Thread: valve tap

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i have a valve tap on my 390 and i was wondering if anyone could tell me how to fix it and like what torque specs and all of the i need to do the the springs and how hard it is and just all of that stuff thx if anyone could

why is it everyone reads this and no one responds? well anyway i was racing sum mexicans in a honda civic and my valve started tapping at the end of the race i took it home and parked it in the garrage my grandad said to take the valve covers off and wipe around the base of the valves because it might be a piece of carbon stuck at the seat of the valve would that work or not? i hope this isn't an expensive fix

PS: i killed the mexicans in the civic :-) that's what i'm building my car for

Been a while since I worked on an FE motor. Valve tapping is usually a result of excess clearance between the rocker tip and the valve tip. If the valvetrain is adjustable it's a matter of finding the offending rocker and tightening it down. If it's a non-adjustable valvetrain then you most likely have a collapsed lifter (which you may have anyway since it occured after racing). Worn rockers, broken springs, worn cam lobes can also contribute to tapping noises so a good general inspection is called for.

With the engine running you can push down on the offending rocker and it will quieten. Kinda messy but it finds it if the inspection reveals nothing.

1966 thunderbird C-6 auto semi-manual valve housing 850CFM mechanical secondary holley, holley blue fuel pump & pressure regulator, ignitor ignition, petrotonix race wires, 40,000 volt coil, glasspack mufflers

Ok I have a question? Are the rocker studs screw in or pressed in studs. Ford had a problem with the pressed in studs pulling out of the head and cause that ticking noise.


~ Vegas ~

P.S. If the pressed in rocker studs are pulling out install screw in studs. Sorry pedestals will have to be machined for screw in rocker studs.

Originally posted by vara4
Ok I have a question? Are the rocker studs screw in or pressed in studs. Ford had a problem with the pressed in studs pulling out of the head and cause that ticking noise.


~ Vegas ~

P.S. If the pressed in rocker studs are pulling out install screw in studs. Sorry pedestals will have to be machined for screw in rocker studs.

FE's have rails that the rockers pivot on. The rails are bolted on, pedestals are drilled & tapped.

yeah it's a 390 fe (as it's in the FE forum) thx for the help i could use some more i'm gona tear it all down friday

i don't think it's something really serious because my rpms wern't that high when it started to tap cause i already let off the gas and was slowing down when it started to tap like i was already goin like 45 (the mexicans were still racing though cause i left them behind so much lol i burried my spedo at 120 and they were only like doin 90 hahahaha) when we pulled up to the stop light i rolled down the window and said nice lawn mover does it have enough power to cut the grass lol. but anyway it doesn't sound like something really bad it just taps and sounds like the valve isn't seating right or something could what my grandad said be right? and do i have adjustable rockers in my 390 (stock heads and stock valve train)

(my grandad said i have adjustable rockers i'm not sure if i do or not)

Thanks Primer I couldn't remember It's been a while since I've seen one. But the clevelands and the small block fords have both kinds screw in and pressed in rocker studs! Thanks for the heads up!


~ Vegas ~

P.S. Let us know what you find is the problem.

i doubt he changed them but thx but all i have to do is tighten the valve spring or what, i know how to find it now but what do i do when i find it? i don't really want to pull the heads or anything like that and it doesn't sound loud enough to be something serious

i just changed it 3 weeks ago and there's not 50 miles on the oil yet could that be it

could wiping the valve seats with a cloth stop it from tapping or is that just like a myth if it isn't i hope that stops it

You can't wipe the valve seats with a cloth without taking the heads off. The valve seats are on the inside of the engine. Maybe we've got a terminology problem here?

Find the location of the tapping, then start looking at the pieces. See if the pushrod is damaged. See if the rocker arm is damaged. See if it's adjustable or fixed.

Sometimes ya just gotta poke around . . .

thx a bunch you just anwsered my question