gotcha. Not a bad idea. Thank you for the tip