360 Magnum, stock heads, Ansen cast aluminum valve covers

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Abodysrule

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Hi, I have a ticking noise in the top half of my newly built 360 Magnum engine. It runs great, has excellent oil pressure. I used Ansen cast aluminum valve covers for the Magnum (Magnum bolt pattern/gaskets not LA pattern). I'm wondering if I need spacers/if the rockers may be hitting the valve covers. I'll pull the covers and check for wear, but I'm asking ahead of time in case anyone used the cast Ansen covers and had this issue. Also, I looked through my parts and I already have spacers for them, so perhaps I already researched this and just forgot to put the spacers in.

Mopar Magnum Finned Valve Covers - Die-Cast Aluminum - Polished
 
Abodysrule said:
I have a ticking noise in the top half of my newly built 360 Magnum engine.
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Welcome to the club lol!

Are you using stock rocker arms? If so I highly doubt they are hitting anything. The Magnum valve train is pretty loud especially with fast ramps, so if it’s not egregious, there may not be anything wrong. I would still check everything.
 
Thank you, why is the Magnum valve train so loud? I recall building 318, 340 and 360 LA's with my brothers, they were nice an quiet. I don't believe these are stock rockers, they are 1.6 rollers, but stock heads. The cam is duration @ .050: 216/224 lift: .506"/.506" 114 LSA, so not stock. Perhaps one needs valve cover spacers for that....
 
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Abodysrule said:
Thank you, why is the Magnum valve train so loud? I recall building 318, 340 and 360 LA's with my brothers, they were nice an quiet. I don't believe these are stock rockers, they are 1.6 rollers, but stock heads. The cam is duration @ .050: 216/224 lift: .506"/.506" 114 LSA, so not stock. Perhaps one needs valve cover spacers for that....
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a few things...

stock magnum have 1.6 rockers
the stock magnum "kegger" intake with the plenum masks a lot of valve train noise. also, stock they were kinda close to the ragged edge in that department, so anything that deviates from there is going to make noise.

i don't know if you've got a new grind in there or a re-grind. a re-grind will almost certainly require longer pushrods. so that may be a source of your noise.

factory heads are only good to about .500 lift, if you haven't addressed the guide to keeper/lock clearance that may be a contributing factor as well.

magnums can be sensitive to oil weight as well, i forget off the top of my head what exactly it is but there was a TSB about which oil to run; along with some... let's say spirited discussion on the matter. may be worth investigating.

but with factory rockers, i doubt that you're getting into the valve covers.

hth!
 
OK, thank you, yes, some have mentioned that "all magnums make noise, just use 20W-50 and it'll quiet it down". I'll check the valve covers and maybe go to heavier oil. Thanks all!
 
Abodysrule said:
OK, thank you, yes, some have mentioned that "all magnums make noise, just use 20W-50 and it'll quiet it down". I'll check the valve covers and maybe go to heavier oil. Thanks all!
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You’re not listening. Go back and read @junkyardhero post and answer the cam questions he posed. Don’t use 20w50
 
Abodysrule said:
OK, thank you, yes, some have mentioned that "all magnums make noise, just use 20W-50 and it'll quiet it down". I'll check the valve covers and maybe go to heavier oil. Thanks all!
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no, no, no. if anything you want lighter oil.

i mean in reality you want the right oil. but i can tell you 20/50 isn't going to solve your problem.

i think you have some type of underlying condition though. go back and check the criticals.
 
OK, it's a newly rebuilt engine. I pulled the valve covers, there is no sign of any contact with the valve covers and rockers. I suppose the next thing I could check, absent removing the intake, is the preload. Q: would the preload being not correct cause a ticking sound?
 
junkyardhero said:
a few things...

stock magnum have 1.6 rockers
the stock magnum "kegger" intake with the plenum masks a lot of valve train noise. also, stock they were kinda close to the ragged edge in that department, so anything that deviates from there is going to make noise.

i don't know if you've got a new grind in there or a re-grind. a re-grind will almost certainly require longer pushrods. so that may be a source of your noise.

factory heads are only good to about .500 lift, if you haven't addressed the guide to keeper/lock clearance that may be a contributing factor as well.

magnums can be sensitive to oil weight as well, i forget off the top of my head what exactly it is but there was a TSB about which oil to run; along with some... let's say spirited discussion on the matter. may be worth investigating.

but with factory rockers, i doubt that you're getting into the valve covers.

hth!
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This is a dual plane intake, I believe the cam would be a new grind, as it was built by a commercial builder, Performance Injection Equipment, not sure which push rods they used. They are factory heads but aftermarket roller rockers. I'm using the oil the builder recommended, which is Lucas Hot Rod oil 10W-40. I have the build sheet, it has a lot of information - but it doesn't have the specifics on the rockers, push rod length and which brand lifters were used....hmmm. I better ask the builder. I have no idea what the preload would be absent the information.
 
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Abodysrule said:
OK, it's a newly rebuilt engine. I pulled the valve covers, there is no sign of any contact with the valve covers and rockers. I suppose the next thing I could check, absent removing the intake, is the preload. Q: would the preload being not correct cause a ticking sound?
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Yes. Push down on the pushrod side of the rocker soon after shutting the engine off. Are any of them squishy or soft?
 
How soon after? I don't want oil flying everywhere, so I'd have to put the covers back on, run it and then pull the covers to check. How fast do the lifters bleed down? Any way to check cold? Can't I just go through, check and set them all correctly when it's cold? Trouble is I don't know what "correct" preload is for this setup (I plan to call the builder tomorrow and ask for specifics). I could pull a push rod and measure it, but I don't know what lifters they used, or what brand of rocker (maybe its on the rocker somewhere). I watched one video for 360 magnum, guy said about 0.060", or 3/4 of a turn after snug. But it would depend on the lifter, the push rod and the rocker, right?
 

I spoke with the builder. He said the lifters have 0.200" leeway and they usually do 3/4 of a turn which comes to about .060". He suggested that I can take the adjusters down another 1/2 turn with no risk and it should quiet it down. I'll check it out, do the adjustment, go from there.

Brian
 
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