Ticking noise, 383, can't locate the source

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The Comp rockers in the pic on summit's website look adjustable but they're not.

Never heard of B3, but I'll look them up.

I have lightly filed the areas where the rockers came in contact with the retainers, bolted them on, rotated the engine manually, and checked for clearance.
I had to take the assembly off 5 times to clear the #3 intake.

The goal is to run it once more, verify the ticking is gone, quickly check other items if needed, shut it down, degrease it, and invest in some adjustable rockers.

The unrelated plan to swap the trans, replace the clutch, and change the oil pan gasket is scheduled for this weekend, so getting off all the oil that flowed all over the place would be nice. Nothing like 10 things at once.

The rockers that are contacting the retainers are the ones with the full wear pattern.

My understanding is this is the preferred pattern, over the circle, but my guess is due to this, it is actually lowering it on the pushrod, which makes it contact the retainer.

My understanding is eventually the pushrods will punch thru the rockers.

Honestly I don't recall how everything was upgraded on the build except the rockers. Although the stock ones lasted 8 years, it wasn't a good choice, but I didn't know any better.

Now I'm trying to learn myself on adjustable rockers so I can decide on what to get, install, measure for pushrods, and get back on the road.

Maybe the Mancini ones, however at this point I don't know what 1.5 vs 1.6 means or why my stock rockers are offset and theirs are not, but I'll figure it out.

At $500 they are less than the Comp non adjustable ones at $700.
Mancini Racing Aluminum Roller Rocker Arm Kit
 
Yes, the Comp rockers you linked to at Summit ARE adjustable.
 
I'm dumb.
I might just get those, Jegs has them $1 cheaper plus $50 off $500 or more.

Summit's deal ended Tuesday but I remembered the code, BIGDEAL I think.
I ordered stuff on Wed and it worked.
Wonder how long it's good for after they remove the advertising.

Betcha I could use my pushrods.

Screenshot_20190718-185316.jpg
 
Just ran it, still ticks.

The good news is now it's popping out the tailpipe on that side - nice!

Pulled the valve cover, spun engine, everything looks ok.

I was meticulous taking it apart, kept everything in order, spun engine manually first, watched all the valves open and close.

There's something serious wrong with me, I must be crazy.
 
I'm dumb.
I might just get those, Jegs has them $1 cheaper plus $50 off $500 or more.

Summit's deal ended Tuesday but I remembered the code, BIGDEAL I think.
I ordered stuff on Wed and it worked.
Wonder how long it's good for after they remove the advertising.

Betcha I could use my pushrods.

View attachment 1715365767
You can never use pushrods made for non-adjustable rockers with adjustable rockers. The pushrods for the adjustable rockers are always substantialy shorter.
 
You're not dumb and you're not crazy. You're dealing with some hard to diagnose problems and doing the smart thing by reaching out for help. Sounds pretty smart to me.
 
ticking, popping out the exhaust , are you sure the cam isn't or lost a lobe.
 
You guys have been extremely helpful, so thank you.

I'm not so concerned with the ticking as I am with the popping.

Some rockers are definitely hitting the spring retainers, although slightly, it seems reasonable that is the cause of the ticking.
Also, either way, adjustable rockers seem like $ well spent, and I don't care about spending the $ for the Comp 'recommended' set.

The popping is new and confusing. I torqued them down per the spec, even verifying on the other side with the torque wrench.

With the efi it fires right up and idles at 850 rpm, nothing has changed.

I pulled everything again, filed down the rockers that showed marks, as well as the others a bit, put it back together.

I'll fire it tomorrow and see.
 
ticking, popping out the exhaust , are you sure the cam isn't or lost a lobe.

It has never popped out the exhaust, always ran great. I had a fuel pressure issue last year, and now this.

I'm not sure about a lobe.
It just makes no sense that taking the rockers off and putting them back on would make a wiped lobe show itself.
 
popping out the exhaust is a characteristic of a wiped lobe. not saying you have one. but something to check.
A failing lobe will create a tick in the valvetrain
 
Mike at B3 Racing Engines can help you with rocker arm geometry kit.
B3 Racing Engines LLC - Mopar Rocker Arm Geometry Tech
When you’ve solved the ticking and installing a adjustable rocker arm, you’ll need this kit from Mike. He’s extreamly helpful, and will guide you thrue the install of the kit. Don’t forget to buy rocker arm spacers to correct side clearence of the rocker arms.
However you might need a new set of valvecovers, at least I did.
 
On the popping sound, check that the ignition wires are all making tight contact both at the plugs and in the cap. Easy to leave one loose when you're that deep.
 
Exhaust leak, I'm almost certain.
No more popping today, still ticks.

Spoke to Mike at B3 for over an hour. He told me to take some fuel line, stick it in my ear, and use the other end to search the engine. It not only transmits sound extremely well, but air flow as well.

Initially it sounded like it was coming from the #5 spark plug. I pulled all on that side, checked them, switched it with the #1 plug, anti-seize, put them all back.

