Lay rags over the tips of the rockers, start the engine with the valve cover off and use a stethoscope on each of the rocker arms. You will easily notice the loud one.
Lifter rattle
- Thread starter Smokinnjokin
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Smokinnjokin
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Just got timing buttoned back up last night, only able to work on it 1 day a week so next time will be valvetrain.
dvw
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You dont even need the stethoscope. Put your finger on each rocker
If there's an issue you'll feel it.
Doug
Smokinnjokin
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Well darn, great advice, I wish I had run it with valve covers off before I pulled off the intake manifold. Gotta wait for the fresh manifold to be installed (eddy RPM, need to block heat risers) before I can do that check. I suppose I could go ahead and replace lifters now since a set is only $50. It would be worth it not to buy a new gasket set, drain coolant and remove manifold again to get at them.
I can check pushrods and tips while im at it.
I just realized this morning that i F'ed up, tightened down the timing cover with sealant around pan corner on bottom before dampener was installed (supposed to be on to center the seal) so that may complicate things. Praying that I can loosen all the fasteners, pop on the dampener without breaking seal with oilpan.
I can check pushrods and tips while im at it.
I just realized this morning that i F'ed up, tightened down the timing cover with sealant around pan corner on bottom before dampener was installed (supposed to be on to center the seal) so that may complicate things. Praying that I can loosen all the fasteners, pop on the dampener without breaking seal with oilpan.
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If your timing cover/block has dowel pins, you're not going to move it much anyway.
Smokinnjokin
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It does not, and there is some play allowed between the size of the holes and the bolts that go in them. Fingers crossed. Had to push down very hard against the bottom oilpan seal (half-round rubber one) to get the timing cover bolts threaded in. Fingers crossed that its close to alignment with the dampener.
Part of the issue is that the dampener has to be driven back on with that big *** crank bolt, it doesn't just 'pop' in. So im not going to have much of a feel if im putting undue pressure on the seal. And visibility under there isnt great, so fingers crossed I don't jack it up and have to get a new seal kit and re-do everything.
Smokinnjokin
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I have tuesday off work, going to tackle this project.
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Smokinnjokin
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OK so I was able to go home tonight and do a little bit of work and found some interesting things. Took all the lifters out, about half of them were rock solid (cant get plunger to depress even with a screwdriver) and the other half were able to be depressed with a finger. I am wondering if this is because the ones that were under pressure all this time from the valvesprings collapsed, and the lifters that weren’t stayed pumped up. Not sure, but I already have a new set of lifters on the way.
I cleaned and checked all the pushrods, they are all straight and seem in in order, although the top ends were rusty probably from sitting for a while and not running for long periods (before I bought the car). Some time in my wet tumbler with steel pins cleaned them right up.
I found something interesting when looking at the old intake, it appears the heat riser on the drivers side was crudely plugged and leaking. As much as I want to point to this as an “aha” for the ticking sound, I had isolated the sound to the opposite side of the motor so maybe it’s just a coincidence. Either way, I am really looking forward to getting rid of the exhaust crossover and fuel boiling off. Losing 40 pounds on the front end from that cast-iron manifold is nice, too.
Finally, when pressing the old lifters out I was using a plastic rod to try to pry them from underneath without scratching the lifter face (thinking i might re-use them) And the thing snapped and dropped about a 1/2 inch long piece of plastic rod down into the motor. Can’t see anything with a flashlight, no idea where it went. Oilpan I hope.
I cleaned and checked all the pushrods, they are all straight and seem in in order, although the top ends were rusty probably from sitting for a while and not running for long periods (before I bought the car). Some time in my wet tumbler with steel pins cleaned them right up.
I found something interesting when looking at the old intake, it appears the heat riser on the drivers side was crudely plugged and leaking. As much as I want to point to this as an “aha” for the ticking sound, I had isolated the sound to the opposite side of the motor so maybe it’s just a coincidence. Either way, I am really looking forward to getting rid of the exhaust crossover and fuel boiling off. Losing 40 pounds on the front end from that cast-iron manifold is nice, too.
Finally, when pressing the old lifters out I was using a plastic rod to try to pry them from underneath without scratching the lifter face (thinking i might re-use them) And the thing snapped and dropped about a 1/2 inch long piece of plastic rod down into the motor. Can’t see anything with a flashlight, no idea where it went. Oilpan I hope.
68Moparmaniac
Well-Known Member
Unless you have a windage tray on your engine that busted piece should be in the pan. If you do have a windage tray I would start pulling it apart... sucks when the gravity switch is left on...
I’m sure you spun the rods with a drill to be sure they are not bent. I never found the rod tip, even fished around the pan through the drain plug which is magnetized. Seems to have a happy unencumbered life wherever it is. Many thousand miles since that incident.
Smokinnjokin
Well-Known Member
UPDATE!
I did a lot of projects simultaneously; new timing chain and v6 tensioner; new lifters, new eddy intake manifold and HEI conversion.
Got everything together last night, and mocked up the HEI this morning to fire it up. I ordered a designed2drive bracket to mount my LX-301 hei module to the underside of the module, but it hasn't come yet and I didn't have the patience to wait so i hooked the module up and grounded it, and just left it hanging to fire up the car.
Started right up, got the timing in the ballpark and immediately started revving motor to around 3k to break in new lifters. Ran nicely for a few minutes and promptly died. No sputters, just instant off like a fuse blew. Checked the ign module, and it was about to catch on fire. I'm guessing I fried it by running it with no heat sink or way to transfer heat away. Either that or it just overheated. Not a huge deal, they are $23.
PLOT TWIST! The annoying tick/whatever that motivated me to do this whole project... Is still there. The engine sounded *exactly* the same as before the project. Just a minor, very faint annoying tapping/ticking sound.
So either
1) The new lifters didn't have time to pump up yet (only ran motor 3-5 minutes) seems unlikely, that the noise would sound identical if lifter problem
2) it is an exhaust leak (remflex gaskets and TTI headers, seems unlikely)
3) its something in the bottom end.
HMMM. Making progress, but still some unsolved questions.
I did a lot of projects simultaneously; new timing chain and v6 tensioner; new lifters, new eddy intake manifold and HEI conversion.
Got everything together last night, and mocked up the HEI this morning to fire it up. I ordered a designed2drive bracket to mount my LX-301 hei module to the underside of the module, but it hasn't come yet and I didn't have the patience to wait so i hooked the module up and grounded it, and just left it hanging to fire up the car.
Started right up, got the timing in the ballpark and immediately started revving motor to around 3k to break in new lifters. Ran nicely for a few minutes and promptly died. No sputters, just instant off like a fuse blew. Checked the ign module, and it was about to catch on fire. I'm guessing I fried it by running it with no heat sink or way to transfer heat away. Either that or it just overheated. Not a huge deal, they are $23.
PLOT TWIST! The annoying tick/whatever that motivated me to do this whole project... Is still there. The engine sounded *exactly* the same as before the project. Just a minor, very faint annoying tapping/ticking sound.
So either
1) The new lifters didn't have time to pump up yet (only ran motor 3-5 minutes) seems unlikely, that the noise would sound identical if lifter problem
2) it is an exhaust leak (remflex gaskets and TTI headers, seems unlikely)
3) its something in the bottom end.
HMMM. Making progress, but still some unsolved questions.
jason79
Well-Known Member
Torque converter bolt backed out?
Smokinnjokin
Well-Known Member
Nope, inspection cover is removed.
Smokinnjokin
Well-Known Member
Ok, so i ran the car for over an hour today flushing the radiator and the sound is gone. Looks like the topend refresh got the job done.
I do, however have a stumble or miss at higher rpm, might be a jetting issue with the timing and intake changes, not sure. I also have a clicking sound coming from back by the distributor or coil that is new, I think it may be ignition related with the new HEI system. Going to run the car in the dark tonight and look for arcing.
The project is almost done, I just need to find a new kickdown lever and spring, relocate the coil to clear the vac advance on the distributor, and fine tune carb/timing.
I do, however have a stumble or miss at higher rpm, might be a jetting issue with the timing and intake changes, not sure. I also have a clicking sound coming from back by the distributor or coil that is new, I think it may be ignition related with the new HEI system. Going to run the car in the dark tonight and look for arcing.
The project is almost done, I just need to find a new kickdown lever and spring, relocate the coil to clear the vac advance on the distributor, and fine tune carb/timing.
Smokinnjokin
Well-Known Member
Must’ve been the old lifters, that’s the only thing I can think of.
Edit: to cap off this thread, $50 worth of new melling lifters and a new timing chain solved the issue.
Edit: to cap off this thread, $50 worth of new melling lifters and a new timing chain solved the issue.
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