My valves are tapping, only during idle and low rpms. I changed oil and added a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil(heh, its supposed to clean the valves and lifters). Didn't stop though, is there anything else I can do?

Thanks in advance
Stock 87 Camaro 2.8 MPFI

 

There are lots of things to check.
I can ask a million questions to get to the reason.
Tell us more.
Why all the sudden do they clatter....
Year
Milage
Work done
Who?
You them or?

 

what side of the motor is making noise?

bunch of threads about leaky coils and how it will sound like that, and it usually meants you just needed a good tune up. plugs, wires, cap, rotor

 

Valves tapping.. set the lash, check the torqe on the retainers, the springs.

 

Ked85: I dont know why all of a sudden, it just started happeningand there is a little over 200K miles on it. No work done.

Gumby:Sounds like the drivers side.

CHC:Set the lash? sorry i dont know what that means(not as good vocabulary as you)

Thanks guys, keep it coming

 

You're wasting the wrong effort.
You should be out scouting around for a replacment used running engine to slip in under that hood.
The fact that it "runs" is good (meaning some of the old ignition/induction system can be swapped ove to the new long block).
This saves money.
Do as I have,
Find a used running low milage 3.4 long block from a 1993-1995 FBody (ONLY RWD VEHICLES) to slip in.
I pay $800-900 for the (one at 44K and another is starting at 50K) engine, add a rebuit tranny, new this & that & go for hopefully 15-20 years on a good reliable inexpensive vehicle I've rebuilt for about $2K total investment.

Your cam is shot the motor is dead.
My 85 Blazer engine died at 211,500 miles.
It did good.

Now the 50K 3.4 goes in!!
Just found "new" axle outta a 1989 S-10 with way less milage on it!
It's MINE!!
Already have the fresh rebuilt tranny for the Blazer.
I haven't touched the $2K level yet at all! Not close. BUT catching up!!!
Bye Gotta Boogie!

 

yes KED i know, thats what i will be doing, I just NEED to keep this car running for 2 more weeks. Anything I can do to help it along???? After 2 weeks i'll have a new beater and finally be able to work on the camaro. But until then it has to run. (No car, no work, no money, no place to live. ya know)

 

Born in Plainfield, raised in Westfield.
Ya can adjust stuff, but, how long may it hold?
I did a head swap on my 211,500 engine.
Made it run, for a total of 10 minutes each time.
Why?
All this stuff eventually fell into pan & sucked by oil tube causing clatering valves after a few minutes of operation...
Confirmed when I removed pan on the old engine.
I wasted alot of time in my instance.
I was bummed, also.

 

I second this motion ! When my engine had a broken lifter in it . The shop told me " we can fix it for $700 " but " the car may die 10k miles later or sooner ".I recommend getting a new motor" , but they said "the choice is up to you " ...Im SO GLAD I got a new motor instead of putting $700 bucks in the car and even if I did get 30 k more miles out of it , I still saved in the long run b/c I never shelled out $700 bucks .Go find a running engine like Karl said out of the boneyard !

 

You might find it hard to set lash on a hydraulic lifter... if your lifter is shot, you should replace it.