Experimental research on single-acting hydraulic drive for valves of internal combustion (IC) piston engines and the test setup used for this purpose have been described. The test setup presented consisted of typical poppet valve assembly of a high-speed IC engine, commercial hydraulic actuator, and electrically operated hydraulic distributor, which controlled the flow of the working fluid supplied to the hydraulic actuator. In the test setup, a Caterpillar solenoid valve of the HEUI fuel system was used as the distributor. Time histories of the current control signal, valve displacement, and system working pressures for different values of the hydraulic actuator supply pressure and for different distributor opening time intervals were measured and analysed, wit h results of the measurements and analyses having been presented in this paper. Based on the valve displacement vs. time curves recorded, the valve kinematics has been analysed in details. The properties of the valve drive system of this type have been discussed and values of the basic motion parameters characterizing this drive have been given. Special attention has been drawn to the valve motion delay measured from the beginning of the current control signal, valve opening and closing times, velocities, and accelerations, and impact of the actuator supply pressure on the valve motion. The results obtained were taken as a basis for developing a model of the valve drive system of this type. Further simulation tests will be needed to assess the applicability of such a valve drive system to IC piston engines. They would also enable the comparing of the solution proposed with the hydraulically operated engine valve actuation systems known from the literature.