The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop ticktickk

hi, this forum has been a great source for help and info and i thank all the folks who take the time to help greenhorns like me learn and continue the hobby.

i'm working on a 1951 panel that has a 1957 235.
i've had the engine rebuilt using a mild cam, dual zenith 228s, edlebrock intake and fenton headers.

after running great for 500 miles, i noticed a ticking sound that is easy to hear on start up but gets quiter after about 2 mins. im still able to hear it once the engine warms up and it never goes away.
my first thought was a exhaust leak so i brought it back to the muffler shop that built the dual exhaust....3 times. the noise is still there.

now, i'm new to this so i'm still learning. my thought was that it could be a valve/push rod adjustment but i have heard different stories as to wether the valves could be adjusted on this motor as it has hydraulic lifters.

the tick is clearley coming from the top of the engine. if they can be adjusted, what is the process.

thanks for any help that you experts can offer!

Valves can be adjusted. How they are adjusted is different depending on whether the cam is using hydraulic lifters or solid lifters. Do you know by any chance what kind of lifters are in your motor? Whose cam did you install? That might be helpful in determining what lifters you are using.

Ticking and clicking can be maddeningly hard to find and are often of no consequence unless they get worse over time. One trick is to pull the valve cover and check around each rocker, valve and pushrod with a length of 1/4 inch rubber tubing with one end stuck in your ear. Another trick is to use a long thin screwdriver pressed against your head behind your ear and probe around with that. DO NOT do this in the vicinity of the fan. You can also buy a mechanics stethiscope for the same use as the screwdriver. It's safer. The tube method can be used to probe around for possible exhaust leaks too. Check all along the head/exhaust manifold interface and, in your case, also check around the tubes that duct exhaust heat from the exh manifolds into the bottom of the intake manifold. Do this cold and hot. Mine started leaking after about ten years and required another turn on the fittings to tighten them. Check both down-pipe flange gaskets when cold and when hot. Ticking also comes up the throttle linkage to the gas pedal from the pivot on the side of the block. There is also the possibility of spark jumping from a plug wire to ground but that is usually associated with a miss on one or more cylinders. Good luck and happy hunting.

Try all the suggestions in your other thread on this subject in the Driveline Forum.

the lifters are hydraulic, the cam is a comp specs are:
int exh
av dur: 260 260
dur@ .050 212 212
valve lift .447 .447

Give the valves an adjustment and see what that does for your tick.