It can't be my valve guides!!!

Westy · 06-02-2005, 06:09 PM

Many of you know I dropped my motor, replaced my air box, and while I was in there I did the intake boots, gaskets, spark plugs, and injector o-rings.

First of all, nothing, I repeat NOTHING fell into the cylinders. That being said, I have a valve ticking like there was no tomorrow. I had Jimmy come up and show (teach) me how to adjust my valves. I had already adjusted them, and as I suspected, they were way off. So we got them right. Once I got the motor running, the tick was still there. So Jimmy came up again, and he said they were aqdjusted correctly.

OK, how can this be. I've taken a few spirited runs, and the car runs great (although still a little rich) but the ticking wont go away. Jimmy said maybe it's a bad valve guide. Holy *****, I just spent all my money on my new member to the family!!! I can't afford a 3K rebuild. Besides, how can this be. Fine before the motor drop, now it sucks??? This makes no sense. I'd hate to park the car for a year, but if that'[s what it takes, then so be it. If I have to rebuild it, I'll do it myself. If it takes a year, then it takes a year. But I hope there's something else that can cause this.

It sounds like it's coming from the #6 cylinder. Any suggestions?

PS. This really does suck!!!!

ruf-porsche · ruf-porsche's Garage

Bent Rocker or broken rocker shaft?

MichiganMat · MichiganMat's Garage

Pop the covers and give them a wiggle.
Same thing happened to me a few months back.

"But I just adjusted them!" - NOPE

jthwan22 · 06-02-2005, 06:52 PM

did you adjust the valve when the engine was stone cold?

john walker's workshop · 06-02-2005, 09:09 PM

pull the right covers and use a mirror and flashlight to look at the cam lobes. rotate the engine so you can see the tip of the lobes. if the squirters get plugged, the lube and rocker wear away. just did 2 cams in an SC last week. 4 badly worn lobes and rockers. after a valve adjust they were still very ticky.

copper · copper's Garage

This may be totally way off base, or not even a consideration for an experienced wrench, but as a do it yourselfer, I did my valves and had my wrench verify it.

After the engine was back in, I noticed a loud click/tick while the engine was running, that sounded to me, like the valves. (Had motorcycles for years, and was familiar with valve noise on them). I would notice this while driving, especially when beside anything that reflected the noise back.

I used a stethoscope on the valves, and they were all matched, no excess or strange noise from any cylinder.

Turned out that I had leaks in my exhaust, which was causing the noise. Amazing how it can mimic the tick of valves. We welded the holes and I slapped some JB weld on some spots and lo and behold, problem solved. Nice and quiet.

Again, may not be a consideration, but thought I'd share.

Jim

Mark sP · 06-03-2005, 02:21 AM

I had exactly the same with mine Jim. Turned out to be the heat exchanger flange on #6. Everyone who heard it swore it was a valve. We attempted to weld mine but it was too bad a crack, so I replaced the exchanger.

dickster · 06-03-2005, 03:32 AM

I thought it might be that too. Make sure there are no leaks anywhere.

Westy · 06-03-2005, 05:32 AM

OK, Yes the engine was stone cold when we adjusted them. I'm gonna pick up a stethescope on my way home.

My confusion is that there was no noise before the motor drop, and now there IS noise, and I didn't even touch that area.

Now, while dropping the motor I did DROP the motor. It fell off the jack to the right side and landed on my stack of 2 x 4's . The drop wasn't that far (3 to 4 inches), but I suppose that could have caused some damage. I've heard a million SBC exhaust leaks, and they never sounded like a valve ticking, but I'm open to that possibility.

I'm taking this car to Parts Heaven on Sunday. Anyone wanna listen to it, be my guest. I'll have beer in the trunk!!!!

If this fails, I 'll look at the lobes as John suggests. I like to save the worst for the last!

B

stlrj · 06-03-2005, 08:02 AM

Besides the brew, what color targa should we be on the lookout for?

Joe

Westy · 06-03-2005, 08:06 AM

cbeers · 06-03-2005, 08:26 AM

Nice looking car Brian

Hey, I hope to meet you in person Sunday. Anyone showing up with beer in the trunk is a must see! I will follow the idea from the other thread about meeting other Pelicans at the Elephant Racing booth at the top of every hour.....hopefully that works.

I will most likely be wearing my beat up old Fox hat too, black.

-Chris

Westy · 06-03-2005, 08:30 AM

Ya know what's interesting, Chris. We both bought our cars at about the same time. You got 10,000 miles on yours and I've already dropped the motor once.

cbeers · 06-03-2005, 08:36 AM

Brian,

Don't worry, I have a drop in my near future too. About three weeks after I bought it, I turned it over one day and got the "Chevy clunker stripped starter" noise. Not too happy. But, it's only once in a while, so I am milking it until I need another clutch. At least, that's the plan......

I may even be living up that way soon, so you may get called in for assistance!

See you Sunday

-Chris

Westy · 06-03-2005, 08:41 AM

Yeah, bring it to my barn. I got the room and the tools. And now that I've done it, engine drops are pretty straightforward.

vash · vash's Garage

westy, i still think it is an exhaust leak. you better have COLD beer in your car. my 75 car made a very similar sound. i fixed it by giving the car to my brother. let him deal with it. funny thing is that he knows nothing about cars. he is like a woman. he hasnt even noticed the sound

(he dates smoking hot women and i can detect an exhaust leak, so he still wins)

cbeers · 06-03-2005, 01:29 PM

Exhaust DOES make more sense with the engine drop and all. Valves are not touched as far as I know, but the exhaust sure is.......

But if Jimmy was looking at it with Westy, I would assume (go ahead, make the comment) that it must be valve related ?

Ahhhhhh.................beer. The breakfast of champions!

-Chris

911mot · 911mot's Garage

I suppose you could pull No 6 plug, put a couple of drops of oil in (no more), re-fit and look closely at the exhaust flange for smoke while someone starts it up...

Westy · 06-03-2005, 07:40 PM

Wel, I got my stethescope. That helped a lot,,,,not! It seems it's on the bottom of the motor. Maybe an exhaust leak, maybe not, I'll drive it down to Parts Heaven, and deal with it when I get back.

PS. Anyone got a right side heat exchanger for sale,,,,,,reasonable

copper · copper's Garage

The fact that you've narrowed it to the bottom has helped some... You're further ahead than before. Touch the stethoscope to the outside of your lower cover over each valve. See if the sounds are different.

Then try the end around your exhaust flanges both at the muffler, and the engine side. You'll hear the change if there's a leak. For this, you really need the long tube extension on the stethoscope.

Good luck.

Jim