Its not injector ticking, when I listen closely to the driver side valve cover, I hear loud ticking and it increases when the engine is revved. This isn't rod knock I hope? The ticking got worse after I changed my oil (long story w/ the oil pres. sensor). Any ideas?

 

Rocker arm(s) loose. Need to pull the valve cover and re-adjust them. Might as well check the ones on the right side while your down that far.

 

could be an exhaust leak...but its probably what dale said.

 

Yeah sounds like a rocker to me too..although funny story, I discovered that running short on cylinders produces a tick from the valve cover area too...friend of mine thought it would be funny to unplug two of my plug wires, at the plugs....I didn't notice. Funny part was, the car idled just fine just on the rough side, like it didn't even mind temporarily being a V4. But I heard a ticking/tapping noise from the passenger side valvecover only..which was odd too because they unplugged 1 wire per side. Let's just say I took my revenge.. (Got his keys and dumped the clutch in his car next to his house)

 

lol, you guys are vicious

 

You're damn right! Well I even revved my car when I was down on 2 cylinders, so guess what? UNBURNED exhaust gasses were being sent through my exhaust pipes...if I would've revved the car any higher and it would've backfired, it could've ignited those gases and blown my pipe/muffler/cat open..NOT GOOD! THAT'S why I took my revenge so harshly.. I did a nice clean clutch dump though...nothing TOO damaging. Although that WAS the first time I'd ever dumped the clutch in a stick, because I'm not very experienced at driving them...

 

i had that problem back with my old 2.8L

it ticked to no end
louder than my original flowmaster

its probably either loose rocker arm or arms

cylinder misfires due to faulty spark plugs or spark wires(or both)

and/or a lot of gunk stuck on your valve train

 

Seems like a bit of work, can the valve covers be pulled without taking off the intake? I have an old Haynes manual which covers the carb'd 2.8 much better than the MPFI.
Estimated downtime??
Estimated level of difficulty?
Should I switch to a thicker oil? I'm runnin 10w-30 Valvoline MaxLife right now.

 

there might be a way to pull it out the rocker arms without the manifold, but i doubt it
i have the haynes too so not much i can help you there
additives, that stop ticking, and valve train noise and all sorts of sounds are good
it basically uses its liquidy might to unstuck those lazy rocker arms
i use this company called
Armor
then again they hook me up with a lot of stuff
tranny additives
engine additives
valve train
and gas additives
the valve train one is black
basically it just loosens off the gunk freeing up the arms

 

'89, if you have the same manual as me, the Haynes covers the newer models in the back of the book, in a supplemental chapter... but I don't see any way those valve covers could come off without yanking the upper/lower plenum and fuel rail/injectors, either.

 

Hey Tom, all I gotta say to that is.....CRAP. Even the fuel rail and injectors??!

 

Yeah... sucks, right? You take off the upper plenum, and the fuel rail's right there, bolted to the "top" of the lower plenum. But... if you can grab a set of 6 injectors from a junkyard, you could send 'em out to http://www.cruzinperformance.com to have 'em cleaned & flowtested for cheap, then, when you pull the valve covers, you could install the cleaned injectors when you're putting the motor back together. Felpro sells an intake gasket kit for our cars, comes with a throttle body gasket, upper-to-lower-plenum gaskets (2, one for each side), lower-plenum-to-intake-manifold gasket, valve cover gaskets, and a EGR-tube-to-throttle-body gasket. Bought one when I cleaned out my upper plenum... don't have a part # handy, but it was around $35.

Alternative; you could cut your own gaskets for the upper-to-lower plenum and the lower-plenum-to-intake-manifold. Upper plenum gaskets aren't that bad; but the lower plenum one looks like it'd be a btch. The gaskets tend to come off intact, without ripping, but they harden up over time. First time I cleaned my upper plenum, I just reused the gaskets. Next time I pulled the plenum off, I found traces of carbon on the gasket, and between the gasket and lower plenum, so re-using the gaskets isn't a good idea. Just get a roll of thin black hi-temp gasket material from an auto store (Pep Boys, about $2), a pencil-style Xacto knife, a pencil to trace the old gasket onto the new material, and a block of wood so you don't cut the desk below. I used a hollow punch for the bolt holes.

 

A bomb?

 

Ha ha....f*cking Mafia! Ya steal just ONE ounce of coke and they FREAK out.....

 

Hell if your down that far midas well do a headgasket and rebuild the whole upper end.

 

Oh yah and while your at it do a gasket match.

 

Toss in a bit of tranny fluid into the oil crank case.
MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT OVER FILL
Go on freeway and run hard.
Change oil go to a rating thicker (like 40 weight not 5-30) noise should stop.
Plan on rebuild or another ride shortly.
PS It can live like this for qute a while, too.
Don't plan on win on Race Day Sundays, engine sounds worn & wearing down.

Time to find a 3.4!!
The one in my Blazer is very very close to raring to go.
Final hurdle is placment of electric fuel pump for temp road tests & movement.
I am installing another rear axle & I'll secure electric fuel pump proper at that time.

I registered 150 PSI per cylinder (while adjusting valves) on my 50K 3.4 motor. That's quite good!