Tick loud and clear where the left arrow is, about the middle of the header down. I can hear it a little on either side.

If I butt the hose up against the head at the right arrow the tick is just as clear, strange.

I put it there by chance while I was checking around the base of the head for a blown head gasket.

No where else do I hear anything when putting the hose right on the engine, heads, headers, valve covers, etc.

I'm over analyzing again, but notable.

I need to move it around a few times, then I'll pull the header and find out for sure.

A few notes:
  • This is the best site ever, with the best people, who I couldn't do this without.
  • 'I told you so' is definitely in order, from you to me.
  • Like I said earlier, I'm dumb with some things, I know it, it's frustrating, but I learn so much it's so worth being dumb.
  • Mike at B3 was extremely helpful, I called him at 4:57pm today, that's quitting time for most, and we talked for over an hour.
  • I learned a great deal from Mike, I will be getting his kit, roller rockers, and possibly a different cam as my set up has changed over the years, and he seems to know how to get the most out of a combo. He knew all about Mopars, efi, valvetrain geometry, cams, trans, gears, tunnel rams, and how to make them work together. I can't even find someone local who can do a Mopar alignment, let alone diagnosing where I'm lacking with a fuel injected tunnel ram 4 speed!
I'll post the results of pulling the header asap.

This weekend is supposed to be new clutch and rebuilt trans swap, but it's going to be around 100 degrees in the shade, so we'll see.

20190719_211715.jpg
 
No I told you so comin from me. You're actually DOING all the recommendations and LISTENING, unlike the cat that REFUSES to check TDC with a piston stop. Unbelievable. You'll get this sooner or later, because you listen and you don't give up.
 
"Pushrods spin at TDC". To me that indicates no preload on the hyd. lifters. Of course they are going to "tick"! With no adjustment on the rockers, the correct length pushrods must be used.

Have been reading through this post and zeroing in on push rod length with the aluminum heads, thinking that the aluminum pedestals sit up a little higher than the stock cast iron pedestals so possibly need longer than stock push rods.

Have not heard if you used stock length push rods with the new aluminum heads and stock mopar rocker assemblies.

Here is a picture of the longer than stock push rods for an aluminum headed chev 350.

Stock push rod on left,
Longer 2 push rods on right to work with the aluminum heads. They were using the adjustable roller rockers with the longer push rods on the alum heads. This might be where the added length was needed to make up for the added height of the roller rocker ??? Lots of variables here.

Got to be careful not to touch the valves to the pistons with too much lift when making valve train alterations.

Another Possibility to check out.

ChevAlumHeads.jpeg
 
Did you ever figure it out

I did, we were all correct, I'm a big dummy!

Header gasket. The slightest, smallest, burn path thru a header gasket I've ever seen, in the most inaccessible place. Pointing straight down from the #3 cylinder, iirc. Left no exhaust mark, and couldn't see or feel it.

That hose trick saved my butt. I think it was one of those things I knew at some point but got pushed out of my brain as there wasn't enough storage space.
 
I did, we were all correct, I'm a big dummy!

Header gasket. The slightest, smallest, burn path thru a header gasket I've ever seen, in the most inaccessible place. Pointing straight down from the #3 cylinder, iirc. Left no exhaust mark, and couldn't see or feel it.

That hose trick saved my butt. I think it was one of those things I knew at some point but got pushed out of my brain as there wasn't enough storage space.

Exhaust leaks have fooled even the most seasoned mechanics.
 
Just read page one... 1st thing I thought was exhaust leak.
I had a set of hedmans crack and leak at the bottom on no.5 .
 
I'm glad it wasn't something major and I really like your tunnel rammed 383. Sweet combo !
 
I had another thread, short version, one of the issues was dirt in the carb, suggested early on.
Fast forward a while, followed another thread, screamed the same issue, I posted multiple times.
It's hard to see the forest sometimes, even when you're hitting your head on the trees.
 
I really like your tunnel rammed 383. Sweet combo !

Thank you. It took a long time to realize my childhood dream of a tunnel ram with a newspaper box scoop. Was told countless times it will never be streetable - wrong.

This was the single best thread I ever started because I spoke to Mike, and hopefully with any luck, I'll have enough pennies soon to do the correct, smart, upgrades to it.
 
I chased a ticking 340 for over a year. wiped out 2 cams. I finally found 2 galley plugs in block missing (previous builder). I rebuilt the engine, still ticked. all oem replacement shafts etc. I finally figured the lifters needed more collapsing, so I ordered .080 longer pushrods. the motor is quiet as a lexus and over a year of tick free driving. just my .02 on the subject.
 
I chased a ticking 340 for over a year. wiped out 2 cams. I finally found 2 galley plugs in block missing (previous builder). I rebuilt the engine, still ticked. all oem replacement shafts etc. I finally figured the lifters needed more collapsing, so I ordered .080 longer pushrods. the motor is quiet as a lexus and over a year of tick free driving. just my .02 on the subject.


What two plugs were missing? You should have had zero oil pressure with two plugs missing.
 
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