383 engine noise

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Darren

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Hey guys I have a 1968 barracuda 383s 4 speed that has a little tick in the engine, when I first start it up you can hardly hear it but after the engine is warmed up it is noticeable. You can hear it at idle and as you slowly bring the rpm up the tick speeds up. My buddies say I am being to picky but it's a rebuild engine and it's bothering me. At idle the oil pressure is 50 psi at cold and 25 psi when engine is warm. I am running 15 40 Rotella and mobile 1 oil filter. The engine is basically stock, 906 rebuilt heads, stock exhaust manifolds (with gaskets) 68 RR cam and MP hyd lifters, new std volume oil pump, new stock iron rockers ( original shafts) new 383 push rods, fresh bottom end with KB 400 .30 pistons. Proform electric ignition with orange box. I am leaning towards lifter tick or exhaust leak. I am hoping to upload a sound bite when I find out how... If I am missing any info let me know. Any help where to go from here would be appreciated. Thanks
 
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Check around headers/manifolds for carbon deposits, if not most likely a lifter problem
 
Check around headers/manifolds for carbon deposits, if not most likely a lifter problem
It looks really clean around where the exhaust manifolds bolt to heads, but like I said I am running the stock manifolds with gaskets, I heard that you don't need gaskets when running stock exhaust manifolds on a big block. Also when I had the heads reconditioned the machine shop milled the heads 6 (six) thousands.The Block was left alone.
 
go and retighten all the bolts in the entire exhaust system.
I just did that lastnight... still ticking
I have a video of engine running just don't know how to post it.. anyone know the easiest way? Thanks
 
I guess I need a utube account for that?
 
I ordered a new set of Remflex collector gaskets, but pretty sure that's not the problem.
 
While it does sound like an exhaust leak, have you tried to "listen" to the valves with a long screwdriver to see if the ticking is in fact comming from the valve train?
 
While it does sound like an exhaust leak, have you tried to "listen" to the valves with a long screwdriver to see if the ticking is in fact comming from the valve train?
Yes I have, used a short wooden broomstick, ran it along the valve covers, and it seams like I can hear most ticking from #5,#7 area only when engine is at running temp. But then I can also hear pretty good from under car as well.. thanks
 
I am going to loosen then re tourqe the exhaust manifolds (from middle out) and put new collector gaskets and replace my plugs with autolite 85 tonight. And if noise is still there I guess I will pull valve covers. .. thanks
 
I am going to loosen then re tourqe the exhaust manifolds (from middle out) and put new collector gaskets and replace my plugs with autolite 85 tonight. And if noise is still there I guess I will pull valve covers. .. thanks

Sounds like a good idea, if it persists and you pull a valve cover and that doesn't show anything, might have to pull the intake to check the lifters, possibly a collapsed lifter
 
Well I installed the new remflex collector gaskets and new autolite 85 plugs (didn't have time to lossen and re tourqe exhaust manifolds ) and I really think it helped from what I can tell. I can still hear a little tick from the engine but I think I could of had 2 problems, a little exhaust ( collector) leak and now a little lifter tick. So I guess I will drive it for a bit and see how things go.. thanks I will be back with a update..
 
Let us know how it works out! I recently finished my 383 and after about 50ish miles heard a loose valve, only to find that I wiped a cam lobe, mine was a solid flat tapped, sucks but that's how it goes I guess!
 
The 383 engine builds ,have been nore popular here lately.Nice to see,really an underrated engine,with some work.
 
Let us know how it works out! I recently finished my 383 and after about 50ish miles heard a loose valve, only to find that I wiped a cam lobe, mine was a solid flat tapped, sucks but that's how it goes I guess!
I lost a lobe on a 440 I rebuilt a few years ago, and it happened the night before a big annual car show.. lol
 
Yea it's definitely rough, I tore the entire motor down to inspect and clean, now just waiting to get lifters, valve springs, and head gaskets. Mine is .030 over with arias dome pistons that are almost exact to the kb400 but forged, 516 heads with 10.7:1 compression and a .557 solid cam, the little 383s are screamers for sure
 
Took the car for a good ride lastnight and the ticking is still there.. so next step is to pull the valve covers and inspect lifters. And also I am going to use my adjustable push rod to measure to be sure I have the correct length pushrods.
 
So I pulled the valve cover ( drivers side) and I pushed hard on each rocker arm with each lifter on zero lift on the cam and was not able to compress any lifter. So I would assume I do not have a collapsed lifter? So then pulled the rockers snd pushrods out and got my adjustable pushrod and set it up to zero lash on #1 TDC then I compared that to my stock 383 pushrods and now relized that my lifters are running preload of .085"-.090" could this be a problem? I hear .030-.060 is recommended. cam is a 68 RR cam and lifters are also MP. Thanks
 
.085-.090 might be almost fully collapsed. I'm not sure what the full stroke of the hydraulic lifters are but if so I could see that being a problem
 
That what I was thinking.. I am going to actually measure each cylinder and see what lifter preload I come up with. Thanks.
 
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