Well, I never drive her everyday and have been this past couple weeks. I knew something bad would happen! Since I rebuilt the engine it's ran super good for about 5 months? Sounds about right, maybe a little longer. It started making a ticking sound yesterday and I thought a bolt or something was lose, but today on the way home it was real bad! It idled around 1350, it usually does right at 1100rmp. It sounds poor on Idle but doesnt really make a sound, but when I give it gas, the more gas the more ticking, coming from the passenger side of the engine. Is this a stuck lifter? There has been a medium-slow oil leak out of the bottom of the pan. So maybe it got too low and I damaged something? Maybe I'll be dropping money on a BBC sooner than I thought :( :eek: :D Not sure how to feel here

If your oil is up to its proper level I am guessing it is a rod knock graemlins/angry.gif Usually the hydraulic part of lifters don't just take a crap when you have enough oil for them. I don't really see how the knock would make the engine idle higher though, possible an unrelated carb./ignition issue. You can try pulling a plug wire off at a time and if the noise goes away its a rod bearing, if its already progressed to a severe stage this won't fix the noise and youll only know if you tear the motor down. Adjusting the valves can't hurt anything either.

Header gasket? Loose header bolt? An exhaust leak will get much louder under load, and if it's just beginning you won't hear it at idle.

A "real" mechanical problem will usually make noise all the time.

Phil:

Is it a tick or a clack? If you hear it from one side, it's often valve-train related. Being quiet at idle and noisy when you give it gas does suggest a lifter. When you say it's gotten a lot worse, did it start as a tick and is now a clack? How old are the lifters (miles-wise)? What's the overall condition of the engine?

If it's a blow lifter, you should be able to see one of the rockers not rocking as much as the others. You may have to put your hand on it to feel it not moving as much.

About the oil leak, unless you've had to add three or more quarts at a time, it's probably not a bearing failure - I said probably.

John

I hate to say it Phil but maybe a cam going bad.

Dang. It's a brand new CAM. Comp cams 268 and new hydrolic lifters. The oil did get really nasty low. The sound got worse and basically developed all within 3 days. The gaskets on the new headers were cheapies and they did and do need some work/ replaced. It's more of a click click click.... I thought it was something clicking against the tire/ fender. But nothing is hanging. Im going to start digging in tomorrow, Can't work on it as much working 40 hours a week. I'll start by pulling the VCovers and checking the valves, and then pull the plugs one at a time. And timing, etc. There is a 396 for sale for $450 smile.gif Hmmmmm wonder if it has potential!

header gaskets. keep it simple, dont go jumping to wiped cams or rod knock. Start with the simple things. My vote is header gaskets.

When my cam wiped a lobe, it was as loud at idle as it was under load. Load won't affect the excess "lash" that occurs when a lobe wipes.

So I'm sticking to exhaust leak until you prove me wrong. I've had my share of exhaust leaks in my lifetime.

I'll be praying for exhaust leak, I'll know by late tonight or tommorow. ::sigh::
Thanks for keeping my hopes up smile.gif

Ok, I replaced my gaskets on the headers, still had the sound and problem. It sounded like clicking inside the Valve Covers so I pulled them and it looked like everything was turning ok, nothing lose really. And once I got them off I realised the sound wasnt really in there. I pulled my air cleaner and I sware it's my carb! Is this possible? I hope so.... unfortunately I dont have another carb to toss on and test. But a steady clicking sound that grows with more gas? It almost sounds like a little popcorn maker

Oh yeah! When I changed the header gaskets the old ones are less than 6 months old. There was alot of black around them, like burned areas. And the carb, edelbrock 1405 by the way, pretty sure it was properly tuned but it would often blow a backfire out the top. Except for the past few weeks it hadnt, but in the past recently it did funny things.

WOO! Good and bad news. Not sure if the lifter popped out, I dont think it did. But I pulled the other side (the side I didnt think it was) Valve cover, the rocker was totally off and I pulled the pushrod out, yep! BENT. On my way to Kragen, going to throw the new one in tonight and see how it goes. My nieghbor said it could have happened because of a possibley needed valve job, I dont want to put any money into these old heads smile.gif If nothing got damaged Im going to be reeeeeeeeal happy camper here.