All Small Six Help with ticking noise

[clochard68]

I need help with some noise that seems to come from the valve cover.
Today I made the first drive outside after cam break-in.

In idle the engine runs smooth and silent, but at higher rpm there is some ticking noise, you can even hear it inside the car when driving.

Took the valve cover off, all pushrods where thight. Rockers didn't seem to hit the baffles in the valve cover.

What could that noise be?

 

[DON]

What kind of lifters? Hydraulic or solid?
Get the old giant screw driver or long 1/2 extension or pry bar, press the handle to your ear and touch different parts around the top end. If you can get it to do it standing still.
What oil are you running and pressure?

 

[clochard68]

Yes, hydraulic lifters!
At the moment there is fresh SAE30 break in oil in the engine.

Good advice on the noise finding, will definitely try that tomorrow

 

[DON]

I would be changing the oil pretty quick too

 

[hodaka100]

Just throwing this out there ...Are you sure it is not an exhaust leak.

 

[clochard68]

Just throwing this out there ...Are you sure it is not an exhaust leak.

Haven't thought about that, will check that too, thanks!

 

[DON]

I would think exhaust leak could be heard at idle. Get a vacuum hose, stick it in your ear and move the other end around the exhaust. See if you hear anything, raise rpm if that makes the tic louder

 

[TrickSix]

I looked at a pic of your head in a prior post. You've still got those aftermarket roller rockers on there don't you? Could something be off a little and let a pushrod get too close to the side of its hole through the head, and it actually makes contact at higher RPM? Also, I don't see how they would make noise, but why do you have shim washers under the rocker shaft support stands when you have adjustable rocker arms?

 

[drag-200stang]

Can you post up a vid with sound?

 

[drag-200stang]

Could it be spark knock/detonation?

 

[clochard68]

Here is a video from yesterday, with the valve cover off, at idle:

 

[clochard68]

I looked at a pic of your head in a prior post. You've still got those aftermarket roller rockers on there don't you? Could something be off a little and let a pushrod get too close to the side of its hole through the head, and it actually makes contact at higher RPM? Also, I don't see how they would make noise, but why do you have shim washers under the rocker shaft support stands when you have adjustable rocker arms?

I did shim the rocker stands to get the wear pattern on the valve tips centered. The adjustability of the rockers only adjusts to the lengths of the pushrods.

Can you post up a vid with sound?

I will take a video as soon as I get home and post it here

Could it be spark knock/detonation?

That's also a possibility. To be honest I have no experience what that sounds like in real life.
I will post a video as soon as possible.

Thanks for all the input!

 

[clochard68]

Today the ticking was there even at idle...

 

[drag-200stang]

Hard to tell.

 

[hodaka100]

Maybe a bearing knock. Try changing the oil to check for glitter and put in 15w40. Assuming auto trans make sure torque converter bolts are tight.

 

[hodaka100]

Is 15w40 thicker or the same as 30w? Is it ok to run 20w50?

 

[DON]

Use the large screw driver and vacuum hose to see if you can narrow down where the noise is coming from. Maybe even hold it on the rocker mounting bolts. It almost doesn't sound "heavy" enough for a bearing. More of a tic than a knock. Are all the rockers getting oil? 15w40 is thinner when cold, and thicker when hot. Depending on what your bearing clearances were built with, you might be able to even use 10-30. Watch hot oil pressures. IMHP 20w50 is too thick. Without getting into a long oil discussion. Oil helps get heat out of engine. As long as oil pressures stay good, you will circulate more oil with a thinner oil, removing more heat. You could start with using valvoline VR1 10-40 race oil. It is plenty thick if everything is in good condition.

 

[clochard68]

tried the screw driver, but couldn't locate the noise.
I will try again next weekend when I have time again, then also with the valve cover off again.

I couldn't hear the ticking with the valve cover off (first video I posted), maybe it is the valve cover baffles touching the rockers after all.
I have a second valve cover gasket and will put it under to get some more clearance.

And I have 20w40 oil ready for an oil change. If after these changes the noise is still there I will have to reinvestigate.

 

[DON]

I would have thought if it were valve cover clearance you could hear it easily with the screwdriver

 

[DON]

I think I would double check the valve adjustments too. What pre- load did you set them at?