Valve ticking noise

[anadaron]

Lifters seem to be working ok. Cam is not wiped. All lobes in good condition. Rockers are properly torqued.

i just got a dial indicator to check the preload and will be doing that today.

What is the best way to check preload?

 

[87GN_70GS]

With the passenger valve cover off and engine idling, check to make sure the pushrods are spinning. You'll find one that will spin opposite of the others.

You could also take a length of something wooden or plastic (like the handle of a hammer) and press on the ends of each rocker arm. The noise will change/go away on the offending rocker.

These two will help diagnose a bad cam lobe if you still suspect that.

 

[anadaron]

camshaft is in good condition just need to check preload now to rule out the valvetrain issues.

Looking for best way to check preload at this point. I have a digital dial indicator. Just trying to get the exact method down so i can check it.

 

[87GN_70GS]

With the engine assembled, one way to check preload would be to put the dial indicator on the rocker arm end, directly over and in-line with the pushrod. Put the particluar cylinder in firing position. Zero the dial gage. Holding down the rocker end over the spring, loosen the rocker shaft bolt(s). With the dial, measure travel until the arm stops moving up (push down lightly with your finger to take up any slack). The dial travel will be your preload. Then as a double-check, do the reverse procedure: Take up any slack, zero the gage, then tighten the shaft bolt(s) and monitor the dial until the gage stops moving. First, you might want to turn the engine over and let each lobe sit at max lift for a bit to let spring preesure bleed oil out of the lifter body so that the plunger can move freely.

 

[dan lephart]

noise

my ticking was cam sensor...

 

[anadaron]

How much shaft play should a cam sensor have when removed from the car. When i removed it i had about a 1/8" up and down play in it. Everything looked great on the cam sensor. No wear on bushing or gear just making sure that small up and down play are ok.

 

[dan lephart]

noisey

My rattling cam sensor had 1/8 to 3/16 play. Figured out that was the problem by replacing it with a known good cam sensor from another car.
If you want one I have a couple extra I bought because they were had to get... Can't hurt to have an extra hanging around.

 

[anadaron]

So should a cam sensor have zero shaft play at all? Or is it common to have a little up and down play when completely removed from the car?

 

[onefastcar]

Mine has some shaft play up and down i would say about 1/16 th of an inch or so and no issues, 1/8th sounds a little suspect but may be okay.

 

[anadaron]

Well i may have narrowed the problem done to the lifters. After looking thorugh all the parts books at work (I work in auto parts retail) i discovered that my lifters are Comp Cam lifters.

According to everything i have read they are very noisy little bastards. So i am gonna swap them out with some High-tech ones i have at work andsee if it doesn't get a little quieter.

 

[chrisgarrett]

New lifters on an old cam can be risky business. I would do a cam/lifters breakin if you install new lifters.