engine noise

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73dartneedswork

73dartneedswork

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[ame="https://youtu.be/XNqNt-FZv3M"]https://youtu.be/XNqNt-FZv3M[/ame]

I just installed a 5.9 Magnum that I had rebuilt. As you can hear in the video I have a ticking noise that does not sound right.
I hear the noise the loudest on the passenger side of the car towards the center of the valve cover around #4 and #6. It also seems loud under the car.
I'm not super mechanically inclined but this is what I've done so far to try and figure it out.

I've checked to make sure the flex plate bolts are tight and aren't hitting anything.

I used Remflex header gaskets that supposedly aren't supposed to leak

I've listened around the motor with a piece of pipe to my ear to try and detect where the noise is coming from. I listened to the timming chain cover, the fuel pump, oil pan, side of the block and the valve covers. The noise seems a little more pronounced around the valve covers, but I really don't know what I'm doing.

What are the next steps I should take to try and figure this out?
 
Here's a video with the passenger side valve cover off
[ame="https://youtu.be/yDiueoZ67uY"]https://youtu.be/yDiueoZ67uY[/ame]
 
Touch your finger to the center of each rocker while it's running and you will feel it if it's a rocker/lifter/cam issue.
(you'll feel what's making the noise.)
 
Could you have a loose dog bone (lifter anti rotational bracket that goes under the spider bracket - keeps the lifter from rotating?) If it's not under the spider bracket that holds it down, it can rattle make noise...
 
I'm still trying to chase this noise down. I've spent a lot of time with a mechanics stethoscope listening everywhere. I feel I hear a more pronounced tinging sound around the passenger side where the intake meets the head.
The guy who built my engine was no help. He hears the noise but doesn't know what's causing it and couldn't give me any real direction on what to do next.

The motor has Enginequest heads with springs to match my Howards custom ground cam. The lifters are new OE roller lifters and the stock rocker gear. We reused the push rods, the engine builder thinks their length is fine. Could this be a push rod issue?

TrailBeast Touch your finger to the center of each rocker while it's running and you will feel it if it's a rocker/lifter/cam issue.
(you'll feel what's making the noise.)
Click to expand...
I tried doing this and everything feels and sounds the same.

krazykuda Could you have a loose dog bone (lifter anti rotational bracket that goes under the spider bracket - keeps the lifter from rotating?) If it's not under the spider bracket that holds it down, it can rattle make noise...
Click to expand...
Pulling the intake will probably be my next step and I'll take a look.
 
All I hear is the tin front trans cover rubbing...

If it was bent at ALL,, they can be very difficult to straighten,, it may be the next frizbee across your yard,,

While running, place a finger against the tin cover,, you'll likely feel it rubbing..

Take the cover off and see if the noise goes away...
 
inertia said:
All I hear is the tin front trans cover rubbing...

If it was bent at ALL,, they can be very difficult to straighten,, it may be the next frizbee across your yard,,

While running, place a finger against the tin cover,, you'll likely feel it rubbing..

Take the cover off and see if the noise goes away...
Click to expand...

That could be it.
 
IF you end up pulling the intake, check the lifters and make sure the holes in them face the center of the engine instead of the outside. If they face the outside, oil will drain out of them when the engine is shut off and they will run dry for the first few seconds at startup. That could do damage to them that they cannot recover from.
 
Thanks for the replies,

the inspection plate is off and the noise is still there.

If I do pull the intake I will check for the correct orientation of the oiling holes in the lifters.


I've spent a week reading posts and watching YouTube videos to try and convince myself that valve train noise is inherent with roller cams but I really don't thing that's the case.

I'm aiming to do the Hot Rod power tour this June which means I would be putting close to 6000 miles on this engine. I don't want to have to worry about my engine. I need to spend those 6000 miles worrying about other things breaking on my car.
 
I made a post, but I dont know where it went, so Ill try again

I once traced a sound like that to the dipstick. The crank was whacking it. I imagine a windage tray could make a sound like that. And that would kinda go along with the statement about the sound being louder underneath the engine.
 
Unfortunately because of my hearing, I cannot hear any unusual sounds in your video. I wish I could.
 
Rusty
just sos you know;I have pretty good hearing,and I had to listen to the vid several times,to pick it up.Theres a whole lotta noises in there,besides the one odd noise.And the odd noise is quite a bit quieter than the rest.The only reason I picked up on it was cause the camera was panning, so the brain was doing a constant A/B comparison.
The sound is a bit tinny, and as you know, theres only a couple of tinny things inside there.Well, maybe 3 things, on some. 4 if you count the tranny inspection cover.
 
