My engine (350) sounds like it has a loose lifter noise. I checked the lifters, they are not making any noise. The noise is coming from under the head inside the header while looking under the car facing the header. No noise from top of engine. Its just a steady tick, tick, tick. The sound goes up and down with the rpm. I changed the header and collector gaskets. Over the weekend I added oil detergent to see if the lifter was stuck. And I added Lucas cleaner lubricant to the gas. to see if a valve was stuck. There is no backfiring and the car seems to drive okay? Any thoughts?
Ticking noise
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Try a piece of rubber hose in your ear and move it around the areas you suspect the noise is coming from. This should help pin point it.
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5,501 Posts
Al, I know you've changed the header gaskets already... but I had a similar problem when I went with new copper header gaskets and didn't use the supplied thicker washers...
The two center header bolts were bottoming out just before clamping the gasket completely.
I swapped in the proper washers and the problem was solved.
I hope it's something cheap and easy for you as well.
The two center header bolts were bottoming out just before clamping the gasket completely.
I swapped in the proper washers and the problem was solved.
I hope it's something cheap and easy for you as well.
Where accessable small wood like 1"x1" works eve better for a stethiscope.
Anyway,try pulling the plug wires off 1 a a time with insualted plyers from dist cap.
Then if you find the ticking stops whenever you remove the plug wire for 1 certain cyl and the ticking returns as soon as you reinstall the wire so the cyl fires again that should mean theres either still a leak at header to head ,a cracked header flange ,or cracked header pipe to that 1 cyl.
If the ticking sound doesnt mostly go away on 1 cyl somewhere when pulling the plug wires off 1 at a time with motor running then its likely not an ex leak from headers.
If you do hear a diff on 1 cyl then go after seal to head for that cyl looking for warped/bent/cracked flange and if that still chk's out ok then chk the header pipe on that 1 cyl for cracks too.
If no diff is heard remvoing plug wires.then try holding the wood stethiscope on the mech pump of timing cover with motor running to see if you can hear the ticking thur the wood on those spots. It will be very obvious when you hit the right sopt,the sound travels very well thru the wood.
Tracked down a bad powersteering pump on a 70 chevelle ss 396 last wk using a piece of wood,works great.
I have had bad mech fuel pumps and or stock gm cam timing gears with plastic overlay make ticking noises that can mimick a bad or out of adj lifter or exhaust leaks sounds so keep that in mind too.
Could still be a bad or out of adj lifter you missed,a lobe-lifter going bad,or maybe simply the insp cover on trans hitting flywheel.
Scott
Anyway,try pulling the plug wires off 1 a a time with insualted plyers from dist cap.
Then if you find the ticking stops whenever you remove the plug wire for 1 certain cyl and the ticking returns as soon as you reinstall the wire so the cyl fires again that should mean theres either still a leak at header to head ,a cracked header flange ,or cracked header pipe to that 1 cyl.
If the ticking sound doesnt mostly go away on 1 cyl somewhere when pulling the plug wires off 1 at a time with motor running then its likely not an ex leak from headers.
If you do hear a diff on 1 cyl then go after seal to head for that cyl looking for warped/bent/cracked flange and if that still chk's out ok then chk the header pipe on that 1 cyl for cracks too.
If no diff is heard remvoing plug wires.then try holding the wood stethiscope on the mech pump of timing cover with motor running to see if you can hear the ticking thur the wood on those spots. It will be very obvious when you hit the right sopt,the sound travels very well thru the wood.
Tracked down a bad powersteering pump on a 70 chevelle ss 396 last wk using a piece of wood,works great.
I have had bad mech fuel pumps and or stock gm cam timing gears with plastic overlay make ticking noises that can mimick a bad or out of adj lifter or exhaust leaks sounds so keep that in mind too.
Could still be a bad or out of adj lifter you missed,a lobe-lifter going bad,or maybe simply the insp cover on trans hitting flywheel.
Scott
Even better if you can get your hands on one of these Automotive Stethoscopes.
