Hello,

Did a lot of cleaning on the TBI units, new fuel filter, new plugs etc... Car started on first crank but passenger side tapping like crazy. Shut it down and removed the cover to find that the 3rd rocker back from the front on the passenger side is off the pushrod. Pushrod is not bent. Spring looks OK. Is this the intake valve or exhaust? Do I have a flattened cam lobe? A collapsed lifter? Thoughts?

How do I check this at this point?

Thanks.

Dan

 

Have you tired to put it back together yet?
May just be a loose rocker.
I would pull the push rod out, and roll it over something to see if it is still striaght, then put it in, and run it with the valve cover off, rev it up a bit to see if it does it again.

 

This would be your #4 intake rocker. Did you have the valvetrain apart or something? It seems strange to me that it would walk itself loose like that. Maybe your stud is coming out of the head. Could also be a collapsed lifter i suppose. Or a broken cam. Just throwing ideas out there.

 

Check the rocker stud. If it's higher than the others, it's pulled out.

 

Possible stud pulled out or bad lock nut holding the rocker down

 

Here is an update.

I pulled the valve cover off and removed the rocker. The pushrod is straight as can be. Valve spring looks fine and stud looks fine. Crazy. I hope it is not the cam.

I was going to clean everything up and adjust all the valve/rocerks today. Will this throw oil like crazy to run short time w/o cover? When I did this years ago on another car it sure made a mess.

This is a new car to me so I have no background. I doubt anything has ever been done to this engine as the car is an ubelievable example of a untouched original car. It is just amazing.... but a bit frustrating.

Also, what does everyone do with the brittle wire wrap? Replace with same? Repalce with loop wrap? Oh and that emissions stuff..... I have never had that much trouble replacing plugs. Even on some vans.

Thanks again to all.

Dan