I have a ticking sound coming from the engine. It is louder when the engine is cold. It speeds up and slows down with engine speeds. Already checked the rocker arms, they are not loose. What could cause this?

 

sounds like it could be a collapest lifter or possibly a rod bearing, how is the oil pressure?

 

sounds like it could be a lifter or possibly a rod bearing, how is the oil pressure?

 

I second the collapsed lifter.

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I have a similar problem. My oil pressure is fine, about 45 pounds at speed and 20 at idle.

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85T/A 305/QJ work in progress.

 

Speaking of oil pressure, mine runs at 30 at the lowest at 550 rpms, and pretty much stays pinne4d at 60. is this normal and ok for the engine, i know it's bettter than having too little pressure.

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I had the same thing..simple cause was an exhaust leak..When the engine was cold it ticks pretty loud and varies with engine RPM..Or it could be a lifter problem but i'd check the manifold/header gaskets before anything.

 

I have already replace both the Header gaskets and the collector gaskets on my car. Hmmm..... Probably a lifter in my case, huh? D***. Don't really want to take half my engine apart.

 

How long ago did you do that exhaust work.... did the sound start after that... or has a connection worked loose. I just found a sound exactly like what you are describing, and it was an exhaust leak near the firewall.

But... assuming it isn't that. Get yourself either a good stethoscope from an auto parts store, or buy in its place a 4 foot 5/8inch heater hose, and listen with it for that sound... find out where it is coming from. It's easy once you've done it.

Get back and post your followup on the location of the sound, and if it's a lifter, email me or write it up here again. Replacing a lifter isn't hard, and you can have some fun with other stuff while doing it... i.e. mayb replace rockers at same time, or do valve seals if your car puffs blue smoke at start up after sitting awhile.

 

I just change them about a month and a half ago. I had my friend from chevy bring his stethoscope to listen to my engine because that is what I thought it was. He said it was not the exhaust. The noise is coming from the Passenger side of the engine, in the back of the block. Standing on the driver side of the car you can not hear it too loudly, but standing on the passenger side of the car it is loud. It is noticeably louder when the engine is cold.

 

O.K..... if u have that scope handy, u'll be needing it. You definitely need to pull the pass. side valve cover off... easier said than done, although I don't have the air pump crap on my car anymore and it's not too hard for me. Just take your time, take all the brackets off you have to, don't bend that cheesy, stamped beer can factory cover... plan on purchasing a set of valve cover seals when u are done.

After the cover is off, build a cover of ur own out of alum. foil that is high and open on the top, you start the car then, and the oil splashing should be contained in this, and now listen with that scope, find out which rocker or pushrod, or lifter is making the noise. I don't have much info on ur engine, I'm assuming it has been stroked to a 383... once you find the culprit, get back to us... if it's a lifter, not a big deal to remove it, right?

 

I would almost bet money that it's not a lifter.

More likely it's an exhaust leak where the manifold meets the head. The first thing to try is tightening those bolts.

If it's really a mechanical noise, which I seriously doubt, it's probably a bent push rod or a rocker arm with a groove worn in the tip.

The reason I doubt it's mechanical is because if it's a bad piece of metal, it won't change with engine temp; and if it's oil-related, it will get worse with heat, not better. About the only thing that gets better with heat is an exhaust leak.

The heater hose method is what I use; just take a piece of it and stick it in your ear, and listen around everywhere with the other end of it. You may have the wrong header gasket which is very common - especially where the hole in the gasket is too big for the clamping part of the header flange, or loose bolts, or a warped flange. That's definitely the first place to look though.

 

Well, Gaskets are cheap, I guess I could change them again. What kind do you recommend? I just use the Mr.Gasket ones. Are there any better ones than those POS paper ones? My headers are dynomax.

 

get some felpro gaskests they seem to work pretty good.

 

Say this noise is a lifter, is the only fallback the ticking noise? I have the same ticking symptoms on my car and I can't afford any more problems major problems.

 

I ripped the Valve covers off and checked with the stethoscope. No loose rocker arms. And I went ahead and tightened down my headers and collector gaskets until I get to the auto store to get some new ones.

 

383... did u do what i said, make a cover of aluminum foil, run the car and then listen? What did you hear... is it a pushrod on a bad lifter....

keep us posted k?

 

Yeah. I had my friend from chevy go ahead and reset all of the rocker arms. But, the ticking still persists. When you stand by the passenger side front wheel well, hood closed, it sounds almost as if it were coming from under the car. Transmissions don't sounds like this do they?

 

A cracked flexplate can make ticking noises.

 

383, go ahead and put the car up on stands and start it, then go underneath... make SURE the car is supported securely on stands, and put the jack underneath the k-member or front crossbrace and do the same thing... listen with your homemade heater hose stethoscope or use ur friends, k?

I assuming ur friend that checked the rocker arms actually listened to the valve train too...

Also, didn't u mention that earlier when you scoped it it sounded like it was coming from the back of the engine.... gio may be right on this one, though I was not aware that the ticking sound could be a flexplate... gio, how is that?

 

what can happen if you drive with a bad lifter, I know I have one. will the engine blow or just make noise. my engine is strong, just noisy. is there a quick fix, like putting tranny fluid in before an oil change or something.