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http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WMR-W80582/
And for the cost of some valve cover gaskets. I would just pull them off, and check inside. My Dad "bless his heart" had a 307 with a push rod stuck right into the push rod socket..lol
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WMR-W80582/
And for the cost of some valve cover gaskets. I would just pull them off, and check inside. My Dad "bless his heart" had a 307 with a push rod stuck right into the push rod socket..lol
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83 Posts
Some of my experiances was had just replaced a fuel pump, then the noise started tick, tick, with rpm's. Went to parts store got another fuel pump, problem solved.
Other tick, tick, noise was when put my headers on, could not get them to seal, copper gaskets, felpro gaskets, tryed doubling gaskets. Finally went back to parts store, ordered another set of headers (same brand) cause exhaust was set up to headers.
when went to get headers I shocked at how smooth the flang that bolted up to the side of the engine was, old headers were junk right out of the box. New headers, copper gaskets, problem solved.
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14,049 Posts
You can get that same item at Harbor Freight for $3-$4. It's typically $6 but goes on sale often for about $3.Even better if you can get your hands on one of these Automotive Stethoscopes.
![]()
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WMR-W80582/
And for the cost of some valve cover gaskets. I would just pull them off, and check inside. My Dad "bless his heart" had a 307 with a push rod stuck right into the push rod socket..lol
:hurray:
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1,794 Posts
Quote:I have had bad mech fuel pumps and or stock gm cam timing gears with plastic overlay make ticking noises that can mimick a bad or out of adj lifter or exhaust leaks sounds so keep that in mind too. Unquote.
This can be hard to diagnose because it doesn't seem to be coming from the fuel pump. Probe this area well with the rubber hose.
This can be hard to diagnose because it doesn't seem to be coming from the fuel pump. Probe this area well with the rubber hose.
Quote:I have had bad mech fuel pumps and or stock gm cam timing gears with plastic overlay make ticking noises that can mimick a bad or out of adj lifter or exhaust leaks sounds so keep that in mind too. Unquote.
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HMMMM,WHERE DID I SEE THAT BEFORE?/LOL!!!!!!!!
Actually,the ticking noise will be very easy to hear by placing a piece of 1"x2" wood on f-pump or top of timing cover with motor running if thats the case with one of those items actually being bad macking the ticking noise. I say that from doing that diagnostic work 1st hand & finding a few bad f-pumps along with a few bad plastic coated cam gears making ticking noises that could be mistaken for a lifter tick over the 38+ yrs i have been working on these motors/muscle cars.
But be very carfull of moving belts/pulleys/fan /etc when doing this with motor running.
But again its a very obvious sound thats transferd from a bad f-pump or or bad stock plastic coated cam gear with plastic teeth missing. I have also used the stethescope back to back with the wood and in most cases the wood works better for me with better noise transfer .
So try that 1st before bothering to buy the stethescope. But the s-scope can be more user friendly when you have to get in a real tight spot but the top of t-cover behind w-pump , f-pump,v-covers,etc are all easily accessable with wood for testing like in this case here.
SCOTT
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HMMMM,WHERE DID I SEE THAT BEFORE?/LOL!!!!!!!!
Actually,the ticking noise will be very easy to hear by placing a piece of 1"x2" wood on f-pump or top of timing cover with motor running if thats the case with one of those items actually being bad macking the ticking noise. I say that from doing that diagnostic work 1st hand & finding a few bad f-pumps along with a few bad plastic coated cam gears making ticking noises that could be mistaken for a lifter tick over the 38+ yrs i have been working on these motors/muscle cars.
But be very carfull of moving belts/pulleys/fan /etc when doing this with motor running.
But again its a very obvious sound thats transferd from a bad f-pump or or bad stock plastic coated cam gear with plastic teeth missing. I have also used the stethescope back to back with the wood and in most cases the wood works better for me with better noise transfer .
So try that 1st before bothering to buy the stethescope. But the s-scope can be more user friendly when you have to get in a real tight spot but the top of t-cover behind w-pump , f-pump,v-covers,etc are all easily accessable with wood for testing like in this case here.
SCOTT
Dang!!!/I totally forgot about a loose plug with compression/combustion blowing out past the threads making the ticking sound./DUH!!!!!/LOL!!!!
But gald you found it was something simple esp before he plug got loose enough to be ejected out taking the last couple threads with it too causing other issues.
Scott
But gald you found it was something simple esp before he plug got loose enough to be ejected out taking the last couple threads with it too causing other issues.
Scott
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