Engine ticking.

[Jeff Farrar]

Well, I finally got everything running great after working on various items this spring. I was coming home from my first cruise and decided to open her up a little. When I say I little I mean a little, 4500 tops. Right after that I started to hear a loud rpm related ticking sound. I let the car sit for a week hoping it would go away. No such luck. It started ticking again right at start up. It was really hard to isolate were the noise was coming from but I think it coming from the drivers side. I had my wife listen also and she confirmed the same with the stethoscope. I had the valve cover off and installed the clips to try and narrow it down and all the rockers "looked" fine. I also pulled the plugs out on that side and with less than 100 miles on them, number three looked a little gray while the others looked fine. Just for fun, I turned the engine over without the plugs and didn't hear the ticking or any other odd sounds. Not sure what that would eliminate.

Before I try and adjust the values on that side, what tests can I try to narrow down the source of the ticking? One manual recommend to put a .020 feelers gage between the rocker arm and the valve to narrow down a lifter (if that is what it is). I didn't try it yet, I just wanted to step back and not do too much before collecting more information first. "IF" it was a lifter, what could I try before I replaced them.

Big thanks in advance!

 

[JimVette]

Which engine are you talking about?

 

[JimVette]

Sorry! Which engine, year. On '85 or later it could just be the injectors.

 

[Jeff Farrar]

Sorry guys. It's a Hi Perf 454 that was built by a race shop in the late 70's.

 

[vintagecorvette]

lifter tick?

 

[Ken Anderson]

Broken valve spring?

 

[Tom Bryant]

It could be as simple as an exhaust leak.

 

[Jeff Farrar]

I guess what I'm looking for is what tests could I perform to determine or narrow down or eliminate different components? How does one check for an exhaust leak?

 

[Jeff Farrar]

These are the plugs from the drivers side bank. They all have less than 100 miles. Any clues???

 

[BarryK]

#3 plug is looking a lot grayer on the electrode than the others.
you may want to check for an exhaust leak on that cylinder first

 

[allcoupedup]

Check this link
http://www.densoiridium.com/howtoreadusedplugs.php

hat does the R45T have compared to the R45 plug?

Plug #1 looks great
Plug #3 ???? - strange - assume carbon fouled.
Plug #5, #7 - some light carbon fouling but what I could consider normal

These plugs should not cause any ticking.

Exhaust leaks that sound like ticking can come from a few places
-head/manifold junction
-spark plug seat
-manifold/pipe junction

If you can't locate anything you'll have to take things apart and visually inspect.

Have you ruled out the lifter?


Brian

 

[Tom Bryant]

Sometimes you can feel the exhaust coming out at the areas listed above. You must be very careful not to get branded doing this. It's very hot. You mentioned that this was a performance built 454 so if it has headers the header gaskets are prone to failure.

 

[Jeff Farrar]

These plugs should not cause any ticking.
Brian

The ticking only started about a mile from home. Not sure if that would have a quick effect on the plugs or not.

Have you ruled out the lifter?

Brian

That's the goal.


Tom,

No headers. But gaskets were added.

 

[Jeff Farrar]

Ok guys, last night I tightened all the bolts on the exhaust manifold. Sound was still there. I listened really good with a long hose around the entire exhaust system and didn't hear anything so I am ruling that out. Next I did a visual check of all the springs, pulled all the rods and they checked out fine. I retorqued all the rocker studs and all were fine. Set the lash on all using the up and down method and turned them 1/2 past tight. Still get the same noise. The noise does seem to be in harmony with the valves so I am hoping that is it.

I am hoping some of you could watch and listen the 10 sec movie clip I made and confirm.

Please watch and listen. Is that definitely a bad lifter?

Again, a big thanks to all.

http://www.pghtank.com/temp/mvi_2382.avi

 

[youwish2bme]

Is it just me or are you not getting any oil out of your pushrods? It should be coming out of the pushrods pretty good even at idle... Dave..

 

[cfour93]

Is it just me or are you not getting any oil out of your pushrods? It should be coming out of the pushrods pretty good even at idle... Dave..

I have to agree there should be a little more oil then what we see. Also hard to tell but it could be a collapse lifter, but hard to tell from the video sound.

 

[Jeff Farrar]

Is it just me or are you not getting any oil out of your pushrods? It should be coming out of the pushrods pretty good even at idle... Dave..

It's coming out. Not squirting until it's revved a little. I'm surprised you can see it that well. The oil is straight heavy weight and the oil pressure is high.

 

[youwish2bme]

How high?

 

[Jeff Farrar]

How high?

When warm...about 60 (needle is pegged) while driving and 45 at idle. That is of course if the gage is correct.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Stick your stethoscope (or a piece of hardwood against your ear) on the rocker studs (intake and exhaust) across the 1,3,5,7 side with the engine running.

Can you hear an obvious difference on any of them? I'd be suspicious of #3.