Valve Train Noise - Anybody with input?

[BadAndy]

Don't bother with changing the oil unless you pull the engine apart. 5-50 is still way to thick for that engine. You should be using 5-30.

[Ralph]

I was pondering this at work and came up with something that Gareth mentioned...  Lifter.

[01_blue]

Hrm, last ticking I heard coming from engine turned out to be timing chain tensioner, which of course resulted in having to change out all that ....among other issues. 

if you're nearing 80-100k miles, replace it cause I found out to late it is right about the time they go bad.

But that's just my personal experience

[RADARLV]

The oil is now changed to Redline 5 - 20 and the noise is now louder than ever.  [The suggestion to add more hood insulation brought a chuckle to us as we have just removed the insulation as it was rubbing the blower and causing another distracting noise]. 


We believe that the bottom of the engine is fine:  A compression check is 97%+ on all eight.  A 'blow thu' using diesel is also good on all eight.  With the engine running, we have disconnected each plug individually and the loud tick continues unabated. 

A stethascope suggests (tho this is not conclusive...) that the noise is in the upper right of the engine.

We have replaced the chain guides and the tappets. 

I am getting ready to replace the heads unless anybody out there has input.

What other tests are there to eliminate the bottom of the engine as a source of this persistant tick?

Thanks! 

[RADARLV]

For those scoring at home....

The engine is pulled and the source of the problem is #8 where a piece of the surface of the piston has lifted loose.  This is likely from high boost and a history of tuning opportunities.  No damange to block but we will bore for +.20. 

The new engine will have Mahle pistons to fit +.20, rods and bearings.  We have taken this op to include aluminum flywheel.  Heads are Patriot stage 2 with Comp cams.  550.  The chain, guides and tappets are new as well. 

Thanks to Ralph and others who conributed.  Postings to follow. 

[quake101]

The engine is pulled and the source of the problem is #8 where a piece of the surface of the piston has lifted loose.  This is likely from high boost and a history of tuning opportunities.

Wow, never heard of that before, what does something like that look like? I'm glad you found it now before anything major happen.

[RADARLV]

The surface of the piston in this engine is actually concave with a flat rim around the edge.  A small chunk of the edge of #8 has released and made it's way into a valve opening but was blocked by its size from passing.  I am not able to fully explain why the ticking only occurred after the engine fully warmed up.  The block is not scored but we decided to bore it to +.20 to be safe.

Parts everywhere ... more to follow. 

[David Claflin]

What's a "tuning opportunity"?

[RADARLV]

Its a 'technical term' for we could have tuned it better -  your suggestions are welcome. 

[Snake 42]

One other thing you might try is changing to a different brand of oil filter. I know it sounds crazy but I had the same problem with my 70 GTO Judge. I was at my wits end and ready to start tearing into the motor when an old black mechanic at my tire store tole me to throw away the AC oil filter and put on a Puralator or Wix filter on. I did and the sound quit within two days. Later when I tore the engine down to install a Ram Air V cam I found wear on several of the rocker arms where they had not been getting enough oil with the AC filter.

Snake 42