Hands up who checks the post war engines oil relief valve when re-building an engine or even when the timing cover is taken off a running engine. The little so and so is difficult to get at and difficult to move if it is stuck. I am in the process of building a twin engine and the timing cover had had the oil holes stooped up prior to the cover being blasted and painted. The problem was that the cam feed oil holes had not been blocked off and so it was imperative that no blasting agent had found its way down to the relief valve. There is no obvious way to push the little bleeder out with wire, tried that, didn't work pushing the wire in from where the oil enters from the filter. The solution, the method for which may be of use to you all, is to drop a ball bearing through the big-end oil feed quill hole so that it lodges on top of the valve, use a screwdriver to push down on the ball then add another ball and keep going until the valve pops out with all the balls. Valve and hole an cover can now be cleaned to ensure free movement of the valve. If it is stuck in the open position, oil flow to the big-end cams and liners will result.
