Started the GTA up last night after a 2 week sit and was checking under the hood for some reason and heard a weird noise.

The noise is coming from the driver's side valve cover area and basically sounds like a marble being tossed around inside a tin can. It's not constant, doesn't have a normal pattern, and has never been heard there before.

I drove the car for a bit (needed a car wash) and the sound got quiter but it's still there.

Any clues? Is it finally time for that rebuild? Is it the good ol' "heartbeat of America"?

 

pull your valve cover and check that all your rocker arms are tight. also crank it a few times with the valve cover off and recheck it.

does your car have any other symptoms?

 

worst case it might be a lifter but possibly a rocker arm as well.

 

I'm going to be checking it out this weekend. Hoping it's not much...but then again...ideas of a 383 with trickflow heads and a super-ram dance in my head when things like this happen.

 

if you got the money for the 383 say goodbye to your current engine. if you just need encouragement to do it well then here it is. your whole engine is screwed. might as well just go out and buy a new one. if your going to buy a new one might as well do it right.

 

lol...thanks...I think