Noisy passenger side valvetrain/cylinder

[toupee]

Hi all.  I have been working on a car for a bit now and got it to the point where I could start it up.  It seems to idle/start very well but I'm concerned about something.  When I start the car (it's in my garage) I hear what sounds like valvetrain noise coming from the passenger side.  The car has a 68' 383, supposedly rebuilt to hipo 383 factory specs by the guy before the guy that sold me the car    It has hydraulic lifters in it... that much I know because I had the head off.  When the head was off I didn't see anything abnormal in the cylinder or valvetrain. 
I thought maybe there was a lack of oil flow to the head.  I hooked up a mechanical oil pressure gauge (since my gauge on my instrument panel is crazy right now) and it read plenty of pressure.  Just how much oil should I see when looking through the valvecover because it looks pretty dry in there to me.  I was told that chryslers don't pump a lot of visible oil up through the rockers.  I would compare it with the drivers side but I can't see down in there.
Any input on what I should be looking for?  Should I see some oil being pump in there with the car idling if I look through the oil filler hole?  What else might it be?  Am I worrying over nothing?

[craigandlynda]

if it sounds like valve train noise, and its only on one side, it probably is valve train noise...if it only occurs at start up , then dies down, check for a lifter that leaks down...or a slightly short (mushroomed) pushrod that magnify the sound of a crappy hydro lifter...if the noise is steady, check for worn rocker or bent pushrod...another idea, if the sound stays after startup, is to idle the motor, and remove (safely) plug wires one at a time, and you might be able to hear a difference when you are dealing with the bad area of the valve train...did it make this noise before you re-assembled it? any chance you have the rocker arm shaft  reversed end for end? that woud inhibit oiling...if you doubt oil flow up to the rockers, leave the valve cover loose, start up and idle, and carefully lift up the valve cover...you should see oiling...(keep the engine room and fender covered...it won't be  a gusher, but it will make a mess...)

[craigandlynda]

forgot to mention, to SAFELY pull plug wires one at a time, use a pair of cardboard base pliers, which are usually sold as fuse pullers...and, if the lifter noise isn't severe, it might go away after an oil change to a quality, proper viscosity oil...(doesn't really sound like a serious problem unless it is steady)

[mally69]

If it is really dry you also need to check and make sure that the holes in the rocker shafts are pointed in the right direction which should be pointed toward the exhuast manifold and not the intake side. Also an exhuast leak on the manifold can also sound like a valve train noise ( ticking sound ). Just a few things to check.

[Chryco Psycho]

you can remove lifters with a magnet without pulling the intake , if the noise persists pull the lifters & make sure the cam is not wiped

[toupee]

Well, I realized my rocker arm shaft was on upside down.  Boy am I dumb.    Either way, didn't see any damage to the rocker arms/shaft from that little mistake.  Car was barely run at idle and there was still oil on the shaft and rocker arms. 
But the passenger side still sounds louder to me.  No bent rods.  Everything looks ok under the valve cover near as I can tell.  I just put headers on it so I certainly hope they are cracked.

[mally69]

Good deal    Hopefully there was no harm done.