 

Hey Karl did you find a spot to put the fuel pump? i was thinking maybe under the blazer along the frame tords the back by the axle? or in the middle someware.

 

Well my girl says pulling the top end apart will take about a day... I think that's a bit optimistic. I'm planning on the last weekend of the year. College applications are haunting me right now. Money's a bit tight too. Being a senior isn't cheap.
I REALLY don't want to change my oil AGAIN. I'll probably wait til it burns off a bit and i'll put a lil bit of tranny fluid in. Will that make the problem worse to fix? What does the tranny fluid actually do? Make my oil thicker?

Tom, where did u pick up the gasket set? Kragen might have it... I think.

Karl, Amber is really with you with the 3.4 swap... what have I done! Hey when you need that body work on your Firebird done, just let me know and I'll let Amber know... might even cover the gaskets.

 

The tranny fluid will basicly clean up all the oil gunk that has built up in your eninge. One down side if you have no leak now you might get some oil leakes after using the tranny fluid in your oil it will clean allot of the grime off inside your engine and around the gaskets and if you have bad gasketsthat grime there could be the difference form haveing a oil leak or not haveing one.

 

Ways to fix the tick.
Drive on freeway, long time fast.
When you are way slowed down ticking may be louder or may not (burning carbon off the plugs, recall hearing that phrase?)
Fast RS is correct on his input, that's the down side to pouring stuff into engine, can cause other problems.
WAYS TO BE SURE OF THE TICK.......
Get very long screwdriver (about 12" or more) or long hose (about 18") Heater core hose is good choice
Long wooden dowl about 18"" long.
Start engine, open hood, put tip of screwdriver or hose or dowl on engine various places, other end on ear and listen for the noises. You'll know when ya find the excessive noise

Isolate the noise (exhaust or lifter or even injector) & you've solved battle easier.

I plan on final pump location by the tank as that's proper. Need temp electric fuel pump spot to just tool around the block to test everything (under the hood is quickest to install & remove).
Then I obtain my other rear axle I'm installing.
When I swap rear axles, that's when I get to real work, much easier access back in that area. Plus I add my rear sway bar & leaf spring poly bushings and in the shackle to frame area, too.

But after that rear axle area mission, my 85 Blazer swap is pretty much done. I just hope I've rebuilt my Blazer for another 211,500 miles!
Just got a trailer, too, so I'm set!
Smog test is due by Jan 8th 2003! Easy hurdle! I have all the smog stuff, rebuilt or reconditioned and adding new vacuum line hoses. Not a problem at all to pass first time without a single hint I swapped to a 1995 engine! I only say I rebuilt original block & who can truly tell unless they're suspicious of something & this smog guy likes me. I keep sending him new customers.
One day I'll pay dearly to swap on the 1985 MPFI stuff, as I'll have to visit a CA smog Referee station & pay for his approval (maybe $300!) so I may smog it for road use.
Yeah I pay that much for a piece of paper about 1" square. So excited....
$300 will buy a great exhaust system ya know!

 

ANre you really positive this noise is a tick and not a tock?

Eric

 

OK If you guys saw my post in the Fiero valve cover thread, its related to this.

There is a section in my Haynes manual that says Valve train components- replacement (cylinder head installed) Is this what I should be looking at? It's just the bolt on the rocker arm that needs to be tightened right?

 

Yes.
15mm deep socket

 

So Karl, how'd that smog test a few months ago go?

 

Follow the procedure in the Haynes for tightening the rocker arm nut. You'll need to get certain cylinders at top dead center in order to turn the rocker nut. Don't just go tightening it down- how'd you find which one it was, anyway?

 

On my Blazer, it still sits in driveway.
Why
Engine is done & so is install.
I started engine, noticed taqpping noise, checked gauges, consulted friends, took it for a test drive (I COULD FEEL THE TORQUE WANTING LOOSE!) and have deduced.....
I only need readjust the rocker arms.

I paid my state license fee, yet, no smog test.
I need remove valve covers to readjust the valves, add the necessary intake smog set up hoses & then Blazer will be fine for CA Smog test.

This projet is on hold until I finish rebuilding a house that will be for sale soon (maybe in two weeks).

I may give this project to a shop I know & have those guys adjust valves install the smog stuff & then pass it.
Sprained shoulder may decide this Blazer outcome.

Passing smog will be easy with this Blazer as soon as the tweeking/set up is just right.
Fortunatly, I am close to that situation.
I have installed all the new body parts I had lying in waiting, tho.
New bumpers (I like shiny new chrome bumpers!)
New grill
New Headlight trim
New tailights.
New freshly painted bumper filler panels
I can't wait to redo my headliner.
I'm close to adjusting the floor shifter (a 1964 Impala Super Sport "T" Handle auto floor shifter in a 1969 GTO auto floor console). I made the connection cable set up close to operational.
At swap meets I do keep my eyes peeled for a set of 60* headers!
I can't wait to install the replacement rear axle (a lower milage unit than mie at 211,500 miles)

I REALLY HAVE MISSED MY 3.4 BLAZER WITH STILL WORKING ICE COLD AC! (but no heater, I still need replace the heater core!)