I have excessive clatter on the #3 intake or exhaust valve to the point where the engine dies for a second. I tried to set the rocker to specs and it goes a way but comes back...... any ideas what this might be..... the head was rebuilt 5000 miles ago.... new roller lifters and rocker arms and push rods

The vehicle is a 1988 formula 305 tbi and help would be great
Kenny

 

You may have to tear into it, get under the intake and probably pull that lifter to assess the damage. It may have a check valve problem (collapsed) or damage to the roller/cam lobe. If you can't see a broken spring or rocker stud pulling (measure the height and compare) there may be little else you can do.

 

first thing I will do in the am is check the stud cause this the kind of thing that makes me want to sell the car.... I have changed everything in this car rides beautiful handles awsome
but there are little things that are kicking my *** like this

what can be done with the stud do I have to bring the head back to the machinist................................

Kenny

 

We should all give you a kick in the **** if you sell it because of a valvetrain tick

It does sound like a stud pulling up on you. If that turns out to be the case and you dont want to do the work just try your luck with a junkyard head (assuming your not running aftermarket heads). You can probably get another head for less than it would cost for the drill bits and roll pins to pin the studs in your current heads.

 

well I have spent more time working on the car than driving the car in the last year..... I pulled the engine out twice, replaced the trans, all mounts, struts and springs, steering box, front end, master cylinder, booster, calipers, brake pistons, t-top seals, and door seals, have a headliner in route, repainted and undercoated the front of the car, replaced the fuel pump, NIGHTMARE,

but the car still needs a rebuild on the rear I have the kit was waiting to make a decision whether to bump her up from 2.73 to 3.23 and the roof still leaks after an extensive sealing session.....
and there is a nasty exhaust leak which is on the right exhaust manifold..... the stud keep turning.... was gonna well a bolt to the stud to stop it from turning................. Plus i replaced the cat y-pipe and exhaust.......... polution pump, ac compressor and condensor......... cooling fan switch and a 3 core radiator to cool the engine

If I could figure out how to put a picture up i would show you what she looks like now I just spent 3000 to have her painted and have the front winshield replaced.................
send me your email and I'll send you a pic
and im sure theres more that I have done

 

here is my car now......

still has to be buffed out

 

If you have a stud pulling, all is not lost. If you are careful and clean in your methods, you can pull the stud (or ALL of them), tap the holes, clean up the chips, and install threaded repair studs to prevent this from ever happening again. The repair studs are just like any other screwed stud, but are collarless. There is no need to machine the stud bosses lower to install them.

 

As a side note, check the gasket on the tops where it meets near the door. Some years have "squared" ends while others have a tapered cut seal. Be sure each side has the complimentary shape.
If the tops are from a different year they will have a gap and will never seal at the corner. Found that out while researching my 85' T/A a few years back.

 

they look like there all the same height but i have to pull all the rocker arms off and take a look but what I did notice is that I adjust the rocker arms to where they quiet up and then she reach's operating temperature and they start ticking again does this make any sense............ I'm lost if the cam was worn she would be f==ked all the time this start once she warms up and will not stop could coolant leak in the under the intake manifold cause this???????? if it was one rock arm ok but i found 3 or four different ones loose........... maybe an oil passage clogged or coolant thinning out the oil on the top end. also noticed alond of rusty color slime on the left valve cover on the inside and now some thick brown looking stuff.............. oh well thats tonights observation..............

 

Other possibilities are a bent/sticking valve, failing pivot ball on a rocker, bad adjustment nuts on the rockers (no longer sefl-locking), or as mentioned earlier, one of the lifters is collapsing/leaknig through with low oil pressure and hotter oil.

 

A pulled stud should be easy to find- lay a straight edge across the tops of the rocker studs. If one's pulling out it will be noticably higher than the others.

 

How old is the motor? Did you put a new camshaft in it? Are the rocker nuts new or used. They may no longer be self locking if they are used.

 

just pulled the intake off and found that all the studs are level... The engine was rebuilt 3000 miles ago by me............. reused the old cam but only had 70000 miles on it ......... according to crane its good for 200,000 miles............ here's my question is it possible that the intake gasket was leaking coolant into the lifter valley and causing my coolant leak and possibly my lifter problem?

 

Coolant leak---yes, lifter problem---no.

Get a bit deeper into the valve train and inspect the parts before reassembely. You could be the lucky one and have a roller cam going flat. Pick up a solid lifter and a mic and start checking lobe lift.

But I'd be opting for a bad nut on the rocker since it appears the stud isn't pulling out.