Ouch

[Steve Braverman]

I was driving at about 20-30 mph when this happened. It made a horrendous clatter. I shut down, and tried to restart, but the engine locked. I said, "It sounds like a valve broke off." I had never had this happen before, and I'd never heard this noise before, but somehow the noise just painted a picture in my head of what had happened.

The car is my 1932 Franklin sedan.

[Bhigdog]

Pilots call it swallowing a valve. It does happen ..............................Bob

[Restorer32]

That hurts.

[Guest richentee]

That wasn't a two piece valve, was it? Will you have the '32 running for the Trek?

[Steve Braverman]

That wasn't a two piece valve, was it? Will you have the '32 running for the Trek?

It's a two-piece valve now!

I will have the '32 at the trek. Well... part of it.... in boxes... heading for Minnesota. Next year it will be back under its own power.

[stock_steve]

Ouch is right. Had a similar situation in an air-cooled VW a few years ago--same horrible clatter--similar unpleasant cause. Hope you can get your car rolling again eventually...

[Dandy Dave]

Yeah, I saw a big Caterpillar Generator set swallow a valve a bunch of years ago when I was a mechanic at Catamount Ski area. Have also seen this happen in a John Deere excavator where I have heard that it is not uncommon in some models. I brought home an old Dump truck with 272 Ford engine a bunch of years ago that sat for quite some time. Pulled off the heads before I tried to start it and was supprised to find a broken valve head laying on top of one of the pistons. It must have been ready to break when parked and broke while sitting as there was no damage to the head, or piston. Lucky I did not try to start it before hand. Hang around the race track where they push engines to there limit all the time and you will see that it is more common that you may think. Dandy Dave!

Edited August 2, 2012 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

A local car guy told me he used to carry an extra cylinder and connecting rod with piston in his Franklin back in the old days. It leaked oil so much that he was banned in Westport, Ct. Bob

[Dandy Dave]

A local car guy told me he used to carry an extra cylinder and connecting rod with piston in his Franklin back in the old days. It leaked oil so much that he was banned in Westport, Ct. Bob

LOL...My reletives ( The Turneys of Easton.) on my mothers side settled Fairfiled County. They ran with the injuns and anyone else that dared to drink their Moon Shine. I bet that guy and I are somehow distantly related. Dandy Dave!

[Rusty_OToole]

I've only had that happen on air cooled engines, a VW and a Triumph motorcycle. Something about air cooling doesn't cool the exhaust valves well enough in tough going, or something. You need to use top quality exhaust valves.