Just a thought, did you check/retork your exhaust
manifold bolts? Had a similar noise w/my 340. Turned out that the header bolts loosened up a bit after running it. Just a guess....
 
73dartneedswork said:
Thanks for the replies,

the inspection plate is off and the noise is still there.

.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Just to be clear,, I am refering to the whole half-moon tin cover that goes between the starter and bellhousing,, that needs the starter removed to get it out..

Not just the small 2-bolt "tab" cover..

hope it helps.. grant
 
I pulled up the dip stick so I know that the crank isn't hitting it and I don't have a windage tray

I don't think I have an exhaust leak at the flange or at the collector but I'm wondering if there's a pin hole in one of the tubes.

Here's another video[ame="https://youtu.be/5vChVhCQOjg"]https://youtu.be/5vChVhCQOjg[/ame]
 
Well bless your heart, you sure are trying to get good video and audio......unlike a lot of other panty waste dumbasses on here. Good job.

I think I hear it......it does sound like a high pitched tick like valve train. That's what I would be concentrating on, I think. Tell you what you do. Get a long 3/8 extension. I used to have a 48" Snap On, until somebody liked it better than I did.

Take the extension socket end against the engine and place it in the area where you think you hear it best, on the valve cover, intake, head, wherever. Then stick the female end of the extension in your ear much as you can get it in there. This works like 10x better than a stethoscope and you will zoom in REAL quick on it.

Once you get the general area....which will probably be on a valve cover, remove that valve cover and start zeroing in more. Even stick it on each rocker arm bolt head. It will fit. THAT should really get you close.
 
could this fluctuation with my oil pressure coincide with a lifter issue? Or is the fluctuation normal?

[ame="https://youtu.be/ycUEc3ov2_o"]https://youtu.be/ycUEc3ov2_o[/ame]
 
Naw that's just fluctuating with engine RPM. Normal.
 
I would agree with Rusty approach, work grate.

Does the sound change with rpm? does it go away? If it does, i would agree with the pin hole in the header or header gasket leak/s.

If the noise stays with a little rpm then i would be pulling the valve cover off and continuing with Rusty sugestions
 
To me, it really does sound louder under the engine. I think I may have never heard it before.
So youve ruled out; the windage tray and dipstick,the trans inspection cover, and the valvecovers and rocker gear.That doesnt leave much. It doesnt sound like bearings.
So that leaves a wrist pin and the flex-plate.
 
Thanks for the replies

Does the sound change with rpm? does it go away? If it does, i would agree with the pin hole in the header or header gasket leak/s.
Click to expand...
The sound increases with engine rpm

So youve ruled out; the windage tray and dipstick,the trans inspection cover, and the valvecovers and rocker gear.That doesnt leave much. It doesnt sound like bearings.
So that leaves a wrist pin and the flex-plate.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if I've ruled out rocker gear, but I can't feel or hear anything obvious but again I am no mechanic.

How do I check the flex-plate? I've looked for cracks and made sure the bolts are tight. I actually put masking tape on the flex plate where it's closest to the engine to see if it was hitting anything and the tape doesn't get scarred when the motor runs.

What can I do to diagnose a wrist pin? I'm not even sure what a wrist pin does. Is that where the rod connects to the piston? With the engine running I pulled and put back one spark pug at a time to see if the noise would go away and it never did. Should I do a compression check?

I'm going to pull the intake tomorrow and see if I notice anything wrong. Hopefully I see something easy and obvious. Thanks again for the advice
 
You are smarter than you think. The tape on the flex plate was great as well as removing the plug wires. You are better than you give yourself credit for.

If there was no difference when you removed the plug wires, chances are it is not a wrist pin. When you remove the wires, you "unload" that cylinder and most of the time any physical noises will either be reduced significantly or go away.

You are doing a fantastic job. Makes me glad to be helping someone who is not a drooling idiot and actually listens. Most of the guys ask for help and then turn around and argue when they are given it.

It's time to get the extension out. Believe in me. It works so much better than a stethoscope you will not believe it. I really think you will zoom in on it. Try it everywhere. On the top and on the bottom as well.
 
I heard a noise like that once, on a Pontiac 400. Turned out the builder had put Mallory metal in the crank to balance the counterweights. Metal protruded and was hitting the distributor shaft. If you run out of ideas, shouldn't take too long to pop the dizzy and oil pump drive gear.
Try Rusty's idea first though.
 
It sounds more like an upper end tick than a lower end knock to me. I would keep looking in the lifter valley/rocker arm area.

Try RRR's idea with the extension.
 
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