Thread: Valve train talking....Maybe

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Well just started hearing it this weekend, I can hear a tapping noise coming from the car , it kind of sounds like when a kid has playing card in the spokes of his bike tire.

At first I thought maybe an exhaust leak, but I can see no evidence of one at the headers so I am thinking a lifter is tapping maybe but don't know for sure so I thought I would ask some more experienced folks.

Also going to pull off the valve covers tomorrow and just was wondering if there anything obvious to look for and anything to check out.

Thanks ahead of time, all help will be greatly appreciated

Oh yeah almost forgot, it for my 51 chevy deluxe with a 350 in it

Originally Posted by mudbog42

Well just started hearing it this weekend, I can hear a tapping noise coming from the car , it kind of sounds like when a kid has playing card in the spokes of his bike tire.

At first I thought maybe an exhaust leak, but I can see no evidence of one at the headers so I am thinking a lifter is tapping maybe but don't know for sure so I thought I would ask some more experienced folks.

Also going to pull off the valve covers tomorrow and just was wondering if there anything obvious to look for and anything to check out.

Thanks ahead of time, all help will be greatly appreciated

Oh yeah almost forgot, it for my 51 chevy deluxe with a 350 in it

That noise that you say sounds like cards in spokes . Check for an exhaust leak first . But we just had a Chevy truck at work that sounded like this . The guy who worked on it said it needed an exhaust manifold . I said no the head gasket is blown . He was wrong now I get to change the engine . And it runs not to bad . How is your engine running ? Is it missing like a weak cylinder ? And make sure that its not a rocker arm that backed off . Then remove the headers and look to see if you blow out a gasket . If all look ok it may have a bad head gasket !

Hey Mudbog, I would be surprised if you didn't hear something ticking on a small block chevy. If you can get your hand around the header gaskets see if you can feel any leaks. Many times these will sound like ticking. Also at the collector. If you pull your valve covers check to see if any of the rockers are acting different than the others. I've also had mechanical fuel pumps that started making noises.

IF all that checks out,pop the hood at night or in A dark well ventalated garage,(engine running)and make sure you dont have A plug wire jumping the ark off something.Headers love to eat plug -wires.

I couldn't find any leaks around the headers, that was my first guess, I even took it to an exhaust shop to see if they could find anything and nothing.

Engine feels ok still

How do I know if a rocker has backed off or not?

And I also just ran it with the covers and also recorded some videos for sound and maybe someone can notice something I don't

This one is the sound with the covers on

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoID=22743285

And this one is with the cover off

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoID=22743369

You can try and adjust the rockers . But I think you may have a worn cam lobe . First take a long 3/8 extension and put it by your ear and by the rocker arm nuts you will hear the bad one . You can try to tighten it down 1/2 turn and see if it starts to quit down a bit . If it does remove that rocker and check if its cracked . If its ok reinstall it then adjust it . How old is that camshaft ? It may be time for a cam change .

It looks like the #7 intake rocker/valve is moving erratic

Originally Posted by DennyW

Cylinder 5, and 7. Watch the pushrod rotation also. It would help if you could take a shot from front to rear, and don't move the camera around. We will be able to compare the lift that way. Also, show the pushrod area.

Ok will record a new video

Also when tightening the rocker arms, the very last one near the firewall seemed to quite it down a little bit

ok, not the greatest video, I'll try and make a better one, but heres another one with more angles

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoID=22749099