Getting a ticking sound that speads up and slows down with rpm`s.It either goes away or is not noticeable due to the sound of the engine and exhaust at a certain rpm.Thought it was an exhaust leak but I cant find it anywhere.Took it to my engine builder and he thought the same thing but he couldnt find it either.We were gonna go through the valves but didnt have time.If it is a valve we both think these valves sure need alot of adjusting.I dont drive the car very much at all.(probably 200 to 400 miles a month at most)We are going to go through them,but why all the adjusting.My mechanic is wondering if the lifters are up to the lift of the cam and the strength of the springs,or for some reason the lifter isnt primeing and causing a tick sound.The car runs fine it just bugs the hell out of me with that ticking ,and I want to make sure it is ok.I`m going to try and upload a sound clip or video if I can figure out how.Sig should tell you all about my engine.Stock roller lifters should be fine with my set-up or am I dead wrong.

 

injectors tick, loose rocker arms will tick, exhaust leaks will tick, and even a spark plug wire arcing to a ground outside of the combustion chamber... What is your oil pressure??

 

Oil pressure is fine and oil pump is new.My oil pressure comes right up when i crank it.I`m hopeing it`s just a valve out of adjustment.I`m going to go through them but it seems like an all too often occurence.I`m just learning how and I cant quite dial them in perfect,but even when my mechanic does them they dont seem to stay very long.And yes it could be an exhaust leak but I cant find it.In your opinion shouldn`t these lifters be up to the task of a production GM cam.I`m thinking about takeing it to another guy I know who has a long standing auto shop and get him to look at it and see If he has any better luck.Or,If I have time and can pop off the cover and adjust at it and see if I can. get it to go away with a slight turn and then atleast I`ll know what my problem is or narrow it down.THANKS

 

exhaust manifold gaskets?
if it goes away or gets slightly quieter after warmup, can be the slightest
gap between the manifold and the head.

 

I`m gonna try to upload a video but I gotta get a cord to go from my cam to my laptop.It seems to get louder under a load or when in a drive through i notice it more.If I`m standing in front of the car with the hood up I can barely hear it.If I lay down on either side of the car behind the front tires it seems louder.I dunno,when I get to feeling better I`m gonna check it out.I just got out of the hospital so It may be a couple days.It just bugs the **** outa me to hear that ticking and tapping after all the work time and money I put in this thing.Oh well.

 

Valves wont stay set? Sounds like you are pulling the studs out of the heads.

 

I didnt think that would be a problem with screw in studs but I`ll look into it,but the last time I went through them with some help they were tight.Thanks

 

Well,It sounded like some metal to metal ticking and even though I feel like crap I obsessed about it till I decided to try to fix it myself.I hopeI did it right but I got the tick to go away.I located the rockers that seemed to be out of adjustment and I loosened the polly lock.I adjusted the 5/8 nut till it stopped ticking.I played with it a little just a turn or so.Turned till it started ticking then turned it till it stopped.Then I turned it about a 1/4 to a 1/2 a turn and locked it down turning the 5/8 nut and the lock inside the nut at the same time.The first one i thought was the culprit wasnt but the second one I tried cleared up the ticking completly.I am just a beginner at this and last time I tried it took me three times because they kept loosening up.That was before I was told to turn both the allen head and the outer nut at the same time.So for now it`s quiet as a mouse.If anyone thinks I did this wrong PLEASE feel free to chime in.BTW the studs were tight.

 

Ok now I`ve got another question.I put the plug wires,valve cover,breather and reconected the battery and cranked it up.Idles fine about 600 rpm`s or so no tick at all.Take it for a drive and it seems I have a slight part throttle miss.It`s almost not detectable but simethings different.Could a slight valve adjustment cause a part throttle or low end from a stop miss.It`s just for a second and then all seems well.Just wondering if matby my plugs wires are jumpin fire or did I do something wrong.Its almost like I`m feeling it in the shift or the trans is hesitateing for a second.I did just yesterday have a pinion seal replaced and had to have a new yoke put on the rear and had it serviced.Now my linkage for my trans doesnt feel tight like it used to.It doesnt slid in drive or OD like it used to when I`m shifting it.Man I`m haveing no luck this week.