Tappet noise on rebuilt engine.

[1969chargerrtse]

So I have 2,500 miles on my engine since it's been rebuilt.  I hear a tappet noise on the pass side.  I have been using the Valvoline racing oil with the zinc in it since day one.  I know rebuilds on regular oil wear the cam and tappets within this time.  Please dear God tell me some rocker arms loosen up or something?  If this is the wear issue thing and the motor is losing a cam, I am done with this car and hobby.  I'm not going through a major rebuilding AGAIN.  I'll just have to take a lost on the car and move it.  What cha think.

[Challenger340]

Non-adjustable Rockers I presume ?

[1969chargerrtse]

Non-adjustable Rockers I presume ?

Wellllllllllll,  I just got back from one of my Mopar garage buddies.  He said he's 100% sure it's the exhaust manifold gasket.   He noticed how the sound got softer as we gave it a little gas slowly.  I'm pretty sure he is right, but man it's sounds just like a tapping lifter.  I'm so happy to hear that, I really don't want to give up this car yet, but I ain't pulling and rebuilding the engine again.

[firefighter3931]

I hope you're using an additive (EOS/ZZDP+) in your oil. Don't trust any of todays formulations to protect your flat tappet camshaft. 


** Read the sticky topic at the top of this page. 


Ron

[1969chargerrtse]

I hope you're using an additive (EOS/ZZDP+) in your oil. Don't trust any of todays formulations to protect your flat tappet camshaft. 


** Read the sticky topic at the top of this page. 


Ron

I use the Valvoline VR1 racing oil, here is some great news from their site, about the zinc level in the oil.

http://www.valvoline.com/downloads/2008-003a.pdf

Many hands-on car enthusiasts and engine experts believe the lower levels of zinc in "SM" engine oil is causing excessive wear in older style push-rod and flat tappet engines. This is despite the fact that all new engine oil classifications are intended to be backward compatible. This has resulted in the widely accepted belief that modern engine oil is not adequate to protect older engines.

There are high-zinc engine oils available to meet this need. It is important to note, however, that the entire additive package still needs to be balanced for best performance. For example, engine oil with a high zinc level but low detergent may not perform over a drain interval of 3,000 miles or longer.
Valvoline offers two solutions to the zinc issue

Valvoline Racing VR1: 75% higher zinc than SM engine oil with a balanced additive package designed to work in both racing and street-legal applications. This product will protect older style push-rod and flat tappet engines. Valvoline provides this product in both multi and mono viscosity grades: SAE 20W-50 (part vv211), straight SAE 50 (part vv235), SAE 10W-30 (part vv205), SAE 30(part vv223), SAE 40 (part vv229), and SAE 60 (part vv241) 

I did add ZZDP this time, but looks like the ZR1 alone would do the job.