Valve train tick! need help and advice! sorry its long! Thanks

[1st_charger]

Looking for your Help and advice. Ok so here is the story had the car out the other day for a little cruise, everything was running fine oil pressure and temp were perfect next thing I know I look down at my gages and I have NO oil pressure shut it off and get to the side of the road! Temp was still at 180 and I didn't hear any noise from the engine! Oh its a 383 by the way! So I get it home and start checking it out and find that the oil pump drive has sheared the hex end off! So I picked up a new intermediate shaft (hardened) put my pump back on and reprimed the engine crossed my fingers and started it up. All seamed fine until it started to warm up and then I noticed a slight tick that sounded to me like a lifter! So after some more checking I decided it had to be a lifter and replaced them. Well this is were I am now:

After reassembly and start up the tick is still there. It doesn't seam to be any worse than before I pulled the fill cap on the valve cover an noticed what looks like air bubbles in the oil coming from the #1 cylinder valves.

So this is were I am what are your ideas as to the source of my tick?

Thanks for your help!!!

[RD]

first, how do you have a fill cap on top of your #1 cylinder? mopar performance valve covers?

secondly, have you isolated the tick sound to a specific bank and/or specific corresponding cylinder on your engine?

lastly, you sure its not a exhaust leak? do you have headers or stock exhaust manifolds.

[firefighter3931]

It's very important to properly break-in new lifters.....2000 rpm for 25 minutes. 

It might be a collapsed lifter or an exhaust leak....difficult to diagnose without hearing it.

How did the old lifters look when you removed them ? 



Ron

[c00nhunterjoe]

how loud is it? are you sure its not the rockers and you are paranoid since you had an oil pressure issue.  hope you dont take that the wrong way, dont mean anythign by it.

[1st_charger]

first, how do you have a fill cap on top of your #1 cylinder? mopar performance valve covers?

secondly, have you isolated the tick sound to a specific bank and/or specific corresponding cylinder on your engine?

lastly, you sure its not a exhaust leak? do you have headers or stock exhaust manifolds.

I'll try and answer as best I can so you guys can help as much as possible thanks in advance!

1. yes mopar performance valve covers.

2. Yes using mechanics stethoscope its coming from #1 cylinder.

3. I have headers and can not find a leak any were on them, I will check them again though.

[1st_charger]

It's very important to properly break-in new lifters.....2000 rpm for 25 minutes. 

It might be a collapsed lifter or an exhaust leak....difficult to diagnose without hearing it.

How did the old lifters look when you removed them ? 



Ron

Sorry I left out that I ran the lifter cam break-in per Lunati directions and I didn't hear the noise until I got down to idle 750rpm.  The old lifters still looked good only had about 2000 miles on them when this happened!   
I wish I could post a sound bite but I don't have the ability to do so. All I can say is it is a steady tick that seams to be in rhythm with the valve.

[1st_charger]

how loud is it? are you sure its not the rockers and you are paranoid since you had an oil pressure issue.  hope you dont take that the wrong way, dont mean anythign by it.

Man I wish I was being paranoid, No is definitely a tick that shouldn't be there! Oh and no I didn't take it the wrong way!


Thanks everyone for the feedback ! keep it coming! I need all the possible possibilities!

[firefighter3931]

Pull the valvecover and have a look at the pushrods on #1. Rotate the engine so that both valves are closed and see if there is any vertical play in the pushrods.


Ron

[RD]

Pull the valvecover and have a look at the pushrods on #1. Rotate the engine so that both valves are closed and see if there is any vertical play in the pushrods.


Ron

great point ron, also check the pushrods for any abnormal wear (as if they may be contacting the head causing grooves or scratches in the pushrods).  this would be indicative of a bent pushrod.

[roger440]

Did you check the cam lobes when you changed the lifters?

[dpixel]

Try a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil.