When I took my car out yesterday I heard a strange ticking sound coming from the engine. Its a fast tick tick tick and it only happens when I apply the throttle. I happens pretty much throughout the RPM range but only when I open the throttle.

I have just made a couple of adjustments:

I replaced the distributor springs with lighter ones
and I changed the vaccum secondary spring from white to yellow.

Recently I accidentally over-revved the engine briefly on a downshift. But it was fine right after that. The problem just started.

Any ideas on what the cause is?

 

Header gaskets

 

It could be only one of two things as far as I am aware. If you description is accurate, or I am understanding it correctly.

Either it's a rocker arm. Or it could be your lifters.

 

The "ticking under load only" description sounds a lot like an exhaust leak.

 

Yeap..Sounds like a exhaust leak here too..

 

thanks I'll check the headers. I had that problem once before.

At first I thought maybee rocker arm or lifter but I would think the noise would continue when I let off the gas.

Thanks guys.

 

When I had a similar situation with my lifters it was somewhat intermitant. Depending on the engine temperature and the amount of throttle I had going on would cause it to become either more noticable or it would go away.

I had my lifters replaced and I had no more problems with that since.

 

Thanks for the info. I did find a loose header bolt but I havn't tightened them all down yet. I'll see if that is the problem then go from there.

 

Do rockers get louder as you accelerate? I have various ticking noises with the car that I only hear at idle with the hood open, but they dont get louder as I accelerate, and I cannot hear them. If it is rockers, why do I need to adjust them so much? It seems like every day I get new ticking noises, but they arent loud like I remember obvious rocker noises like when I broke a valve (top 1/8", got to pull the head over Christmas last year). Oh well, im probably paranoid. For what its worth they are original 1971 build 487 casting heads.

 

Get it out on the "Monona-Middleton Speedway" and check it out. Flip off Lenny Mattioli for me when you go past, will ya?

 

EXHAUST LEAK!!! No doubt.