Need some help, running bad

My 61 pickup was running great... 144 six cylinder... Shut it off last week and let it sit a few hours.. upon restart it ran extremely rough and acted like it was on about 3 cylinders.. also made some terrible noises from the engine compartment....after about 5 seconds it smoothed out and ran fine? I only drove it a few miles since then and tonight when I started it it was running rough again, no noises... smoothed out somewhat but a steady miss remained...

I checked it out and # 5 cylinder wasnt hitting...checked the fire and the plug...good..

Checked the compression and there isnt any!

Im assuming that I have a stuck valve? The valves sounded noisy since I bought it, like they needed adjustment.. but wasn't on the top of my list since it isn't a daily driver... Any body have any ideas about releasing a stuck valve or how to remedy the situation?

Ive never had a vehicle do that before...runs fine when you shut it off and then go back later and have no compression?

Im guessing the first order of business is pulling the valve cover but Im concerned that I need a longer permanent repair even if I find a stuck valve.

HELP!

I will bet you have or are developing a stuck lifter.

__________
mike

donivan65 wrote:Well,,,,,,,if the compression is low on the cylinders next to it,,,,,it could be a head gasket,,,,,and pull the valve cover,,,,,crank it over,,,,,see what the valves are doing and see if you notice anything different about them,,,,,,

what he said.

pull the valve cover and turn it over, watch for the lifters/rockers to move. If one of them doesn't move like it should it may be a rounded cam lobe/bad lifter.

I had a chevy 350 that developed a miss I could never fix, turned out a cam lobe had rounded off.

Is is smoking at all or just missing bad on one cylinder?

I bought this truck with the expectation that this was a recent rebuild engine.. Have some paperwork indicating lots of work done to the block.. $600 or so..has fresh paint on it... looks to be rebuilt... It is only missing on one cylinder ..not smoking.. Im gonna pull the cover today

well, good luck and let us know how it turns out. Check the oil off the dipstick in good light as well, see if there's any particulate metal in it. You might get off lucky and the rocker arm just worked loose and got the valve outta whack, hoping for the best

Took the cover off today and one pushrod was kicked out to the side, valve obviuolsly the valve wasnt opening. So relatively easy fix... took the shaft off inspected the pushrod...no damage... put it back together, fired it up and runs fine, valves all moving up and down and everything is oiling nicely...guess I'll be adjusting the valves later... .018 hot and running, is that correct? Thanks guys

magic ...does it have solid lifters? or are they hydraulic ? if hydraulic get it hot and adjust each lifter by backing it off till it clatters and the slowly turn back down till clatter stops. Do not over adjust clatter out as this will cause valves to stay partially open. This will work with solid lifters as well but the motor MUST be at operating temp. there is no give in solid lifters.

I adjusted the llifters tonight at operating temp.. several were good. ... several were tight and several were loose....the one that jumped out was loose.... I set them all, changed the oil and it sounds pretty good...as far as a sticky valve or weak spring? I don't know... It apparently has solid lifters...at least I think... I have spec sheet that says .018 when they are hot... thats were most were and thats where I set the rest... Thanks everybody for your help and suggestiions...