Hitchcocks Forum

I`ve just had the heads off my 1960 Super Meteor to change the head gaskets and now it starts up and runs but with a terrible clattering noise. I`ve had the heads off twice now and the pushrods are definitely in with the shallow cups to the top as it says in the manual.
Everything else is as it was before strip down. Anyone else had this problem?

Are the rods straight? Any bends would be obvious if you rotate them on their seats.

Don`t think they are bent, all I did was take them out, lay them on the carpet, change the head gaskets and put them back in!
However, I`ve just had a thought. Are they different lengths like on the Bullet?

Hi, Why did you change head gaskets to begin with and did you put the same thickness head gaskets in? If you put the pushrods in inverted you would find the rockers nearly hitting the top of the valve and the adjuster sticking out the top! Did you run the engine long enough for the oil to start circulating? Vince

I changed the head gaskets because one was blowing badly. Swapped copper for composite which I believe to be the same thickness.

I think I have just found the problem anyway. Just took one of the heads off again and the pushrods are right way up and not bent. But, the piston is hitting the gasket. Once I saw this I realised what the problem was. The gaskets are standard and my bore is +60! Bad memory strikes again.

I`ve just emailed our hosts to see if they have some oversize gaskets...

Hi, that would cause it!!